IN STOCK
Generic
Cut Resistant Gloves — EN 388 Certified
You know the sound. That sharp, metallic scrape when your hand slips across a piece of rebar, or the catch of a utility knife biting deeper than planned. On a Kenyan construction site — tying steel in Upper Hill, cutting conduit in Mombasa, handling sheet metal in an Industrial Area workshop — your hands are the first thing to get hurt and the last thing you can afford to lose.
It's not dramatic to say so. Hand injuries from a slipped grip against a steel edge are one of the most common — and most preventable — injuries on Kenyan sites, and the cheap "gardening glove" pretending to be a safety glove is usually the reason. The medical bill, the lost productivity, and the PPE log that doesn't match the injury report all stack up fast.
These cut resistant gloves meet the EN 388 standard for mechanical protection. At KSh 525 inclusive of VAT, they cost less than a plate of lunch at some Nairobi restaurants — but they're built to prevent the kind of injury that costs far more than that.
What EN 388 Actually Means — And Why It Matters
EN 388 is the recognised international standard for mechanical risks in protective gloves, and it's one of the most respected benchmarks in PPE certification worldwide. A glove carrying EN 388 has been laboratory-tested against four specific hazards: abrasion resistance, blade cut resistance, tear resistance, and puncture resistance.
Cut resistance is the rating that matters most for construction and industrial work. The scale runs from Level 1 to Level 5 — Level 1 barely slows a test blade down, Level 5 means the blade has to work significantly harder to cut through. For handling rebar, metal flashing, broken glass, or sharp-edged formwork, you want a solid mid-to-high rating, not the minimum.
The testing itself is mechanical and objective: a circular blade moves back and forth across the glove material under a fixed weight, and the number of cycles it takes to cut through determines the rating. No marketing claims involved — just data. That's how PPE should be bought: by the numbers, not the packaging.
Built for Kenyan Site Conditions
Kenyan construction sites are dusty, wet during the rains, and full of rusty rebar — which means sharp edges and tetanus risk in the same package. Cement bags hide staples, wire ties get cut with snips that slip, and formwork panels that have been nailed and re-nailed repeatedly are effectively covered in small blades.
Regular leather rigger gloves look tough but offer little resistance to a clean lateral slice from a steel banding strap. Woollen gloves, sometimes reached for on cold mornings, offer essentially no protection against a grinder spark or a sharp edge. Running a site without genuinely cut-resistant gloves in the PPE inventory isn't just an injury risk — on an NCA inspection, inadequate hand protection is exactly the kind of gap inspectors are trained to look for, and non-compliant PPE can put a site at risk of a stop-work order.
Features That Actually Matter
These aren't disposable nitrile gloves that tear the first time they're used hard. They're engineered work gloves built for trades that are genuinely hard on hands.
Cut-resistant yarn is the core of the protection — typically a blend of high-performance fibres such as HPPE (High Performance Polyethylene) combined with glass or steel thread, woven tightly enough to resist blade penetration while staying flexible enough to grip a trowel, operate a tape measure, or handle small fasteners without feeling like an oven mitt.
Coated palms — usually nitrile or polyurethane — improve grip on wet or oily surfaces and add a layer of protection exactly where the hand makes contact with materials. For pouring concrete, handling adhesives, or working around diesel-soaked equipment, that coating is often the difference between a secure hold and a dropped load.
Snug cuffs keep dust and debris out while working overhead — a small detail that matters when cutting ceiling mesh or tying suspended rebar, and saves constantly stopping to shake grit out of the glove.
Ambidextrous, ergonomic fit that doesn't bunch in the palm. Bunching causes blisters; blisters make workers take gloves off; workers without gloves get injured. It's a simple chain that starts with poor design.
Technical Specifications
Spec Detail
Standard Certification | EN 388 (Mechanical Risks)
Cut Resistance | Tested and rated under EN 388 blade cut resistance protocol
Abrasion Resistance | Rated for construction-grade wear cycles
Palm Coating | Nitrile or polyurethane dip for grip and liquid resistance
Cuff Style | Knitted wrist, debris-resistant
Material | High-performance cut-resistant fibre blend (HPPE composite)
Dexterity | High — suitable for precision handling and tool operation
Application | Industrial and construction PPE
Price | KSh 525 per pair (inclusive of VAT)
Availability | In stock
Who Needs These Gloves?
