Welding and Heat Glove Standards

 

Welding, foundry and hot process gloves are judged on the same heat and flame standard, EN 407. Welding gloves also have their own standard, EN 12477. This page explains both, how to read the marks on a welding glove, and how to choose and specify the right one.

 

Elliotts welding gloves at a glance

 

Every Elliotts welding glove is independently certified by Intertek SAI Global to EN 407:2020, EN 12477, EN 388 (AS/NZS 2161.3:2020) and AS/NZS 2161.2:2020, and tested to EN 1149-2. Every new Elliotts welding glove launches certified to the same standards. For what that certification involves, and our history, see Glove Certification.

 

EN 407:2020: heat and flame

 

The EN 407 pictogram sits above six digits. Each digit is a performance level from 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest). An X means that test wasn't done or isn't claimed.

 

 

 

 

Contact heat levels

 

It's a short-contact rating. Use tongs or pliers for hot workpieces and anything you need to hold for longer.

 

What changed in EN 407:2020

 

• Limited flame spread: one 10-second flame exposure, with a metal rod inside the glove so the material can't shrink away from the flame. The test was previously called "burning behaviour".
• Higher levels need a flame result: a glove must reach at least level 3 for limited flame spread before it can claim level 3 or 4 for any other heat property. Otherwise every other result is capped at level 2.
• Two pictograms: the flame pictogram when limited flame spread is claimed, and a new hot-contact pictogram when it isn't. A glove can't carry both.
• One mechanical requirement: a minimum tear resistance of 10 N (EN 388 level 1) now applies to every glove.

 

AS/NZS 2161.4:1999 vs EN 407:2020

 

AS/NZS 2161.4:1999 is the Australian standard for heat and flame. It's an identical copy of EN 407:1994 an earlier edition of EN 407. While it was reconfirmed without changes in 2016, it is based on a 1994 version of the standard. It is still published, but EN 407:2020 is the current heat and flame standard.

 

 

No glove is flameproof

 

EN 407 measures how a glove performs when exposed to heat and flame, and gives it a level. Even at level 4, leather will char and burn if it's exposed for long enough. Choose the levels that match the hazard, limit exposure time, and replace gloves that are scorched, hardened or contaminated with oil or grease, which can burn.

 

Which EN 407 digits matter for which job

 

EN 12477: the standard for welders' gloves

 

EN 407 tells you how a glove handles heat. EN 12477 tells you whether it's fit for welding. It sets minimum results across mechanical, thermal and dexterity tests, and minimum cuff lengths. A glove can carry good EN 407 numbers and still not qualify as a welding glove. For welding, look for both.

 

Type A and Type B

 

• Type A: protection first. Higher heat, spatter and mechanical performance, lower dexterity. Recommended for all welding processes, especially stick (MMAW) and MIG (GMAW), plus gouging and heavy fabrication.
• Type B: dexterity first. Lower physical performance, higher dexterity. Recommended for TIG (GTAW), where you need feel on the filler rod and torch.
• Type A+B: the glove meets the minimum requirements of both. Handy on mixed-process sites, which then don't need to stock two gloves.

 

 

The type is marked under the EN 12477 pictogram on the cuff and listed on every Elliotts welding glove's product page and PDS.

 

Minimum requirements

 

Welders' gloves must also be long enough for the cuff to cover the wrist:

 

Electrical resistance

 

Gloves for arc welding must give a minimum electrical resistance up to 100 V DC, and EN 12477 includes an optional electrical resistance test using EN 1149-2. Welding gloves still aren't electrical insulating gloves. They give limited protection, and only when dry and undamaged. Wet or holed gloves are a known factor in welding electric shock incidents, so keep a dry pair on hand.

 

EN 1149-2: static

 

EN 1149-2 covers how well a material dissipates a static charge through its thickness. Welders often work near fuels, gases or combustible dust, where a static discharge can be an ignition source. Testing confirms the glove dissipates static instead of holding it. Every Elliotts welding glove is tested to EN 1149-2.

It's most relevant on sites with hot work permits near flammable atmospheres: refineries, gas infrastructure, confined spaces and tank work. Static control works as a system with footwear, flooring and clothing, not gloves alone.

 

 

EN 388 on a welding glove

 

Every welding glove carries an EN 388 code for mechanical protection. On welding gloves, two characters are worth a closer look:

 

 

• 5th character, TDM cut (A to F): for welders who handle sharp plate, offcuts and sheet edges between welds. Cut-resistant welding gloves use a high-performance liner to reach the higher letters.
• 6th character, impact (P): for welders exposed to knocks, crushes and pinch points. A P means the back of the hand and knuckles passed the impact test.

 

For the full EN 388 code, see Glove Standards.

 

Reading the marks on a welding glove

 

A certified Elliotts welding glove carries a line of marks on the cuff and its PDS. Here's Big Red CRX Impact as a worked example:

 

 

 

Choosing a welding glove

 

 

One glove rarely suits every process. If you switch between TIG and stick, keep a pair for each, or use a Type A+B glove.

 

Five checks before you buy

1.    Match the process: Type B or A+B for TIG; Type A or A+B for MIG, stick and gouging.

2.    Add the other hazards: cut, impact, static, hot workpieces.

3.    Check the standards: EN 407:2020 with the edition year shown, and EN 12477 with a Type.

4.    Check the certification: a certification body's mark with a licence number you can look up. See Glove Certification.

5.    Get the fit right. A glove that doesn't fit won't be worn properly.

 

Writing a welding glove specification

 

• Specify standards and certification, not brand names.
• Reference EN 407:2020, not AS/NZS 2161.4:1999.
• Specify EN 12477 with the Type for the process.
• Add EN 388 minimums where there's cut or impact risk, for example a minimum TDM letter, or P.
• Require independent third-party certification with a licence number that can be checked.
• File the PDS for each glove with your PPE register.

 

Heat gloves beyond welding

 

Foundry, furnace, kiln, glass and hot process work uses the same EN 407 standard as welding gloves, but different digits matter (see the table above). High heat gloves don't need EN 12477 because they aren't welding gloves.

 

• ELLGARD high heat gloves: contact and radiant heat protection for hot processes.
• Aluminised and aramid gloves and mitts: aluminised surfaces reflect radiant heat; loop pile and woven aramid give contact and convective heat protection.
• HeatShield and T1000 mitts: E-glass mitts for very high heat.

Each glove's PDS lists its EN 407 ratings. See Materials for how each material performs.

 

Glove savers

 

A glove saver slips over the back of a welding glove to add radiant heat and spatter protection where the hand takes the most heat. It extends the life of the glove underneath. Elliotts glove savers come in left- and right-hand versions and three weights:

 

 

Glove savers are accessories and aren't certified to glove standards.

 

Questions about welding or heat gloves?

 

Talk to your Elliotts rep or call 07 3265 2944.