Glove Standards

 

A standard sets out what a glove has to do and how it's tested. This page is a reference to the standards you'll see on safety gloves sold in Australia, what each one covers, and how to read the codes printed on a glove.

 

A standard isn't the same as certification. A glove can be tested to a standard without anyone independent checking it. For how certification works, and how to check it, see Glove Certification.

 

How to read the markings on a glove

 

Under ISO 21420 (AS/NZS 2161.2:2020), every protective glove has to carry its manufacturer, product reference and size. Each standard it meets is shown as a shield-shaped pictogram, with the edition year and the performance levels printed underneath.

 

• The higher the number or letter, the better the result.
• An X means the test wasn't done or isn't claimed.
• An "i" in a book symbol means read the information supplied with the glove. That's where you'll find the full results, limitations and care instructions. For Elliotts gloves, that's the product data sheet (PDS).
• Always check the edition year. The same standard number can mean different test methods in different editions.

 

 

The main glove standards

 

 

Welding and heat gloves have their own page: see Welding and Heat Glove Standards for EN 407:2020 and EN 12477 in full, including the arc welding requirement. 

 

The AS/NZS 2161 series

 

Occupational protective gloves in Australia and New Zealand are covered by the AS/NZS 2161 series. Each part deals with a different hazard or requirement, and most are based on European (EN) or international (ISO) standards.

 

• Some parts are identical to the current European edition. AS/NZS 2161.3:2020 is identical to EN 388:2016+A1:2018.
• Others are based on older editions. AS/NZS 2161.4:1999, the thermal standard, is based on an earlier edition of EN 407 and hasn't been revised since 1999.
• So when you compare gloves, check the edition year as well as the standard number.

 

ISO 21420: general requirements

 

ISO 21420:2020 (AS/NZS 2161.2:2020) sets the general requirements every protective glove must meet, whatever hazard it's for. It replaced EN 420. It covers:

 

• Innocuousness: the glove mustn't harm the wearer. It sets limits on things like chromium VI in leather and the pH of materials.
• Sizing: hand sizes and minimum glove lengths.
• Dexterity: how easily you can handle small objects, rated 1 to 5.
• Marking and information: what must appear on the glove and in the user information.

 

Dexterity is tested by picking up steel pins of decreasing diameter while wearing the glove. The smaller the pin you can handle, the higher the level.

 

 

To find your size, measure around your palm at the knuckles (excluding the thumb) and from the tip of your middle finger to the wrist crease, then match both to our Glove Sizing Guide.

 

EN 388 and AS/NZS 2161.3: mechanical protection

 

AS/NZS 2161.3:2020 is identical to EN 388:2016+A1:2018, so the marks read the same way. The hammer pictogram sits above up to six characters.

 

 

 

• 6th, impact (P): tested to EN 13594 on the protected zones, usually the back of the hand and knuckles. A P means the glove passed. No letter means it wasn't tested or didn't pass.
• X: the test wasn't done or doesn't apply.

 

Coup vs TDM cut tests

 

The coup test (2nd character) runs a circular blade back and forth across the material. High-performance cut yarns can blunt the blade and give a misleading result, so the lab may stop the test and record an X. The TDM test (5th character), added in 2016, draws a straight blade across the material under increasing force until it cuts through. For cut-resistant gloves, read the letter first. An X in the coup position often just means the blade went blunt. 

 

 

US cut and impact ratings

 

Imported gloves sometimes show US ratings under ANSI/ISEA 105, with cut levels A1 to A9, or ANSI/ISEA 138 impact levels 1 to 3. They use different tests and reporting, so they don't convert exactly to EN 388. Compare like with like.

 

Impact protection has limits

 

EN 388 impact protection reduces the force reaching the protected parts of the hand. It doesn't make a glove crush-proof, and it doesn't replace guarding, lifting aids and safe systems of work.

 

EN 407: heat and flame

 

EN 407 rates protection against heat and flame. Six digits sit under the flame pictogram, each a level from 1 to 4: limited flame spread, contact heat, convective heat, radiant heat, small splashes of molten metal and large quantities of molten metal.

 

The current edition is EN 407:2020. The Australian standard, AS/NZS 2161.4:1999, is based on EN 407:1994 and hasn't been revised since 1999, so check the edition year above the pictogram. For each test in detail, what changed in 2020, and which digits matter for which job, see Welding and Heat Glove Standards.

 

EN 511 and AS/NZS 2161.5: cold

 

EN 511 covers gloves that protect against convective and contact cold down to -50°C. The Australian standard, AS/NZS 2161.5:1998, uses different test methods to the current EN 511:2006, so check which one a glove is tested to.

