It defines the protection from at least one of the following mechanical risks (if the test falls below level 1, it will be “0” marked):

PERFORMANCE

A. Abrasion resistance (cycles)

100

500

2.000

8.000

--

B. Blade cut resistance (index)

1,2

2,5

5,0

10,0

20,0

C. Tear resistance (Newton)

10

25

50

75

--

D. Puncture resistance (Newton)

20

60

100

150

--

It defines the cut resistance, by measuring the force the blade needs to cut the glove during the test. It is carried out only with gloves manufactured with highly cut resistant materials (reaching at least level 4 of cut resistance of standard EN 388:2003). It can reach levels 4 or 5:

PERFORMANCE

Resistance to cutting by sharp objects (Newton)

≥ 13 N

≥ 22 N

Revision of EN 388 standard, applied to mechanical protective gloves, increases accuracy and reliability of cut tests.
The current EN 388:2003 describes the test method called Coup Test which calculates the number of cycles needed to cut the glove at 5N pressure (500 g about).
EN 388:2016 adds a second test, TDM Test specified by EN ISO 13997:1999 (straight blade, moving at a predetermined distance, subjected to variable force) which will be used for cut resistant gloves, whereas it will be optional for less resistant gloves, which will tested by Coup Test. Cut resistant levels measured in compliance with TDM Test:

PERFORMANCE

TMD Test (N)

≥ 5

≥ 30

PERFORMANCE

A. Abrasion resistance

1 - 4

 


Glove in compliance with standard if it reaches level 1 at least for one of the 4 tests or A level for TDM test

B. Blade cut resistance - Coup Test

1 - 5

C. Tear Resistance

1 - 4

D. Puncture resistance

1 - 4

E. TDM Test cut resistance

A - F

Passed
Failed

F. Impact protection - Optional test for gloves having additional protections against impacts. Each part of glove with impact protection has to be tested, fingers excluded.

This standard specifies the protection from at least one of the following sources of heat (if the test falls below level 1, it will be “0” marked):

PERFORMANCE

A. Burning behaviour

after flame

≤ 20 s

≤ 10 s

≤ 3 s

≤ 2 s

after glow time

not required

≤ 120 s

≤ 25 s

≤ 5 s

B. Contact heat (contact temperature and threshold time)

100 °C
≥ 15 s

250 °C
≥ 15 s

350 °C
≥ 15 s

500 °C
≥ 15 s

C. Convective heat - HTI (heat transfer delay)

≥ 4 s

≥ 7 s

≥ 10 s

≥ 18 s

D. Radiant heat (heat transfer delay)

≥ 7 s

≥ 20 s

≥ 50 s

≥ 95 s

E. Small drops molten metal (number of drops)

≥ 10

≥ 15

≥ 25

≥ 35

F. Large quantity molten metal (mass)

30 g

60 g

120 g

200 g

It defines the welding performances and distinguishes them between TYPE A and TYPE B, where TYPE A refers to high performance gloves but, consequently, with low dexterity, whereas TYPE B refers to gloves with high dexterity but with lower performances.

 1 (100 cycles)

 6

 300 / 11,8”

 1 (index 1,2)

 1 (index 1,2)

 2 (25 N)

 1 (10 N)

 10 (XL)

 11 (XXL)

It defines the protection from at least one kind of cold, convective and contact cold, while waterproofness is optional:

PERFORMANCE

A. Convective cold
Thermal insulation I_TR in m² K/W

--

0,10 ≤ I_TR < 0,15

0,15 ≤ I_TR < 0,22

0,22 ≤ I_TR < 0,30

0,30 ≤ I_TR

B. Contact cold
Thermal resistance R in m² K/W

--

0,025 ≤ R < 0,05

0,05 ≤ R < 0,10

0,10 ≤ R < 0,15

0,15 ≤ R

C. Waterproofness

not resistant to water

water resistant

--

--

--

They define the requirements of gloves designed to protect the user against chemicals and/or micro-organisms.

