Choosing a cut-resistant glove that still operates phones, scanners and touch panels, with the GRANBERG 592 as the worked example.
Handheld scanners, tablets and touchscreen machine panels are now part of most production and warehouse jobs. If workers have to pull a glove off to tap a screen, many will leave it off, and that is when cuts happen. This guide explains how to choose a cut-resistant glove that still works a touchscreen, the trade-offs between liner and coating, and uses the GRANBERG 592 as the example.
Phones and most industrial touch panels use capacitive screens, which respond to the small electrical charge of a fingertip. Ordinary glove materials block that charge. Touchscreen compatible gloves use conductive fibers or a conductive coating at the fingertips so the screen still registers a touch. Results vary with screen type, so test the glove on the devices your crew actually uses.
Cut resistance comes mainly from the knitted liner. High performance fibers, sometimes blended with glass or steel, give high cut levels in a thin knit. A finer knit gives better feel and screen accuracy, while a heavier knit can add cut resistance but makes small taps harder. The aim is the thinnest liner that meets the cut level the task needs.
The palm coating decides how the glove grips. Nitrile resists oil and holds grip in oily conditions. Sandy or textured nitrile adds grip on slippery parts. PU coatings are very thin and give fine feel in dry work but less grip in oil. A heavy, fully dipped coating can interfere with touchscreen use, so palm coated gloves with clear fingertips or conductive coatings usually work best.
Match the cut level to the sharpest material in the task. Light assembly may only need a low level, while sheet metal, stamped parts and glass need much more. EN 388 grades blade cut from A to F with the ISO 13997 test. Some lines also carry an ANSI/ISEA 105 level from A1 to A9; only rely on an ANSI level when the product page lists it. For tables and a cross reference, read how to read EN 388 and ANSI cut levels.
Some tasks bring brief contact with warm parts. An EN 407 contact heat result shows the temperature the glove was tested at. For long shifts, look for gloves tested for harmful substances, such as OEKO-TEX® certification, because the glove stays on the skin all day.
The GRANBERG 592 is a cut-resistant assembly glove with a Typhoon® liner and a sandy nitrile palm coating, with touchscreen compatible fingertips. Its record lists grip in dry and oily conditions and a tight fit for precise handling.
It is rated EN 388:2016+A1:2018 4X43D, meaning abrasion 4, coup test X, tear 4, puncture 3 and cut level D. Its record also lists ANSI A6. It carries EN 407:2020 X1XXXX, contact heat level 1, and OEKO-TEX® certification. Typical users include assembly workers handling sharp components, maintenance technicians using touch panels and warehouse teams scanning all shift. Compare other options in the cut resistant glove range.
They use conductive fibers or coatings at the fingertips so a capacitive screen can register the touch through the glove.
Not necessarily. Cut resistance comes mainly from the liner fibers. A thin high performance liner can reach a high cut level.
Its record lists EN 388:2016+A1:2018 4X43D, which is cut level D, and ANSI A6.
Most capacitive screens respond, but results vary by device. Test the glove on the scanners and panels your crew uses.
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