Steel fixers and rebar workers handle steel all day — cutting, tying, stacking — where a single slip of a tie-wire twister against the palm can cause a serious cut. Masons need protection handling cut blocks, sharp-edged bricks, and formwork with protruding nails. Carpenters and formwork specialists deal with plywood edges, steel form ties, and circular saw offcuts that behave like razor blades.
Electricians and MEP contractors often skip hand protection thinking "I'm just pulling wire" — until they're pulling cable through a sharp stud opening, cutting conduit with a hacksaw, or stripping armoured cable. Sheet metal workers cannot safely work without cut resistance. Even general labourers benefit, since they're usually the ones moving materials, breaking down boxes, and clearing demolition debris — the tasks without a specialist assigned.
Sizing, Fit & Comfort
A glove that doesn't fit doesn't protect. Too loose and it catches on machinery or reduces grip strength; too tight and it cuts off circulation, causing fatigue and — counterintuitively — making a dropped sharp object more likely.
Sizing runs Medium to Extra Large. Most Kenyan male workers fit Large or XL comfortably; if unsure, order one pair to test fit before committing to a larger order for your crew. The knitted wrist accommodates slight size variation without slipping, and the stretch weave on the back of the hand means the glove moves with a closed fist rather than fighting it.
In hot weather — most of the year in Kenya — the knitted back allows some airflow, reducing the "swamp hand" effect that causes workers to remove gloves after an hour. During the rainy season, the palm coating maintains grip even when wet, which is when most slips happen.
Care & Maintenance
A single pair can last several weeks of heavy site use with basic care. Avoid leaving them in direct sunlight (UV degrades the fibres), and don't use them for chemicals they're not rated for — mortar additives and solvents need chemical-resistant gloves instead. Inspect daily: a small cut in the palm coating is a weak point that compromises the whole protection system. Replace at the first sign of fraying, thinning, or fabric damage — at KSh 525, they're far cheaper than a single stitch at casualty, and should be treated as a consumable, not capital equipment.
Why Buy From Startcore?
Gloves are available from plenty of places in Nairobi — River Road, some supermarkets, market stalls. What buying PPE from Startcore Ventures Limited adds is traceability, compliance documentation, and a supplier who understands what happens when PPE fails on site.
We don't stock unverified imports with unclear certification claims or gloves marketed as "safety gloves" that are really cotton gardening gloves in aggressive packaging. If you're already buying Akfix construction chemicals, Bosch power tools, or ACE Safety Shoes from us, adding gloves to the same order means consolidated delivery, one invoice, and one fewer supplier relationship to manage.
Pricing & Availability
Price per pair: KSh 525 (inclusive of VAT) — no hidden charges, no "plus delivery" surprise if collecting from the Nairobi depot.
Stock status: In stock and ready for dispatch. Same-day or next-day delivery in Nairobi depending on order time; courier or dedicated transport arranged for Nakuru, Eldoret, Mombasa, Kisumu, and other project locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these gloves certified? Yes — they meet the EN 388 international standard for mechanical protection, which covers abrasion, cut, tear, and puncture resistance. Compliance documentation is available on request for site safety records.
What does EN 388 mean in simple terms? It's a testing standard that measures how well a glove resists abrasion, cutting, tearing, and puncture. The cut resistance score tells you how much protection you're getting against sharp edges and blades.
Can I use these for handling chemicals? No. These are cut resistant gloves, not chemical resistant gloves. For mortar, adhesives, solvents, or cleaning chemicals, you need nitrile or neoprene chemical gloves — we stock those separately, ask our team.
What size should I order? Large or XL fits most Kenyan construction crews; Medium suits smaller hands. If unsure, order one pair to test fit first.
How long does a pair last? It depends on the trade — a steel fixer might go through a pair every two to three weeks, a general labourer closer to a month. Inspect daily and replace at the first sign of fabric damage.
Do you deliver outside Nairobi? Yes — PPE, chemicals, tools, and automotive supplies are delivered across Kenya and East Africa.
Protect Your Crew
Hand injuries are almost always preventable — and preventable at a cost lower than most sites spend on fuel in a week. Add these EN 388 cut resistant gloves to your order, or talk to us about a full PPE package: gloves, helmets, ACE Safety Shoes, hi-vis vests, and everything else an NCA inspection expects to see.
