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PROTECTIVE GLOVES REGULATIONS

The safety gloves refer to the following safety regulations.

Compliance with European directives is indicated by the CE logo and shield-shaped pictograms.

 

The European directives on personal protective equipment (PPE) impose a precise test and classification system for protective gloves: European standards are indicated with the acronym EN ( European Norm ) .

 

The following are indicated on CE certified gloves with a high degree of protection: size, name of the manufacturer, name of the glove, the tests they have passed and their logos, the CE mark with the number of the office that certified the glove.

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EN 420 standard - General requirements and test methods
The standard defines the general requirements and the corresponding test procedures for the design and manufacture of gloves , the resistance of glove materials to water penetration , safety , comfort and efficiency (t aie, dexterity, permeability and absorption of water vapor ), the marking and information provided by the manufacturer applicable to all protective gloves.
 
The glove is an individual safety product that protects the hand and the various parts of the hand. The glove may also cover part of the forearm and upper arm.
EN 374
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EN 374 standard - Protection against chemicals and micro-organisms
The pictogram must be followed by a code of at least 3 characters, expressed with letters.
They refer to the codes of 3 chemicals (from a list of 12 predefined substances), for which a breakthrough time of at least 30 minutes was obtained.
 
A) Methanol
B) Acetone
C) Acetronitrile
D) Dichloromethane
E) Carbon disulfide
F) Toluene
G) Diethylamine
H) Tetrahydro-furan
I) Ethyl Acetate
J) n-Heptane
K) Sodium hydroxide 40%
L) Sulfuric acid 96%
EN 388
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EN 388 standard - Protection against mechanical hazards
Protection from mechanical hazards is represented by a pictogram followed by 4 numbers (performance indices), each of which indicates the level of performance detected by the test for a given risk.
 
A) Resistance to abrasion
B) Resistance to cutting
C) Tear resistance
D) Resistance to perforation
E) Shear strength (from 2016)
F) Impact protection (since 2016)
The particular impact resistance is indicated with the letter P, only if a reference test has been applied.
EN 511
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EN 511 standard - Protection against cold
Cold protection is represented by a pictogram followed by a series of 3 performance indices relating to specific protection properties.
 
A) Cold resistance Convective
B) Resistance to contact cold
C) Permeability to water
EN 407
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EN 407 standard - Protection against risks due to heat and / or fire
The nature and degree of protection are indicated by a pictogram followed by a series of 6 digits that specify the level of performance for the related risk conditions.
 
A) Burning behavior
B) Resistance to contact heat
C) Resistance to convective heat
D) Resistance to radiant heat
E) Resistance to small splashes of molten metal
F) Resistance to large splashes of molten metal
EN 12477 standard - Protection for welding
This is the merger of EN 388 together with EN 407.
Gloves according to EN 12477 must first comply with these two standards to ensure that they are suitable.
 
They are divided into:

Type A) Gloves with greater protection against heat but with less flexibility and dexterity

Type B) Gloves with lower heat protection but with greater flexibility and dexterity

 

EN 12477 has no pictograms.

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EN 659 standard - Protection for firefighters
The standard defines the minimum performance requirements and test methods for protective gloves for firefighters. The standard only applies to protective gloves for firefighters that protect hands during firefighting, including search and rescue operations.
 
It includes EN 388 and EN 407 standards as well as water permeability
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EN 1149 standard - Protection against electrostatic discharges
This standard specifies the requirements and test methods in the production of electrostatic dissipation protective clothing to reduce the risks of electrostatic discharges.
The standard is not applicable for protection against mains voltage.
 
This standard is divided into 5 variants defined by the test method to which the glove was subjected.
 

  • EN 1149-1 : Test method for measuring surface resistivity

  • EN 1149-2 : Test method for measuring electrical resistance through a material (vertical resistance)

  • EN 1149-3 : Test methods for the measurement of discharge attenuation

  • EN 1149-4 : Garment test

  • EN 1149-5 : Material performance and design requirements

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EN 60903 standard - Protection against electrical risks
This standard applies to insulated gloves designed to protect against electric shock when performing live work.
 
Class 1, 2, 3 and 4 gloves should be visually inspected and dielectric retest every 6 months.
For classes 0 and 00 visual inspection is sufficient.
Normative - G
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EN 1082 standard - Protection against impact cuts
This standard applies to gloves that protect the user from cuts and stabs caused by hand knives.
 
This standard is divided into 3 different variants, differentiated according to the type of material with which the protection device is made or the type of cutting test to which it was subjected.
 
  • EN-1082-1 : Gloves and arm guards in metal mesh
  • EN-1082-2 : Gloves and arm protectors in material other than metal mesh
  • EN-1082-3 : Impact cut test for fabric, leather and other materials
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EN 421 standard - Protection from ionizing radiation and radioactive contamination
 
Radioactive contamination
To protect against radioactive contamination, the glove must be waterproof and must pass the penetration test required by EN 374 .
For operations to be carried out in containment fences, the glove must offer a high resistance to water vapor permeability.
 
Ionizing radiations
To protect against ionizing radiation, the glove must contain a certain amount of lead referred to as the "Equivalent Thickness" of lead. This indication (in mm) must be marked on each glove.
Materials exposed to ionizing radiation can modify their behavior due to ozone cracking. The ozone resistance test is optional and allows to identify the glove material with the greatest resistance to ionizing radiation.
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EN 10819 standard - Protection against vibrations and mechanical shocks
The standard specifies a method for laboratory measurement, data analysis and reporting of the vibration transmissibility of gloves in terms of transmission of vibrations from a grip to the palm in thirds of octave in the 25 Hz frequency range at 1250 Hz.
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EN 381-7 standard - Protection for users of portable chain saws
The legislation regulates the protective garments for operators with chain saws and differentiates according to the garment between:
 
  • EN 381-1: 1994 : Personal Protective Equipment for users of portable chainsaws
  • EN 381-5: 2001 Personal Protective Equipment to protect the legs
  • EN 381-7: 2001 Requirements for protective gloves for chainsaws
  • EN 381-9: 1999 Requirements for protective gaiters for chainsaws
  • EN 381-11: 2004 Requirements relating to the upper body
 
The standard also prescribes 4 classes corresponding to the speed of the chainsaw with which the tests were carried out. Not all classes are applicable in every part of the standard.
 
  • Class 0 : 16 m / s
  • Class 1 : 20 m / s
  • Class 2 : 24 m / s
  • Class 3 : 28 m / s
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