In the following blog post, the protection professionals want to provide some information about the changes to the cut protection standard in order to make a safe decision for the right glove for the respective activity.
Explanation of the test method according to the "old" standard (EN 388:2003)
The cut protection test for protective gloves according to the old standard En 388:2003 (from 2003) is carried out with the help of the "coupe test". Here, a rotating knife (round knife) moves back and forth on the fabric of the test glove with the force of 5 Newtons.
The decisive factor for the evaluation is the number of cycles to cut through the material of the test specimen. To ensure the comparability of the measurements, a correction is made via the degree of wear of the round knife with the help of a reference mesh, since the result of the coupe test is an index value (and not an absolute value). The performance levels according to EN 388:2003 are from 1 to 5. Performance level 5 distinguishes the cut protection gloves with the highest cut protection level.
Explanation of the test method according to the "new" standard (EN 388:2016/ ISO 13997)
Cut protection gloves that are certified according to the new standard EN 388:2016 (revised standard from 2016) are tested according to a new test method. The reason for this is the low informative value of the coupe test described above when using cut protection fibres such as glass fibres or steel. The round blade has a high level of wear with these materials and can therefore falsify the test results.
This led to the further development of the test procedure. In tests according to the new standard, a knife with a straight blade is passed over the test specimen once (variable from 2 to 30 Newtons), where the minimum force in Newtons is determined up to the average of the glove fabric.
The EN 388:2016 standard distinguishes between A and F according to the new cut protection classes (performance levels).
Cut protection class force (in Newtons)
- A to 2 or more
- B to 5 or more
- C up to 10 or more
- D to 15 or more
- E to 22 or more
- F to 30 or more
Type of marking according to EN 388:2016
Protective gloves against mechanical risks that have been tested for protection against mechanical risks in accordance with the EN 388 standard are marked with the "hammer symbol" pictogram, the CE mark and the open book.
The mechanical risk pictogram contains six requirement criteria. The power levels are indicated by numerical values, optionally followed by two letters).
ABCDEF
- A= Abrasion resistance (0-4)
- B= Cut resistance (0-5)
- C= tear propagation strength (0-4)
- D= Piercing force (0-4)
- E = Cut resistance (A-F, according to EN ISO 13997)
- F = Impact Absorption (P, optional if the glove has passed the shock test)
Compare performance levels of the old and new standard
Due to the change in the standard and the different rating scales, there is only a new classification of the performance. However, this does not change anything for the provider and it does not represent any significant difference in practice. The cut protection for the wearer is safely given, as before.
After a maximum of 5 years, recertification is necessary. Until then, all certificates issued will remain valid. The new standard does not include any change in the performance of a cut-resistant glove.
However, both test procedures and classifications cannot be compared with each other, there is no correlation between the rating scales! If a glove has been tested according to ISO 13997, the test value appears in the fifth position under the sign with the hammer as a letter (A to F) after the values for abrasion, cut, tear resistance and puncture resistance.
According to EN 388:2016, there is an (optional) additional test, which appears in sixth place in the pictogram under the sign and which characterizes the impact of the shock. If the additional test is passed, the glove is marked with a "P" (abbreviation for "pass") at this point.
Practice: What is important for the user of cut protection gloves?
Cut protection gloves are very suitable for handling sharp-edged materials and tools. Protective gloves with cut protection function are worn, for example, for precision work with sharp objects and in the following industries: aluminium and sheet metal processing, automotive industry, assembly, glass processing, waste management and recycling and for maintenance and repair work.
Knitted gloves with cut protection, for example, are reinforced with a glass fiber, steel fiber or Kevlar® fiber, which achieves a certain level of cut protection. You can determine which glove is the right one for your workplace on the basis of a risk assessment. In addition to the cut protection class, attention must also be paid to the required sensitivity and grip from the workplace.
All manufacturers and distributors, Honeywell/KCL, Ansell, ATG, Stronghand, Allprotec and many others offer cut-resistant gloves in the classes they are looking for. Suitability for the respective task determines the selection. Not sure which cut-resistant glove is best for your job? The protection professionals recommend professional advice from a specialist dealer for occupational safety.