Are leather protectors always required when using rubber gloves? If so any recommendations as to sttles to increase dextarity.

thanks

There is a company in Germany called KCL that manufacture insulated gloves but positively discourage the use of leather overgloves. The logic is that leather protectors will shrink in an arc flash incident and could break the wearer's fingers. Their gloves have an arc rating and I can vouch for the high level of dexterity but I must admit I'm a bit uncomfortable about not protecting the glove in some way. Hands will always sweat inside insulated gloves and all it takes is a tiny pinhole in the finger end to render the glove useless against electric shock which is the primary purpose of this particular form of PPE. The electro gloves from KCL can be viewed on

http://www.kcl.de/KCLWebEn.nsf/d589385cc73542c8c1256e40003bbd31/a33dd9cfb425bb92412569810044030a!OpenDocument

Please note that testing is to European standards so check before you buy.

There are 2 different exceptions.

OSHA 1910.137 (b)(2)(vii)(A) Protector gloves need not be used with Class 0 gloves, under limited-use
conditions, where small equipment and parts manipulation necessitate unusually
high finger dexterity.

Note: Extra care is needed in the visual examination of the glove and in the
avoidance of handling sharp objects.

(b)(2)(vii)(B) Any other class of glove may be used for similar work without protector gloves if
the employer can demonstrate that the possibility of physical damage to the
gloves is small and if the class of glove is one class higher than that required for
the voltage involved. Insulating gloves that have been used without protector
gloves may not be used at a higher voltage until they have been tested under the
provisions of paragraphs (b)(2)(viii) and (b)(2)(ix) of this section.

Thanks Zog, I would like to pursue the assertion from KCL that Leather protectors shrink in an arc flash incident and wonder if anyone has any knowledge about the incident energy at which this may become a problem. Sorry Betabar if this is getting away from your original question.
Mike

I have a friend that has done extensive lab testing (Arc testing) on gloves, he has never mentioned anything about shrinkage. Sounds like a marketing ply to me.

I know a guy who got his arms burned through his #2 coverall, but he had no damage to the hands and he had leather gloves only...

Here is the test results I mentioned
http://www.arcwear.com/arcwear.com/downloads/Salisbury_2002-04_Glove_Test_Report.pdf