A measurement protocol involving a handgrip dynamometer and surface electromyography (EMG) electrodes (n=4) placed on finger flexor and extensor muscles was used to assess the biomechanical effect of gloves on forearm muscles. The purpose of this study was to assess gloves with different EMG indices measuring muscle fatigue and muscle activation. Thirty subjects (15 males and 15 females) performed a 60s static fatigue handgrip contraction at 35% of their maximal voluntary contraction for each experimental condition (1. barehand; 2. moderately stiff glove; 3. very-stiff glove). Ten of these subjects performed the assessment twice to assess reliability. Only the EMG indices for the relative activation of forearm muscles showed any potential for glove assessment, the EMG fatigue indices showing poor sensitivity and reliability results. The results from extensor muscles were particularly interesting because they were more sensitive than flexor muscles to experimental conditions. Moreover, the EMG index representing the average of the two extensor muscles studied here was the only parameter that was gender-independent, an advantageous measurement characteristic if a test is to be developed for normalization purposes. However, the reliability of this index was unsatisfactory. More research is needed to refine this EMG protocol, considering that EMG measurements of the numerous and small forearm muscles are apparently difficult. Relevance to industry Gloves often impair hand performance and productivity so that the workers are less inclined to use them and consequently more prone to injury. To help glove manufacturers enhance their products, objective measures to assess hand performance when wearing gloves are required. A test involving EMG measures would give information on the internal loading of forearm muscles when different types of gloves are used.