I think it's just one of those things you have to deal with sing high heat on that unit. As Marty said all webers here have ( minus the WSM) a heat shield now, it's not made of much being just a bit to metal to help deflect the heat and bolted under the handle.
I leave a normal hot pad hanging on my weber tool rack at all times. Easy to grab without having to put on the gloves and solves the heat problem.