| Your Guide to EN Standards for GlovesMonday, 15 October 2018 | Alex Protective gloves, along with most other products you can find here on Workwear.co.uk, are part of your personal protective equipment (PPE), which means they have to meet certain standards that make them suitable for the job at hand. You know best what kind of hand protection you need, and with the help of this short guide you'll be able to find the gloves that meet your demands in no time. There are hundreds of gloves out there that offer outstanding protection for your hands, but most hazards can easily be grouped into no more than five groups. Most likely, the gloves you need offer one of the following types of protection:
EN 420 - General Requirements for Protective GlovesEN 420 is the most basic standard that defines the general requirements for protective gloves in terms of construction, fitness of purpose and safety. The basic guidelines for making high quality safety gloves are:
EN 388 - Protection from Mechanical RisksProtection from mechanical risks is one of the most common requirements when it comes to work gloves. EN 388 is expressed by four numbers, or performance levels, each representing test performance against a specific hazard:
Generally, the higher the number, the better the performance and protection of the glove against mechanical risks. When either of these numbers is replaced with an X or N/A, this doesn't mean the glove has failed the test, but that it's never been tested for that particular hazard. Example: Mechanical Resistant Gloves
EN 407 - Protection from Thermal HazardsProtection from thermal risks is shown by a series of six performance levels. Again, the higher the number, the better the result. The types of resistance are as follows:
Example: Heat-Resistant Gloves
EN 511 - Protection from ColdEN 511 marks gloves that provide protection from cold, with the test revealing how the glove leads cold and what is the insulating capacity of the materials used. As with the standards mentioned above, EN 511 is shown with three digits that represent:
Example: Cold-Resistant Gloves
EN 374 - Protection from Chemicals and Micro-OrganismsSlightly different from the standards we've encountered so far, EN 374 specifies the capability of the gloves to protect against chemicals and/or micro-organisms. It's different, because it includes two tests, EN 374 - 2 and EN 374 - 3. A glove doesn't need to pass both to get an EN 374 marking, but that does mean it will only be suitable to protect against certain substances. The main difference between the two is that one deals with penetration, and the other permeation.
EN 455 - Medical GlovesThe EN 455 Medical Gloves for Single Use standard covers any gloves that could safely be used for medical work. The glove must adhere to four separate parts before it is considered suitable to be used for medical practice:
EN 12477 - Welding GlovesWelding is one of the most dangerous tasks, and only certain protective gloves can safely be used for this activity. EN 12477 combines tests for EN 388 and EN 407, as welding gloves are required to protect from small splashes of molten metal, short exposure to convective heat, radiant heat and contact heat, as well as from mechanical risks. EN 60903 - Protection from Electrical RisksGloves manufactured and approved according to EN 60903 are the only gloves that should be used when there is a risk for electrical shock. Different gloves can tolerate different voltage levels. Please consult the table below to find out what kind of protection EN 60903 gloves offer:
EN 10819 - Protection from VibrationsEN 10819 specifies vibration transmissibility in terms of vibration transmitted from a handle through a glove to the palm of the hand in one-third-octave frequency bands with centre frequencies of 25Hz to 1250Hz. At a high frequency, gloves with an EN 10819 marking are expected to reduce the level of vibration by 40%. These are some of the most important standards to consider when purchasing your gloves. Do you have any specific requirements for your workwear? We'd love to hear from you – why not leave us a comment below! |