Impact Resistant Gloves
Impact gloves protect your knuckles, fingers and back of hand when you're handling blocks, steel, plant and rough kit that bites back on site.
If you're shifting heavy materials, working around plant or doing jobs where one slip smashes your knuckles, impact gloves are the pair you reach for. They cushion blows across the back of the hand without stopping you getting on with the work. You will spot them on demolition, groundworks and yard jobs where standard Work Gloves just do not offer enough protection. If you also need blade protection, it is worth checking Cut Resistant Work Gloves alongside the range and picking the right pair for the risk.
What Are Impact Gloves Used For?
- Handling kerbs, blocks, scaffold fittings and steel sections is where impact gloves earn their keep, taking the sting out of knocks across your knuckles and fingers when loads shift unexpectedly.
- Working around breakers, compact kit, attachments and heavy tools is easier with impact gloves on, as they help protect the back of your hand when you are reaching into tight spaces or around rough plant.
- Loading and unloading vans, stillages and site deliveries becomes less punishing when impact gloves are taking the scrapes and bangs that usually leave your hands cut up by midweek.
- Demolition, strip-out and yard work are proper use cases for impact gloves, especially where debris, jagged materials and awkward handling mean your hands are constantly brushing against hard edges.
- Mechanical and maintenance jobs on plant, trailers and machinery suit impact gloves well, giving you more confidence when loosening seized parts or working where one slip can bark your hand.
Choosing the Right Impact Gloves
Sort the risk first. If the job keeps smashing your knuckles and fingers, buy for protection where you get hit, not just whatever feels thinnest in the hand.
1. Back of Hand Protection
If you are working around blocks, steel, plant or demolition waste, go for impact gloves with proper TPR coverage across the fingers, knuckles and back of hand. If the glove only has light padding, it is fine for minor knocks but not for hard site abuse.
2. Grip and Palm Material
If you are handling wet materials, oily parts or smooth steel, make sure the palm has enough grip to stop tools and loads shifting. There is no point buying maximum impact protection if the glove still lets things slip in your hand.
3. Cut Risk vs Impact Risk
Do not confuse impact gloves with cut protection. If you are dealing with sharp sheet, jagged waste or blades as well as knocks, check the cut rating too and move to a glove that covers both risks where needed.
4. Fit for All Day Wear
If the glove is too loose, the protection will move about and the fingers will feel clumsy. If it is too tight, you will take them off after an hour. A close fit with enough flex through the palm is what you want for full-shift use.
Who Uses These on Site?
- Groundworkers swear by impact gloves when they are handling kerbs, drainage, covers and rough materials all day, because standard gloves do not do much once the back of your hand gets clipped.
- Demolition teams use them for strip-out, sorting rubble and shifting sharp, awkward waste, where the extra protection across the knuckles saves a lot of avoidable knocks.
- Plant fitters and mechanics keep impact gloves handy for work on machines, trailers and attachments, especially when reaching past hard metal edges or freeing off stubborn parts.
- Scaffolders, yard staff and delivery teams use impact gloves when they are constantly lifting, stacking and moving kit, because repeated bangs soon catch up with your hands.
- Anyone moving between general handling and tougher site risks often keeps a pair alongside Synthetic Work Gloves or Leather Gloves so they can swap to the right glove for the job.
Choose the Right Impact Gloves for the Job
Match the glove to the kind of knocks, handling and site conditions you are dealing with.
| Your Job | Impact Glove Type | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Handling blocks, kerbs and heavy site materials | General site impact gloves | TPR knuckle protection, durable palm, secure cuff and solid grip for rough handling |
| Demolition, strip-out and rubble clearing | Impact gloves with cut resistance | Back of hand protection, higher cut rating, reinforced palm and hard-wearing fingertips |
| Plant maintenance and mechanical work | Close-fit impact gloves | Flexible finger movement, good oily grip, knuckle coverage and better feel on tools and fixings |
| Loading vans, yard work and repeated lifting | All-round handling impact gloves | Balanced protection, breathable back, grippy palm and enough comfort for full-day wear |
| Wet, muddy or mixed outdoor jobs | Weather-ready impact gloves | Grip that still works damp, tough outer, snug wrist fit and protection that does not stiffen up |
Common Buying and Usage Mistakes
- Buying impact gloves for sharp work without checking the cut rating is a common miss. You end up protected from knocks but still exposed to slices, so match the glove to both hazards if the job involves jagged metal or waste.
- Going too bulky because it looks tougher often backfires. If the glove kills dexterity, you will fight every fixing and probably take them off, which defeats the point.
- Ignoring the EN 388 marking means you are guessing at protection. Check the rating properly, especially if the site or risk assessment calls for tested performance rather than just padded-looking gloves.
