EN 388 Standard: Protective Gloves Against Mechanical Risks

Essential in the industrial, construction or automotive sectors, protective gloves designed according to EN 388 standard are PPE (personal protective equipment) that protect against mechanical risks. These risks include everything that can harm the physical integrity of our hand: abrasion, cutting, tearing or puncture. Since 2016, the requirements of the EN 388 standard also include a ISO 13997 cut resistance test as well as a impact and shock resistance test according to EN 13594 standard. These two new tests are not mandatory but meet the needs of professionals in certain specific sectors (handling sharp and heavy objects, etc).

Table of Contents: 

• Why has the EN 388 standard evolved?
• Abrasion resistance test
• Cut resistance test
• Tear and puncture tests
• Impact resistance test

Manufacturers are required to clearly indicate the resistance level of their protective gloves compliant with EN 388 against mechanical risks. In order to strengthen the requirement level of this standard, certain tests have been revised while others have appeared. The objective is to guarantee maximum safety for professionals. This is why the indices corresponding to the resistance levels to abrasion, cutting, tearing and puncture are no longer necessarily the only ones to be indicated on the pictogram of the EN 388 standard.

The abrasion test corresponds to the 1st index indicated on the standard's pictogram. It evaluates the number of cycles required for abrasive paper to wear the glove sample under a given pressure. This test must now be based on higher quality paper. Thus, Klingsport PL31B Grit 180 abrasive paper replaces Oakey Grade F2 Grit 100 paper. Abrasion resistance is evaluated from 1 to 4 (from weakest to most resistant).

Until 2016, the EN 388 standard did not allow for sufficiently precise qualification of the performance of so-called "high resistance" gloves. Indicated by the 2nd index under the EN 388 standard pictogram, the cut resistance by slicing test (or Couptest) has therefore been completed by a 5th index to offer a more reliable result via a so-called "TDM" (Tomodynamometer) test. The first method consists of evaluating the number of cycles required for a circular blade to cut a sample under constant speed and pressure of 5N (approximately 500 g). The result is evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5.

In cases where the material dulls the blade during the operation, an ISO 13997 cut test must now also be performed. This particularly concerns textiles based on assemblies of metal or glass-based threads. This TDM test uses a straight blade that travels a predetermined distance subjected to a variable force. The result is indicated by a 5th index inscribed under the EN 388 standard: from A to F (F being the highest performance index against cutting: greater than 30 Newtons). These cut-resistant protective gloves are particularly recommended if you handle heavy and sharp objects. An 'X' means that the glove has not been tested on an ISO TDM machine.

Measured in Newtons, the tear test (3rd index) designates the force required to tear the sample. Regarding the puncture test (4th index), it involves evaluating the force necessary for a standard punch to pierce the glove. These two tests have not been modified. The indicated level ranges from 1 (least resistant) to 4 (most resistant).

The 6th index which appears optionally under the EN 388 standard corresponds to the impact and shock resistance test according to the procedure used for motorcycle gloves compliant with EN 13594:2015. The pass index is noted by the letter 'P' (for "Pass"). The glove must maintain its integrity following the drop of a 2.5 kg weight with an energy of 5 joules. In case of failure, the marking indicates F (for "Fail"). An 'X' index means that the test was not performed or is not applicable.

The EN 388 standard pictogram can therefore present up to 6 indices, and therefore 6 distinct performance levels, to ensure more or less high hand protection against mechanical risks.