ARDON - CUT-RESISTANT PROTECTIVE GLOVES: WHAT DOES THE EN 388 STANDARD SAY?
Gloves are a key element of personal protection in many industries where there is an increased risk of injury caused by various mechanical hazards. The European EN 388 standard provides a standardized framework for the classification and evaluation of protective gloves.
Four Key Areas of Evaluation
The EN 388 standard helps employers and workers choose the right gloves for specific working conditions, minimizes the risk of injuries, and improves overall workplace safety. It examines four important areas and the material’s resistance level, meaning the degree of protection the gloves provide. These include resistance to cuts, abrasion, tearing, and punctures.
Glove Standards: Numerical Codes and How to Understand Them
All protective gloves feature the EN 388 pictogram, which contains four numbers and a letter. If you know how to read it correctly, this code allows you to quickly determine the level of protection the gloves provide in each of the four tested categories.
The first digit below the pictogram, ranging from 0 to 4, indicates abrasion resistance, meaning how long the gloves can withstand wear. The result represents the number of abrasion cycles with sandpaper that the glove can endure before a hole appears in the palm area. The higher the number, the better the resistance.
The second digit indicates cut resistance and is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 represents the highest level of protection. Different testing methods are used to measure this resistance. One common method uses a Couptest machine, where a circular blade moves across the material at a constant speed and pressure. The number of cycles the material withstands is then measured.
The third digit indicates tear resistance, showing how easily the glove can tear. Puncture resistance measures the force required for a steel needle of specified dimensions to penetrate the test material fixed in a testing device.
The letter in the fifth position, ranging from A to F (with F being the highest level), indicates cut resistance according to the ISO standard.
Recommendations for Choosing Gloves
When selecting gloves according to the EN 388 standard, consider the type of work you perform and the risks you may encounter. Think carefully about the hazards you may come into contact with. Higher resistance levels may be essential in industries where such risks are common. On the other hand, greater protection may reduce sensitivity and dexterity during handling.
The EN 388 standard is an essential tool for evaluating glove resistance to mechanical risks, including cut protection. Choosing the right gloves can significantly reduce the risk of injuries and ensure a safer working environment. However, it is important to remember that other factors, such as thermal protection or chemical resistance, may require additional standards and testing.