ESD Antistatic Gloves for electronics & automotive.
PharmShield ESD antistatic gloves are static-dissipative nitrile gloves built for electronics, semiconductor and EV/automotive assembly — environments where a single static discharge can destroy a component. They meet ANSI/ESD S20.20, IEC 61340-5-1 and EN 1149-1, are powder-free and AQL 0.65, and are available sterile for cleanroom lines. ESD hand gloves to a documented spec — start here.
ESD-DissipativeWhat “antistatic” actually means for a glove.
Anti-static and antistatic gloves are about controlling charge — not insulating the wearer. Here is the distinction that matters on the line.
Static-Dissipative, Not Insulating
Antistatic gloves let static charge drain away in a slow, controlled path instead of building up and discharging suddenly. They protect components from ESD events — they do not insulate the wearer against electric shock or mains voltage.
Surface Resistance 10⁶–10⁹ Ω
Static-dissipative materials sit between conductive (below 10⁶ Ω) and insulative (above 10¹¹ Ω). PharmShield antistatic nitrile is engineered into the 10⁶–10⁹ Ω dissipative band that ESD programs specify for handling sensitive parts.
One Discharge Can Scrap a Part
On electronics, semiconductor and EV-battery lines a single electrostatic discharge can destroy a microchip, corrupt a wafer or fail a cell — often invisibly. Dissipative gloves keep the operator inside the line's controlled charge path.
Important: ESD / antistatic gloves are static-dissipative — they protect components from electrostatic discharge. They are not electrical-insulating gloves and do not protect a worker against electric shock or live mains voltage. For live-electrical work, use certified insulating gloves (IEC 60903 / ASTM D120) — a different product class.
ESD-safe nitrile gloves — and why nitrile is the standard.
PharmShield’s ESD gloves are nitrile, and that’s deliberate. When buyers search for ESD nitrile gloves or ESD-safe nitrile gloves, nitrile is the material they want: it pairs static-dissipative performance with the dexterity, low particulate and chemical-splash resistance that electronics and cleanroom work demand.
PharmShield’s anti-static nitrile gloves are engineered into the 10⁶–10⁹ Ω band, so charge bleeds away in a slow, controlled path rather than discharging into a sensitive component. The same static-dissipative nitrile gloves also suit static-controlled laboratory benches — see our laboratory gloves page for the lab-bench crossover. Where your spec calls for nitrile gloves ESD-rated to a documented program, this is the glove.
Are nitrile gloves ESD-safe? Nitrile vs latex vs vinyl.
Standard nitrile gloves are not automatically ESD-safe — ordinary nitrile is static-insulative. A glove is ESD-safe when its compound is static-dissipative, with surface resistance in the 10⁶–10⁹ Ω rangerequired by ANSI/ESD S20.20 and IEC 61340-5-1. PharmShield’s ESD nitrile gloves are manufactured with a static-dissipative nitrile compound and batch-tested to these standards.
| Material | Typical surface resistance | ESD verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard nitrile | Insulative (>10¹¹ Ω) | Not ESD-safe | Can hold and transfer charge |
| Static-dissipative nitrile (PharmShield ESD) | 10⁶–10⁹ Ω | ESD-safe per ANSI/ESD S20.20 | Dexterity + chemical splash + low particulate |
| Latex | Insulative | Not ESD-safe | Also an allergen concern in assembly areas |
| Vinyl | Insulative | Not ESD-safe | Poor fit/durability for precision work |
The standards your ESD program audits against.
PharmShield antistatic nitrile is built to support documented electrostatic-discharge control under the three references buyers ask for.
The benchmark ESD-control program standard — requirements for protecting electronic components during handling and assembly.
Protection of electronic devices from electrostatic phenomena — the global ESD-control baseline most facilities audit against.
Electrostatic properties of protective clothing — the surface-resistance test method for antistatic materials.
Built for static-controlled lines.
The right-fit buyer for ESD hand gloves — precision assembly where charge control is part of the process.
Electronics & Semiconductor
PCB assembly, semiconductor fabs, wafer and precision-component handling — wherever a static event can scrap a board.
Explore the industrychevron_rightAutomotive & EV Assembly
EV battery-pack and module assembly, sensor and ECU handling — static-controlled lines in modern automotive plants.
Explore the industrychevron_rightPharmShield Pro Nitrile Anti-Static.
A purpose-built static-dissipative nitrile glove for precision manufacturing and critical cleanroom lines — dissipating charge buildup to protect sensitive components, while delivering validated sterile barrier protection (SAL 10⁻⁶). Powder-free, latex-free and AQL 0.65.