You know the sound. That sharp, metallic scrape when your hand slips across a piece of rebar, or the catch of a utility knife biting deeper than planned. On a Kenyan construction site — tying steel in Upper Hill, cutting conduit in Mombasa, handling sheet metal in an Industrial Area workshop — your hands are the first thing to get hurt and the last thing you can afford to lose.
It's not dramatic to say so. Hand injuries from a slipped grip against a steel edge are one of the most common — and most preventable — injuries on Kenyan sites, and the cheap "gardening glove" pretending to be a safety glove is usually the reason. The medical bill, the lost productivity, and the PPE log that doesn't match the injury report all stack up fast.
These cut resistant gloves meet the EN 388 standard for mechanical protection. At KSh 525 inclusive of VAT, they cost less than a plate of lunch at some Nairobi restaurants — but they're built to prevent the kind of injury that costs far more than that.
What EN 388 Actually Means — And Why It Matters
EN 388 is the recognised international standard for mechanical risks in protective gloves, and it's one of the most respected benchmarks in PPE certification worldwide. A glove carrying EN 388 has been laboratory-tested against four specific hazards: abrasion resistance, blade cut resistance, tear resistance, and puncture resistance.
Cut resistance is the rating that matters most for construction and industrial work. The scale runs from Level 1 to Level 5 — Level 1 barely slows a test blade down, Level 5 means the blade has to work significantly harder to cut through. For handling rebar, metal flashing, broken glass, or sharp-edged formwork, you want a solid mid-to-high rating, not the minimum.
The testing itself is mechanical and objective: a circular blade moves back and forth across the glove material under a fixed weight, and the number of cycles it takes to cut through determines the rating. No marketing claims involved — just data. That's how PPE should be bought: by the numbers, not the packaging.
Built for Kenyan Site Conditions
Kenyan construction sites are dusty, wet during the rains, and full of rusty rebar — which means sharp edges and tetanus risk in the same package. Cement bags hide staples, wire ties get cut with snips that slip, and formwork panels that have been nailed and re-nailed repeatedly are effectively covered in small blades.
Regular leather rigger gloves look tough but offer little resistance to a clean lateral slice from a steel banding strap. Woollen gloves, sometimes reached for on cold mornings, offer essentially no protection against a grinder spark or a sharp edge. Running a site without genuinely cut-resistant gloves in the PPE inventory isn't just an injury risk — on an NCA inspection, inadequate hand protection is exactly the kind of gap inspectors are trained to look for, and non-compliant PPE can put a site at risk of a stop-work order.
Features That Actually Matter
These aren't disposable nitrile gloves that tear the first time they're used hard. They're engineered work gloves built for trades that are genuinely hard on hands.
Cut-resistant yarn is the core of the protection — typically a blend of high-performance fibres such as HPPE (High Performance Polyethylene) combined with glass or steel thread, woven tightly enough to resist blade penetration while staying flexible enough to grip a trowel, operate a tape measure, or handle small fasteners without feeling like an oven mitt.
Coated palms — usually nitrile or polyurethane — improve grip on wet or oily surfaces and add a layer of protection exactly where the hand makes contact with materials. For pouring concrete, handling adhesives, or working around diesel-soaked equipment, that coating is often the difference between a secure hold and a dropped load.
Snug cuffs keep dust and debris out while working overhead — a small detail that matters when cutting ceiling mesh or tying suspended rebar, and saves constantly stopping to shake grit out of the glove.
Ambidextrous, ergonomic fit that doesn't bunch in the palm. Bunching causes blisters; blisters make workers take gloves off; workers without gloves get injured. It's a simple chain that starts with poor design.
Technical Specifications
Spec Detail
Standard Certification | EN 388 (Mechanical Risks)
Cut Resistance | Tested and rated under EN 388 blade cut resistance protocol
Abrasion Resistance | Rated for construction-grade wear cycles
Palm Coating | Nitrile or polyurethane dip for grip and liquid resistance
Cuff Style | Knitted wrist, debris-resistant
Material | High-performance cut-resistant fibre blend (HPPE composite)
Dexterity | High — suitable for precision handling and tool operation
Application | Industrial and construction PPE
Price | KSh 525 per pair (inclusive of VAT)
Availability | In stock
Who Needs These Gloves?
