Cold Resistant Gloves

Cold Resistant Gloves

Working in cold environments — cold storage facilities, freezer rooms, outdoor work in winter conditions, or handling cryogenic materials — requires gloves specifically designed for thermal protection. Standard work gloves provide negligible insulation; continued cold exposure reduces dexterity, accelerates fatigue, and at lower temperatures creates genuine injury risk including frostbite and contact cold burns from handling chilled or frozen materials. AIMS Industrial supplies cold resistant gloves for Australian workplaces across a range of temperature ratings and task types.

Temperature Ratings and Standards

Cold protection gloves are assessed against EN511, the European standard for protection against cold. EN511 rates gloves across three properties: convective cold resistance (insulation), contact cold resistance (thermal conductivity when touching cold surfaces), and water penetration resistance. The convective cold rating (0–4 scale) is the primary selection guide for ambient cold environments — a rating of 2 suits moderate cold storage; ratings of 3–4 are required for deep freeze environments or extended outdoor winter work.

Types of Cold Resistant Gloves

• Moderate cold / cool store gloves (0°C to -10°C): Lined work gloves with acrylic or fleece insulation. Retain reasonable dexterity for picking, packing, and handling tasks in cool stores. Suitable for most cold storage and refrigerated logistics work.
• Deep freeze gloves (-10°C to -30°C): Heavier insulation, often with a waterproof or moisture-resistant outer layer. Trade-off against dexterity increases at lower temperature ratings — glove selection must balance thermal protection against task requirements.
• Cryogenic gloves: Protect against contact with cryogenic liquids (liquid nitrogen, liquid CO₂). Designed to resist cold burns from brief contact with cryogenic materials — not for immersion but for splash and incidental contact protection in laboratory and industrial gas handling.

Dexterity and Task Compatibility

Cold protection and dexterity are in tension — thicker insulation reduces hand feel and grip precision. For tasks requiring fine motor control in cold environments, a heated glove or liner system may be more effective than a single heavy insulated glove. Assess the specific tasks to be performed alongside the temperature environment before specifying gloves.

Liner Systems

For tasks where maximum dexterity is required, a thin thermal liner glove worn under a standard work glove can provide useful cold protection without the bulk of a dedicated insulated glove. Liner systems also allow the outer glove to be selected for grip and cut protection independently of the thermal specification — useful where cold protection and mechanical hazard protection must be combined.

Order Cold Resistant Gloves from AIMS

AIMS Industrial stocks cold resistant gloves across a range of temperature ratings and task types. For guidance on the correct specification for your cold storage or cryogenic application, contact our team.