Radiant or contact? What kind of heat is it that you have to defend yourself against at work? - Coval Safety

In industries where extreme heat is a daily component of work, wearing a suitable heat-resistant glove-that is one that shields from the heat while offering the right protection, is essential to avoid burns, scalds or even more serious damage.

But how to figure out what is the right PPE to use for different tasks, one that provides the right protection without limiting dexterity and comfort?

Whether you work in metal production, industrial kitchens, glass factory, welding, or fire rescue teams, knowing how to make an informed choice is essential.

To do that, you have to start with a fundamental difference related to the type of heat you deal with, that between radiant heat and contact heat.

Radiant heat

When a worker works in the proximity of a heat source, even for long periods of time, and must therefore wear appropriate PPE. 

Just think of those involved in the processing of molten metals or working in the iron and steel industry, glass industry, and any application where approaching heat sources and handling hot objects takes place.

Contact heat

When the worker touches and handles a hot tool or object for a relatively prolonged period of time.

We can take as examples handling operations inside foundries or glass factories, in industrial kitchens, bakeries or pizzerias, and those who spend much of the day near ovens.

EN 407:2020 Protective gloves against thermal hazards.

The standard that defines the thermal insulation properties of gloves that must protect the worker from heat and/or flames is EN 407:2020; you can learn more about it in our previous article at this link.

It is therefore essential to purchase safety devices making sure that they comply with current regulations and have the correct marking, which provides clear and precise information on the level of protection expected by the user.

Coval Safety: heat-resistant gloves for guaranteed protection

For as many as 50 years, Coval Safety has been striving to offer its customers excellent quality safety devices. 

Controlled raw materials, continuous product study and updating, testing for certifications: these are the ingredients that lead our gloves to represent the highest quality product on the market.

Concrete examples for maximum protection from radiant heat are the 35 SCTKA gloves.

Ideal for foundry workers, they have a thermal crust palm and aluminized fabric back.

Proposals for contact heat vary depending on the temperatures you face:

• Up to 250°C: the ideal is the 5KF/24 aramid glove, reinforced on palm and fingers.
• Up to 350°C: for all cases of handling hot objects, metalworking and in foundries, S5TK gloves can make the difference: the double layer of fabric also provides excellent resistance to mechanical hazards.
• Up to 500°C: suitable for work in contact with extreme temperatures, where there is a heat source or casting, or in case of prolonged contact with hot objects we recommend the F2AGP/18TK model.

Protect your hands from heat and always choose certified quality.

Do you need expert assistance in selecting the most suitable heat-resistant glove? Contact us and we will give you all the guidance for a customized choice.