Steel fixers and rebar workers handle steel all day — cutting, tying, stacking — where a single slip of a tie-wire twister against the palm can cause a serious cut. Masons need protection handling cut blocks, sharp-edged bricks, and formwork with protruding nails. Carpenters and formwork specialists deal with plywood edges, steel form ties, and circular saw offcuts that behave like razor blades.
Electricians and MEP contractors often skip hand protection thinking "I'm just pulling wire" — until they're pulling cable through a sharp stud opening, cutting conduit with a hacksaw, or stripping armoured cable. Sheet metal workers cannot safely work without cut resistance. Even general labourers benefit, since they're usually the ones moving materials, breaking down boxes, and clearing demolition debris — the tasks without a specialist assigned.
Sizing, Fit & Comfort
A glove that doesn't fit doesn't protect. Too loose and it catches on machinery or reduces grip strength; too tight and it cuts off circulation, causing fatigue and — counterintuitively — making a dropped sharp object more likely.
Sizing runs Medium to Extra Large. Most Kenyan male workers fit Large or XL comfortably; if unsure, order one pair to test fit before committing to a larger order for your crew. The knitted wrist accommodates slight size variation without slipping, and the stretch weave on the back of the hand means the glove moves with a closed fist rather than fighting it.
In hot weather — most of the year in Kenya — the knitted back allows some airflow, reducing the "swamp hand" effect that causes workers to remove gloves after an hour. During the rainy season, the palm coating maintains grip even when wet, which is when most slips happen.
Care & Maintenance
A single pair can last several weeks of heavy site use with basic care. Avoid leaving them in direct sunlight (UV degrades the fibres), and don't use them for chemicals they're not rated for — mortar additives and solvents need chemical-resistant gloves instead. Inspect daily: a small cut in the palm coating is a weak point that compromises the whole protection system. Replace at the first sign of fraying, thinning, or fabric damage — at KSh 525, they're far cheaper than a single stitch at casualty, and should be treated as a consumable, not capital equipment.
Why Buy From Startcore?
Gloves are available from plenty of places in Nairobi — River Road, some supermarkets, market stalls. What buying PPE from Startcore Ventures Limited adds is traceability, compliance documentation, and a supplier who understands what happens when PPE fails on site.
We don't stock unverified imports with unclear certification claims or gloves marketed as "safety gloves" that are really cotton gardening gloves in aggressive packaging. If you're already buying Akfix construction chemicals, Bosch power tools, or ACE Safety Shoes from us, adding gloves to the same order means consolidated delivery, one invoice, and one fewer supplier relationship to manage.
Pricing & Availability
Price per pair: KSh 525 (inclusive of VAT) — no hidden charges, no "plus delivery" surprise if collecting from the Nairobi depot.
Stock status: In stock and ready for dispatch. Same-day or next-day delivery in Nairobi depending on order time; courier or dedicated transport arranged for Nakuru, Eldoret, Mombasa, Kisumu, and other project locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these gloves certified? Yes — they meet the EN 388 international standard for mechanical protection, which covers abrasion, cut, tear, and puncture resistance. Compliance documentation is available on request for site safety records.
What does EN 388 mean in simple terms? It's a testing standard that measures how well a glove resists abrasion, cutting, tearing, and puncture. The cut resistance score tells you how much protection you're getting against sharp edges and blades.
Can I use these for handling chemicals? No. These are cut resistant gloves, not chemical resistant gloves. For mortar, adhesives, solvents, or cleaning chemicals, you need nitrile or neoprene chemical gloves — we stock those separately, ask our team.
What size should I order? Large or XL fits most Kenyan construction crews; Medium suits smaller hands. If unsure, order one pair to test fit first.
How long does a pair last? It depends on the trade — a steel fixer might go through a pair every two to three weeks, a general labourer closer to a month. Inspect daily and replace at the first sign of fabric damage.
Do you deliver outside Nairobi? Yes — PPE, chemicals, tools, and automotive supplies are delivered across Kenya and East Africa.
Protect Your Crew
Hand injuries are almost always preventable — and preventable at a cost lower than most sites spend on fuel in a week. Add these EN 388 cut resistant gloves to your order, or talk to us about a full PPE package: gloves, helmets, ACE Safety Shoes, hi-vis vests, and everything else an NCA inspection expects to see.