How to choose the right glove
You need to know the purpose and specific needs when you decide which gloves to choose.
At ABENA, we recommend being aware of:
- The materials and fabrics used.
- Contact with chemicals or microorganisms.
- Proper protection against cold/heat, cuts, wear, and tear.
- Requirements concerning comfort.
- Need for finger feel.
- Need for safe and good grip.
- Need for minimizing vibrations.
- CE-label and other safety approvals.
- The right size.
Choose the right glove for your specific purpose
Handling food requires considerable attention to safety as well as hygiene. Also, it is essential to have documentation to prove that the chosen products fulfill the required standards. Many work situations require gloves in food production – for example, direct contact with food or frozen goods.
Every case requires gloves with unique properties that must comply with the required standards regarding safety and hygiene. Evaluate your need within the risk levels I, II, and III or research which EN standards support your glove use.
Assess your needs based on risk levels I, II, and III
EU 2016/425 divides personal protection equipment into three risk levels. The higher the risk the gloves are exposed to, the higher the risk level.
Level 1
At this level, you can find gloves for low-risk situations. The manufacturer/importer must guarantee that the gloves fulfill the requirements for protective gloves (EN 420).
EN standards - your tool when choosing gloves:
Besides risk levels, I, II, and III EN standards can also be used as a tool when choosing the right glove. Standards are common guidelines within the function, safety, and quality. Every EN standard has its specific area to classify gloves and other personal protective equipment.
That means gloves intended for protection against mechanical risk must carry the pictogram EN 388. EN standards are your tool for getting an overview of the product's quality and safety regardless of its origin.
EN 388:2016 – GLOVES FOR PROTECTION FROM MECHANICAL RISK
This pictogram shows that the glove is certified and approved for protection against mechanical risk.
After a test, the glove is assigned values for the individual risk areas, which indicate the test results for wear, cutting strength, tear strength, and puncture. The values are 1-5 or 1-4, with 4 or 5 as the highest result.
The cutting strength will be divided based on how many newtons the glove can withstand. The letters A to F show this strength, where F is the highest (3 kg. +), and A is the lowest (200 to 499 grams).
EN374-1: 2016 consists of different pictograms depending on the glove's protection function.
Gloves marked with an EN374-1: 2016 symbol show how they handle the chemical impact. According to the chemical list, the symbol shows how many chemicals have affected the gloves.
- Type A: tested and certified against six chemicals for a minimum of 30 min.
- Type B: tested and certified against three chemicals for a minimum of 30 min.
- Type C: tested and insured against one chemical for a minimum of10 min.
EN 374:2019
This standard specifies a test method for the ability of gloves to withstand the penetration of dangerous chemicals by continuous contact.
Here, the test measures change in the material due to contact with a chemical. The result is a change in appearance or consistency, such as swelling, discoloration, hardening, or emollient.
EN 374-5:2016 VIRUS
Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and microorganisms - Part 5:
Terminology and performance requirements for microorganisms risks (ISO 374-5: 2016) EN374-5 is a new test method indicating whether the glove protects against bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
Without word virus under the icon, the glove has only gotten tested against bacteria and fungi. Not against viruses.
EN 407:2004 – GLOVES FOR PROTECTION FROM THERMAL RISK
This pictogram shows that the glove is certified and approved for protection during contact with high heat, such as contact heat, radiant heat, or molten metal.
The pictogram shows the level of protection (1-4) and what the glove protects against (A-F). The higher the number, the better the result.
EN 511:2006 – GLOVES FOR PROTECTION FROM COLD
This pictogram shows that the glove is certified and approved for protection against cold - indicating the protection level. The glove must withstand both penetrating cold (convection cold) and contact cold by direct contact. In both cases, the highest level of protection is 4.
The glove does not need testing against water penetration, but when water penetrates, there are two values: 0 and 1. If the water penetrates in less than 30 minutes, the value is 0. If the water penetrates in more than 30 minutes, it is 1. The glove must achieve at least protection level 1 according to EN388, which applies to wear and tear resistance.
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