 

 The EN 511 pictogram sits above three digits:

 

 

• A glove can score 0 for water permeability and still perform well on the other two.
• Gloves certified to EN 511 must also reach at least level 1 for abrasion and tear under EN 388.
• EN 511 isn't a cryogenic standard. See Cryogenic gloves below.

 

ISO 374 and AS/NZS 2161.10: chemicals and micro-organisms

 

Chemical protective gloves are covered by the ISO 374 series. In November 2024 the Australian standard was updated: AS/NZS 2161.10.1:2024 is identical to ISO 374-1:2024 and replaces AS/NZS 2161.10.1:2005, which was based on the 2003 European edition.

 

 

Permeation is scored by breakthrough time:

 

 

• Type A: at least level 2 against six or more of the listed test chemicals.
• Type B: at least level 2 against three or more.
• Type C: at least level 1 against one or more.

 

 

Warning: heat and wear reduce a glove's chemical resistance, and a glove that protects against one chemical may perform poorly against another. Always check the chemical resistance data for your chemical. Throw chemical gloves away (in a hazardous waste bin if required) no more than 8 hours after first contact with the chemical.

 

Arc flash and electrical hand protection

 

Electrical work has two different hand hazards, and they need different gloves. An arc flash is a burst of heat, light and pressure from an electrical fault. An electric shock is current passing through the body. Arc-rated gloves protect against the heat of an arc. Rubber insulating gloves protect against shock. Neither does the other's job unless the glove is rated for both.

 

Arc ratings explained

 

Arc-rated PPE is rated by the incident energy it can take, in calories per square centimetre (cal/cm²). The higher the number, the more protection. You'll see these terms on arc-rated gloves and their data sheets:

 

 

APC classes and cal/cm² ratings come from different tests and don't convert from one to the other. Compare like with like.

 

Arc flash and electrical glove standards

 

Most arc flash standards come from the US, Canada or the IEC, and Australian sites use them alongside Australian standards and guidelines. These are the ones you'll see referenced for gloves:

 

 

Which glove does what

 

 

 

US terms on imported gloves

 

• HRC (hazard risk category): an older NFPA 70E term. Since the 2015 edition, NFPA 70E uses PPE categories 1 to 4, and category 0 no longer exists. Treat HRC 2 as roughly PPE category 2, but check the arc rating itself.
• OSHA 1910.269: a US workplace regulation for electric power work. It doesn't apply in Australia, where WHS laws and the standards above set the requirements.

 

Choosing hand protection for electrical work

 

• Start with the site's arc flash risk assessment. It gives the incident energy and voltage for each task.
• Choose arc-rated gloves with an arc rating at or above the incident energy.
• Where there's a shock risk, use rubber insulating gloves of the right voltage class, with leather protectors.
• Check where the rating comes from. A glove rating from ASTM F2675 or an IEC 61482-1-2 class tells you the glove was tested. A fabric rating alone doesn't.
• Inspect insulating gloves before every use, and have them electrically retested at the intervals the standard and your procedures set.

 

Elliotts ArcSafe gloves are arc rated for switching and electrical work. The ArcSafe X50, for example, has an ATPV of 52 cal/cm². Elliotts doesn't make insulating gloves.

 

Cryogenic gloves

 

There's no dedicated glove standard for cryogenic liquids such as liquid nitrogen. EN 511 stops at -50°C. Cryogenic gloves are designed for brief contact and splashes, never immersion. Check each glove's PDS for its full test results.

 

Electrical resistance: EN 1149-2

 

The EN 1149 series covers the electrostatic properties of protective clothing materials. Part 2, EN 1149-2, measures electrical resistance through the material. EN 12477 uses it for its optional arc welding requirement: electrical resistance above 10⁵ ohms, and no conductive parts such as metal rivets through the glove. Every Elliotts welding glove meets that requirement. It doesn't make a welding glove an insulating glove: see Welding and Heat Glove Standards. 

 

 

 

Choosing the right glove

 

AS/NZS 2161.1:2016 gives guidance on selecting, using and maintaining occupational protective gloves. The basic process:

 

1.    Identify the hazards from the task and your site's risk assessment.

2.    Choose gloves whose standards and performance levels match those hazards.

3.    Check fit, comfort and dexterity for the task. A glove that isn't comfortable won't be worn.

4.    Train users on correct use, inspection, care and replacement.

5.    Replace gloves on condition, not on a calendar. See Care & Maintenance.

 

 

Questions about glove standards?

 

Talk to your Elliotts rep or call 07 3265 2944.