- Using worn-out impact gloves for too long is false economy. Once the TPR splits, the palm goes smooth or the seams start opening, the protection and grip are on the way out.
- Choosing the wrong size is another easy mistake. A loose glove shifts when you lift and catches on awkward edges, while a tight one rubs, tires your hand and gets binned early.
Impact Gloves vs Cut Resistant Gloves vs General Handling Gloves
Impact Gloves
These are built for knocks, crush scrapes and back of hand protection when you are around heavy materials, plant and rough handling. They are the right call when your knuckles are taking the abuse, but not every pair will give high cut protection.
Cut Resistant Gloves
These are better when the main risk is blades, sharp edges, sheet material or jagged waste. They protect against slicing and snagging, but many do not have the raised TPR protection needed for repeated knocks across the back of the hand.
General Handling Gloves
These are lighter, cheaper and fine for basic loading, fitting and clean handling jobs. They are usually more flexible, but if you are regularly catching your hands on steel, blocks or machinery, they do not offer the same impact protection.
Maintenance and Care
Brush Off Site Dirt Early
Do not leave mud, dust and grit ground into the palm and seams all week. A quick brush down after shift helps the glove flex properly and stops the grip surface wearing out faster than it should.
Dry Them Properly
If they get soaked, let them air dry naturally before chucking them back in the van. Drying them on direct heat can stiffen materials, weaken coatings and shorten the life of the glove.
Check the TPR and Seams
Look over the impact protection on the fingers and knuckles every so often. If the TPR is split or the stitching is going, the glove will not protect properly when the next knock comes.
Replace When Grip Has Gone
A shiny, smoothed-off palm is not just worn, it is unsafe. Once grip drops away, you are more likely to lose hold of tools, parts and materials, especially in wet or oily conditions.
Why Shop for Impact Gloves at ITS?
Whether you need a close-fit pair for plant maintenance or tougher impact gloves for demolition and heavy handling, we stock the range that site users actually buy. That means different fits, protection levels and glove types all in one place, held in our own warehouse and ready for next day delivery.
Impact Gloves FAQs
What makes a work glove impact-resistant?
Impact-resistant gloves use added protection across the knuckles, fingers and back of the hand to absorb blows that would normally bark or bruise you. In most cases that means TPR panels or foam padding built into the glove, so when you catch your hand on blocks, steel or machinery, the hit is spread out rather than going straight into your bones.
Impact-resistant gloves feature thermoplastic rubber (TPR) or foam padding on the knuckles; fingers; and back of the hand to absorb and dissipate kinetic forces.
That is exactly what you are looking for. The TPR or foam sections are there to take the sting out of knocks from shifting materials, plant parts and rough handling jobs. It is practical protection, not decoration, and on the right glove it still lets you bend your hand and work normally.
What is the EN 388 rating for impact gloves?
EN 388 is the standard used for mechanical protection in gloves. On impact gloves, the bit you need to watch for is the letter P at the end of the score. That shows the glove has been tested for impact protection on the back of the hand. It is worth checking the rest of the rating too, especially if the job also involves abrasion, tear or cut risk.
Gloves tested for impact protection receive a 'P' rating at the end of their EN 388 mechanical protection score; confirming they meet impact-resistant standards.
Yes, that P marking is the key sign that the glove has passed the relevant impact test. If there is no P, do not assume the raised knuckle section means certified impact protection. For site buying, always check the marking rather than going off looks alone.
Who should wear impact-resistant gloves?
Anyone whose hands are exposed to regular knocks, trapping risks or rough handling should be looking at impact gloves. That includes groundworkers, demolition teams, scaffolders, plant fitters, mechanics, yard staff and delivery teams handling heavy, awkward kit all day.
They are essential for workers in oil and gas; heavy construction; demolition; automotive repair; and anyone handling heavy machinery.
That is the right sort of use case. Anywhere your hands are likely to get clipped by steel, tools, machine parts or heavy materials, impact gloves are worth wearing. They will not stop every injury, but they do cut down the everyday knocks that build up over a long shift.
Are impact gloves the same thing as cut resistant gloves?
No. Impact gloves are built mainly to protect the back of the hand and knuckles from knocks and crushing contact. Some also have cut resistance, but plenty do not. If your job involves sharp metal, glass or jagged waste, check the cut rating properly instead of assuming one glove covers everything.
Do impact gloves kill your grip and feel on the job?
Not if you buy the right pair for the work. A decent impact glove still gives you enough feel for handling tools, fixings and materials, but the heavier the protection, the bulkier it can feel. For mechanical work, go closer-fitting. For demolition and rough handling, favour protection first.