Protection against chemicals 

A glove marked with this pictogram must reach a minimum permeation performance level of 2 for at least three of the chemicals in the following list:

  A

  B

  C

The permeation performance level shows, for each chemical substance and following constant contact with it, the breakthrough time from the outer surface to the inside of the glove.

 PERMEATION PERFORMANCE LEVEL

MEASURED BREAKTHROUGH TIME (mins)

> 10

> 30

> 60

> 120

> 240

Impermeability to water and low chemical protection
A glove marked with this pictogram (“Low chemical protection and impermeability to water”) complies with the penetration test and reaches a permeation performance level of at least 2 (a breakthrough time of at least 30 minutes) for less than three chemicals on the list.

G1 

It specifies the requirements and the test methods for gloves designed to protect against ionizing radiation and radioactive contamination. For the gloves that provide protection against contamination by radioactive particles, it should be used the pictogram on the side. Furthermore, the glove has to be waterproof and must pass the penetration test defined in EN 374 standard.

EN 455-1:2000 - Requirements and testing for freedom from holes
It specifies requirements for medical gloves for single use and specifies the requirements and testing for freedom from holes (water leakage test to assure freedom from holes, sampling, control level and AQL).
EN 455-2:2011 - Requirements and testing for physical properties
It specifies requirements and gives test methods for physical properties of single use medical gloves (dimensions and resistance) in order to ensure that they provide and maintain in use an adequate level of protection from cross contamination for both patient and user.
EN 455-3:2006 - Requirements and testing for biological evaluation
It specifies requirements and testing for biological evaluation. It provides for requirements for labelling and packaging of gloves, as well as information issuing referring to used test methods.
EN 455-4:2009 - Requirements and testing for shelf life determination
It specifies requirements for shelf life for medical gloves for single use. It also specifies the requirements for labelling and the disclosure of information relevant to the test methods used.

Part 1: Test method for measurement of surface resistivity

 This standard specifies a test method for materials used in the production of electrostatic dissipative protective clothing (or gloves), to avoid incendiary charges.

The water repellency of the leather layer is evaluated by determining the percentage of water absorbment. The result is expressed in percentage terms.

The resistance of a substrate to oil absorption is evaluated by testing the resistance to absorption of a selected series of liquid hydrocarbons of different surface tensions. The result can reach grades between 0 and 8.

The products intended to be in direct contact with food must bear the symbol “glass and fork”, complying with EC no.1935/2004 regulation (“Materials and items intended to come in contact with food”) and especially the gloves have to comply with the more specific EU no.10/2011 Regulation (“Plastic materials and items intended to come in contact with food”). This means that all the materials used to manufacture gloves must not pose a danger to human health and they must not cause any change in the composition or a deterioration of foodstuffs. For this purpose the foodstuffs are classified into 5 groups and the compliance of gloves in contact with any of them is tested. Therefore a glove can be suitable for the contact with some groups of food and not suitable for others. For correct information about the kinds of food for any glove, the manufacturing companies must issue information through the Declaration of Conformity.

OEKO-TEX® is a voluntary certification of product through which the certified company commits itself to keep in time the safeness of its own products. The OEKO-TEX® 100 mark guarantees that the textiles (or accessories of the textiles, metallic ones included) do not contain or release harmful substances for the consumer (pesticides, heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic amines, allergyinducing dyestuffs and so on). OEKO-TEX® certified gloves fully comply with the requirements of standard EN 420:2003+A1:2009 and they abide by the requirements of the attachment XVII of REACH (regulation 552:2009) having the textile product as area of pertinence.

In order to safeguard the consumers’ health, the European Union issued the REACH regulation (come into force on 1st June 2007) which forbids the use of certain chemicals. COFRA guarantees that all its gloves comply with the REACH regulation; they do not contain forbidden or limited substances (Aromatic amines and 4-aminobenzoic acid deriving from azo dyes, heavy metals, phthalates, and so on) and, to guarantee it, all garments and accessories used during production are subjected to controls.

Technical regulation on the safety of Personal Protective Equipment distributed in the territory of the Eurasian Customs Union.