General requirements that mechanic gloves must meet

Mechanical gloves are subject to protective regulations and safety certifications necessary for the different tasks to be performed. Below are the most common.

EN420: General requirements for gloves

This standard lays down the essential requirements for ergonomics, safety, marking, information and instructions for use.

EN388: Protection against mechanical hazards

It consists of 4 tests: abrasion, cutting, tearing and drilling

EN388, 6.1: Resistance to abrasion

This test is performed using an instrument known as the Martindale abrasimeter, in which the material to be tested is placed on a bench and a friction head of fixed size and weight, covered with a standard abrasive material and is moved circularly over the test sample. Four samples of the material are tested and the test result is the number of cycles required to break the material by friction.

The standard abrasive material used in this test is heavy duty. It is unusual for textile materials to withstand the 2000 cycles required to meet performance level 3.

The performance level of a single material is decided by the lowest result of the four tests as shown in the table above. In the case of multi-layer materials, each layer shall be tested separately.

The final performance is based on the lowest individual result of the strongest material.

EN388, 6.2: Resistance to cutting by knife

The instrument used for this test consists of a free-spinning circular blade, subjected to pressure of a standard weight, which is moved forward and backward over the surface of the test material along a fixed path.

The test result is the number of cycles the blade needs to cut the material. To take into account the sharpness of the blade, the test is carried out using a standard material before and after testing the sample, the mean of these two tests with the standard material being defined as blade cut index 1.

The test result is the ratio of the number of cycles required to cut the sample to the number of cycles required to reach the blade cut index 1.

When multilayer materials are being tested, the layers are assembled and tested as they would be on the garment. Two test samples are selected, each sample is tested five times and an average for the blade cut rate is calculated from the five tests.

The performance level is achieved according to the lowest average blade cut rate of the two samples.

EN388, 6.3: Tear resistance

In this test, the sample of material to be tested is prepared in a standard way and attached to the force test machine jaws.

The jaws move away from each other at a constant speed and the force needed to break the material is measured. In the case of a single material, the performance level is indicated by the lowest result of the four tests.

In the case of multi-layer elements, each layer is tested separately, with four tests on each material.

The performance level is based on the lowest individual result of the most breakable material.

EN388, 6.4: Perforation resistance

This test uses a standard rounded tip, which is pushed through the material at a fixed speed and in which the force required for the tip to pass through the material is measured.

When multilayer materials are used, the layers are assembled and tested as they would be on the garment. The performance levels.

UNE-EN 374:2004: Protective gloves against chemicals and microorganisms

EN 374-1:2004 Protective gloves against chemicals and micro-organisms. Part 1: Terminology and requirements for benefits.

In the case of vehicles with a maximum mass not exceeding 2000 kg:. Part 2: Determination of the penetration resistance.

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:. Part 3: Determination of resistance to penetration by chemicals.

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:. Part 4: Determination of resistance to chemical degradation.

EN511: Protective gloves against cold

• Convection cold resistance (level 0 to 4)
• Cold resistance by contact (level 0 to 4)
• Hold on to it. to water (level 0 = no / level 1 = at least 30 mm)

The gloves shall be at least abrasion and wear level 1 of EN388. A cross means the glove did not pass this test.

EN407 Protective gloves against thermal hazards (heat and/or fire)

• Behavior to the flame. (levels 1 to 4)
• Heat from contact. (levels 1 to 4)
• Convective heat. (levels 1 to 4)
• Radiant heat. (levels 1 to 4)
• Small spatter of molten metal. (levels 1 to 4)
• Large splashes of molten metal (levels 1 to 4)