Cut protection gloves guide

In the industrial sector, there is a risk that a sharp object may cut or prick the skin due to carelessness or the handling of cutting materials such as paper, cardboard, glass or various metals, especially on production lines and in the handling of raw materials.

The degree of risk of cutting varies from job to job and in many sectors the use of cut-resistant equipment has been made compulsory for safety reasons.

The most common cut-protective equipment seen in everyday life is the cut-resistant glove. Our guide will help your company to choose the best cut-resistant gloves for your specific needs.

Cut protection classes

Cut resistant gloves are divided into different cut protection performance classes based on a standardised performance measurement process harmonised and commonly used in Europe.

A cut-resistant glove is identified by the hammer level symbol and the six-digit number-letter sequence below it.

The method of measuring the cut resistance of gloves was recently revised in 2016, which means that manufacturers currently have gloves available that use the old measurement system, in addition to products measured against the new criteria.

Gloves with the old measurement system are not directly comparable to the new gloves due to the different measurement methods. As a purchaser, the most important factor is to understand the differences between the two measurement methods and how these affect risk reduction in your work environment.

In the 2003 EN 388:2003 measurement method, glove cut protection was rated from 1 to 5 depending on the measurement results obtained by the company during the test.

The new EN388:2016 measurement method, updated in 2016, describes the effectiveness of the cut protection in terms of the numerical so-called TDM test method (ISO 13997) instead of the letters A-F, with A being the weakest and F the strongest.

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