How to read the standards on gloves
Every protective glove carries pictograms followed by a code. Here is what the individual characters mean and what they actually tell you.
How to read the EN 388 code on gloves
The code next to the hammer pictogram has six characters and each one stands for a different test. Example: 4X44CP.
| Character | What it measures | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Abrasion resistance | 1 – 4 |
| 2. | Cut resistance, rotating blade (coup test) | 1 – 5, or X |
| 3. | Tear resistance | 1 – 4 |
| 4. | Puncture resistance (test probe) | 1 – 4 |
| 5. | Cut resistance, straight blade (ISO 13997) | A – F |
| 6. | Impact protection | P, or nothing |
The letter A – F in the fifth position corresponds to 2, 5, 10, 15, 22 and 30 newtons. An X in the second position does not mean the glove offers no protection — it means the test was not carried out or does not apply. With highly resistant materials the rotating blade goes blunt before it cuts through, so the result would be misleading. In that case the fifth character is the one that counts.
ANSI/ISEA 105 levels: A1 to A9
The American ANSI/ISEA 105 standard states the force needed to cut through the material in grams, on a nine-level scale.
| Level | Force needed to cut through | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | ≥ 200 g | general work, warehousing, small parts assembly |
| A2 | ≥ 500 g | plastics injection moulding, paper industry |
| A3 | ≥ 1,000 g | material handling, construction |
| A4 | ≥ 1,500 g | HVAC, aerospace, food preparation |
| A5 | ≥ 2,200 g | glass and sheet metal, automotive assembly |
| A6 | ≥ 3,000 g | metal fabrication, glass industry, changing blades |
| A7 | ≥ 4,000 g | meat processing, metal stamping |
| A8 | ≥ 5,000 g | metal stamping, recycling, heavy assembly |
| A9 | ≥ 6,000 g | sharp sheet metal, waste sorting, metal fabrication |
ANSI levels and EN 388 letters cannot be converted into one another. Both standards measure the same thing, but with a different blade and a different procedure, so on one and the same glove they can look inconsistent. What is marked on the particular glove always applies.
What these standards do not tell you
Neither EN 388 nor ANSI/ISEA 105 tests resistance to a knife stab. The fourth character of the EN 388 code does measure puncture, but with a test probe that has a defined blunt tip, not with the point of a knife.
For cuts and stabs from hand knives there is a separate standard, EN 1082 (part 1 for chain mail gloves, part 2 for other materials). Gloves that meet it state so explicitly. If you do not find it in the specifications, the glove is not certified for that purpose.
