Glove Safety Certification Standards of European
DIN EN 388 – Safety gloves against mechanical risks
DIN EN 388 is a European standard that specifies the requirements, testing methods, and marking for protective gloves used to guard against mechanical risks. The standard evaluates gloves based on their resistance to abrasion, blade cut, tear, and puncture resistance. It provides a standardized way to assess the performance of gloves in terms of these mechanical hazards.
The standard covers various types of protective gloves, including those made from materials like leather, textiles, rubber, and plastics.
- Resistance to abrasion:
To test the safety glove’s resistance to abrasion, the material is treated with sandpaper under pressure. The number of cycles needed to abrade a hole in the material serves as a benchmark.
(Highest performance level 4 = 8,000 cycles) - Blade cut resistance:
To check the blade cut resistance of a safety glove, a rotating circular blade is used, which cuts through the glove at a constant speed. Comparison with a reference material serves as a benchmark and a resulting index.
(Highest performance level 5 = index 20) - Tear resistance:
To check tear resistance, the material of the safety glove is firstly slit. The force needed to tear the material serves as a benchmark.
(Highest performance level 4 = 75 Newtons) - Puncture resistance:
To test the puncture resistance, the glove is punctured with a nail (established dimension). The force used serves as a benchmark.
(Highest performance level 4 = 150 Newtons)
DIN EN 374 – Protection from chemical risks
Chemical safety gloves must meet the requirements of European standard EN ISO 374-1. This standard has undergone fundamental changes in terms of certification.
(Terminology and performance requirements for chemical risks) contains important modifications:
- Expansion of test chemicals from 12 to 18
- Omission of beaker glass for “water-resistant safety glove with low protection against chemical risks”
- Standardisation of types of gloves into type A, B or C
- Modification to labelling on the product: Pictogram of Erlenmeyer flask with differing number of letters for test chemicals depending on type
DIN EN 407 –Safety gloves against thermal risks
DIN EN 407 designed to provide safety against thermal risks. The standard specifies requirements, testing methods, and markings for gloves intended to protect against heat and fire-related hazards. These gloves are meant to be used in various industrial and occupational settings where there is a potential for exposure to heat, flames, or other thermal hazards.
DIN EN 407 evaluates gloves based on their performance in several key areas related to thermal risks, including:
- Contact Heat Resistance: The glove’s ability to protect against contact with hot surfaces is assessed. This includes measuring the time it takes for the glove to transmit heat to the inside, which is an important factor in preventing burns.
- Convective Heat Resistance: Convective heat transfer, such as exposure to hot air, is evaluated to determine how well the glove can resist this type of heat.
- Radiant Heat Resistance: The glove’s ability to protect against radiant heat sources is tested. Radiant heat transfer occurs without direct contact and is relevant in environments with radiant heat sources like welding or foundries.
- Molten Metal Splatter Resistance: If applicable, the glove’s resistance to splashes of molten metal is assessed, as this is a common hazard in metalworking industries.
- Resistance to Flammability: This test measures the glove’s resistance to ignition and ability to resist continuing to burn after being exposed to a flame.
DIN EN 511 – Protection from cold
The standard evaluates gloves based on their performance in several key areas related to protection from cold:
- Requirements and Testing for Convective Cold (Performance Levels 0 to 4):
This part of the standard focuses on the gloves’ ability to protect against cold when exposed to cold air. The gloves are tested for their thermal insulation properties under specific conditions, and they are assigned a performance level based on their ability to withstand convective cold.
- Requirements and Testing for Contact Cold (Performance Levels 0 to 4):
Part 2 deals with the gloves’ performance against cold when in direct contact with cold surfaces. Similar to Part 1, the gloves are tested and assigned performance levels based on their ability to protect against contact cold.
- Requirements and Testing for Water Penetration:
This part assesses the gloves’ resistance to water penetration. It determines how effectively the gloves prevent water from entering and contacting the skin.
The performance levels are usually denoted by a number, ranging from 0 to 4, with higher numbers indicating better protection. The exact specifications and requirements for each performance level can vary, but generally, a higher performance level signifies a glove that offers better insulation and protection against cold.
The results of these tests are used to assign performance levels for each parameter, and gloves are then labeled with pictograms and markings indicating their cold resistance capabilities. This labeling helps users select gloves that are appropriate for the level of cold exposure they anticipate.
DIN EN 16350:2014 – Safety gloves, electrostatic properties
DIN EN 16350:2014 – Safety gloves, electrostatic properties
For workplaces with a risk of fire and explosion, there is now a European standard, DIN EN 16350:2014, which defines the test conditions and minimum requirements for the electrostatic properties of safety gloves:
- The contact resistance must be less than 1.0 × 108 ohms (Rv< 1.0 × 108 Ω).
- Test atmosphere: air temperature of 23 ± 1 °C, relative humidity 25 ± 5 %.
Important! Safety gloves with antistatic characteristics are only effective if the resistance between the wearer and the earth is less than 108 ohms.
What can gloves tested in accordance with DIN EN 16350:2014 be used for?
Safety gloves that have been successfully tested in accordance with DIN EN 16350:2014 can be used in workplaces with a risk of fire and explosion (e.g. refineries) and form an essential part in the earthing chain (glove – protective clothing – shoes – ground). In connection with electrostatic properties, the electrostatic discharge (“electrostatic discharge”, or “ESD”) is frequently considered in the area of product protection. Safety gloves tested in accordance with DIN EN 16350:2014 can be used for all applications of ESD product protection.
