Not all oil resistance in gloves is created equal.

If you work with oil, fuel, or lubricants, you already know how quickly a clean worksite can get messy – and how regular leather gloves won’t cut it. Oil doesn't just stain; it breaks down leather fibers, weakens grip, and exposes workers to serious hazards like skin irritations, burns, or even fires.

According to the CDC MMWR report, 43% of all severe work-related injuries in the oil and gas extraction industry involve the upper extremities, with the majority of those being hand injuries. That means protective gloves are constantly pushed to their limits, because nearly half of the most serious incidents injure workers’ hands.

That’s why genuine oil resistance isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. Yet, most “oil-resistant” gloves fall short over time. Traditional treatments and surface coatings can provide protection at first, but repeated flexing, friction, or exposure to heat and fuels can cause that protection to fade.

In some cases, chemical-based repellents are used that raise long-term health and environmental concerns. The result? Gloves that may look fine on the outside but aren’t offering the same level of resistance workers count on.

The reality is that oil-related hazards don’t just create a mess – they create serious risks for workers, their PPE, and their safety. Read on to learn more about the dangers of oil hazards on the job, and why true oil-resistant gloves are essential in industries where exposure is part of everyday work. 

The top four risks oil hazards create for your hands on the job

The risks of oil go far beyond stained gloves – it affects how you work, how your PPE performs, and how safe you are at the end of the day. Left unchecked, oil exposure can lead to painful skin conditions, dangerous slips, and serious incidents on the job.  

1. Oil on skin contact risks

What happens when oil contacts skin? Prolonged exposure to oils and fuels is tough on the skin. Petroleum-based products like diesel, lubricants, and hydraulic oils contain compounds that strip away natural skin oils, causing dryness, cracking, and painful dermatitis. Research also shows that crude oil and its components, including PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) chemicals, are known skin irritants and can trigger contact dermatitis with repeated or prolonged exposure.

And the longer the exposure, the greater the risk. Safety gloves act as a barrier between the skin and hazardous oils, preventing direct contact and reducing the chance of irritation, absorption, and long-term damage.

2. Grip hazards for oily, slippery surfaces

Why does oil make it harder to grip tools? Oil creates slick surfaces that make it harder to maintain control of tools, machinery, and equipment. Even a light coating of oil on gloves can reduce grip strength significantly, increasing the change of dropped tools, equipment damage, or serious hand injuries.

In high-risk environments like oil and gas extraction, mechanical repair, or heavy machine operation, even a small slip can have severe consequences – from pinched and crushed fingers to dropped-object hazards for nearby workers.

Reliable oil resistance helps maintain grip and safety, protecting not only the worker wearing the gloves but those around them as well.

3. Fire and explosion risks for oil on gloves

Are oily gloves a fire hazard in high-heat jobs? Hot oils and flammable fuels are messy – and dangerous. When oils come into contact with sparks or open flames, they can ignite in seconds. Even a thin film or fuel or oil residue on a worker’s glove can become a dangerous ignition source, turning PPE into a hazard instead of a line of defense.

Gloves treated to repel oil and fuel help keep these substances from soaking into the material, reducing the amount of flammable residue that can build up. In industries where welding, torch cutting, or other high-heat operations are common, that layer of protection can make a meaningful difference in lowering the risk of fire or explosion.

4. Long-term oil exposure risks

What are the long-term health risks of working with oil and fuel? The dangers of oil exposure don’t end when a shift does. Over time, repeated contact with petroleum-based oil and fuel has been linked to chronic skin conditions and systemic health issues, as certain compounds are absorbed through the skin. People working with oil and fuel face these risks daily, and without proper protection, the impact can compromise both health and quality of life.   

What to know about most oil-resistant coatings and treatments

On the surface, “oil-resistant” sounds simple enough, but the way that resistance is achieved makes all the difference. Many gloves rely on short-term fixes that look good out of the bag but break down fast in the field.

Oil-resistant spray-on finishes

Spray-on coatings may shield against oil at first, but because they sit only on the surface of the leather, they can wear off under friction, flexing, or heat. In demanding applications like oil and gas work, heavy equipment operation, or mechanical repair, coatings can fade within just a few days, especially in high-wear zones like palms and fingertips.

One thing to note is that this breakdown isn’t always visible. Coatings can wear away unevenly, leaving patchy protection where some areas repel oil while others soak it in. That inconsistency can affect the grip, and the glove may no longer be performing like new.

Are PFAS used in oil-resistant gloves?

To achieve water and oil repellency, some manufacturers rely on chemicals known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Often called “forever chemicals,” PFAS don’t naturally break down and can build up in both the environment and the human body over time. While they may block oil temporarily, their use in PPE raises concerns about worker exposure, long-term health risks, and environmental impact. To learn more about PFAS – read our Truth in Safety article here.

That’s why HexArmor® developed proprietary OilGuard®+ technology, a breakthrough leather treatment engineered to deliver lasting oil and water resistance that's baked into the glove – without the harsh chemicals. 

How does OilGuard®+ technology work?

Spray-on finishes and chemical treatments can provide short-term resistance, but they do have limitations and are often made with harsh chemicals that can have a lasting effect on your skin. OilGuard®+ was developed to solve those challenges by directly baking the oil-resistant treatment into the leather tanning process, giving it long-lasting performance that holds up during real-world use.

Built on a proprietary hydrophobic formula made with skin-safe green alternatives, the OilGuard®+ found in our Chrome SLT 5070 series delivers oil and water resistance without introducing harmful substances. It’s fully REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) and SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) compliant, making it the first non-toxic, oil-resistant leather treatment designed for safety gloves. Learn more about REACH compliance here.

The result is a cleaner, smarter way to achieve long-lasting oil resistance, one that’s engineered to protect both workers and the environment, without relying on harsh chemicals or quick fixes.

And it’s more than just innovative, it’s proven. OilGuard®+ has achieved Level 6 oil resistance (ISO 14419 tested), withstanding up to 480 minutes (8 hours) of oil exposure and 232 minutes (nearly four hours) of water resistance in lab testing. That kind of durability lasts the life of the glove, not just the first few shifts. 

In the field, that translates into real protection where it matters most:

• Handing fuel and diesel: Protects against glove breakdown from repeated contact.
• Working with oil-soaked tools and parts: Gloves maintain grip and dexterity in oil-soaked, slippery environments.
• Operating in high-heat oil environments: Better protection for workers facing both fluid and temperature hazards.
• Performing heavy-duty maintenance and repair: Long-lasting oil resistance in demanding, hands-on work.

HexArmor® can help

OilGuard®+ is built for real work, not temporary fixes. By integrating lasting oil resistance directly into the leather, HexArmor® gives workers the confidence that their gloves will perform shift after shift.

You’ll find OilGuard®+ technology in some of our toughest leather glove lines, like the Chrome SLT® line, giving you the protection you need for fuel handling, oil and gas, mechanics, and other demanding industries where oil exposure is a daily hazard.

Let us know if you have any questions or are ready to start a trial – our Solution Specialists are ready to help. Call 1.877.MY ARMOR or send us a message.