Specifications
When you need ESD — and when standard nitrile is enough.
Choose ESD antistatic nitrile when…
- check_circleYou handle static-sensitive electronics — PCBs, semiconductors, wafers, sensors.
- check_circleYour facility runs a documented ESD-control program (ANSI/ESD S20.20 / IEC 61340-5-1).
- check_circleYou assemble EV battery packs or precision modules where a discharge fails a cell.
- check_circleCharge control is part of your process spec, not just contamination control.
Standard nitrile is enough when…
- removeYour risk is contamination, chemical splash or barrier integrity — not static.
- removeYou work in pharma, labs, food processing or general manufacturing.
- removeYou need AQL 0.65 powder-free protection without an ESD requirement.
- removeSpecifying antistatic would be over-engineering for the task.
ESD antistatic gloves — FAQ
Straight answers on what antistatic means, the standards, and what these gloves do — and don’t — protect against.
ESD (electrostatic discharge) or antistatic gloves are static-dissipative gloves that let charge drain away in a slow, controlled path rather than building up and discharging suddenly. PharmShield ESD antistatic gloves are powder-free nitrile engineered into the 10⁶–10⁹ Ω dissipative range, for handling static-sensitive electronic and precision components.
No. This is an important distinction: antistatic / ESD-dissipative gloves protect components from electrostatic discharge — they are not electrical-insulating gloves and do not protect a worker against electric shock or live mains voltage. For protection against electric shock you need certified electrical-insulating gloves (e.g. IEC 60903 / ASTM D120), which are a different product class. Do not use ESD gloves for live-electrical work.
PharmShield antistatic nitrile gloves are made to support electrostatic-discharge control programs under ANSI/ESD S20.20, IEC 61340-5-1 and EN 1149-1 — the US, international and European references for ESD protection in controlled manufacturing environments.
Yes. PharmShield Pro Nitrile Anti-Static is available sterile — ETO or Gamma irradiated, validated to SAL 10⁻⁶ — and is packed under controlled cleanroom conditions with low particulate and low ionic extractables, suitable for ISO-classified electronics and aseptic environments. See the Pro Anti-Static product →
ESD programs generally specify static-dissipative materials in the 10⁶–10⁹ Ω range — high enough to avoid a fast conductive discharge, low enough to bleed charge away in a controlled way. Below 10⁶ Ω a material is considered conductive; above ~10¹¹ Ω it is insulative and can hold a charge. PharmShield antistatic nitrile targets the dissipative band.
Yes. PharmShield ESD / antistatic gloves are nitrile (NBR) with a static-dissipative formulation. Nitrile is the standard material for ESD gloves because it combines dissipative performance with the dexterity, low particulate shedding and chemical-splash resistance that electronics, semiconductor and cleanroom handling require — which is why most searches for ESD nitrile gloves are looking for exactly this.
An ESD-safe nitrile glove uses a static-dissipative compound engineered to a surface resistance of roughly 10⁶–10⁹ Ω. That range is high enough to avoid a fast conductive discharge yet low enough to bleed static away in a controlled path, protecting sensitive components. Note that ESD-safe means static-dissipative for component protection — it does not make the glove electrically insulating against electric shock.
Only static-dissipative nitrile gloves do. Standard nitrile is static-insulative — it can hold a charge and transfer it into a sensitive component, so ordinary nitrile does not prevent ESD. A glove prevents electrostatic discharge only when its compound is engineered to a static-dissipative surface resistance of 10⁶–10⁹ Ω, the band ANSI/ESD S20.20 and IEC 61340-5-1 programs specify. PharmShield ESD nitrile gloves use that static-dissipative compound; standard examination nitrile does not.
Static dissipative nitrile gloves are nitrile (NBR) gloves made with a compound whose surface resistance sits in the 10⁶–10⁹ Ω range — between conductive (below 10⁶ Ω) and insulative (above 10¹¹ Ω). That band lets electrostatic charge drain away in a slow, controlled path instead of discharging suddenly into a component. They are required wherever charge control is part of the process spec — electronics and semiconductor assembly, EV battery-pack lines, and cleanroom electronics. PharmShield's static-dissipative nitrile gloves are engineered to this band and batch-tested against ANSI/ESD S20.20 and IEC 61340-5-1.
Sourcing ESD gloves to your ESD program?
Send us your standard, your environment and your volumes — our team will respond with the right antistatic configuration, a spec sheet and bulk pricing.