Glove Standards & Ratings — EN 388, EN 374, ANSI/ISEA 105 & More

European Union

EN 388

Mechanical Hazards (Cut, Abrasion, Tear, Puncture)

The most important standard for protective work gloves. Rates gloves on abrasion, cut (legacy Coupe + modern ISO 13997), tear, and puncture resistance.

Format

EN 388 A B C D E
  A = Abrasion (0-4)
  B = Cut, Coupe (0-5, legacy)
  C = Tear (0-4)
  D = Puncture (0-4)
  E = Cut, ISO 13997 (A-F, optional)
  +P = Impact (EN 13594)

Levels Explained

Abrasion	0 < 100 cycles, 1 = 100–499, 2 = 500–1,999, 3 = 2,000–7,999, 4 = ≥ 8,000 cycles
Cut (Coupe)	0 = < 1.2, 1 = 1.2–2.5, 2 = 2.5–5, 3 = 5–10, 4 = 10–20, 5 = ≥ 20 (index) — UNRELIABLE for high-cut materials
Tear	0 < 10 N, 1 = 10–24, 2 = 25–49, 3 = 50–74, 4 = ≥ 75 N
Puncture	0 < 20 N, 1 = 20–59, 2 = 60–99, 3 = 100–149, 4 = ≥ 150 N
Cut (ISO 13997)	A = 2–5 N, B = 5–10, C = 10–15, D = 15–22, E = 22–30, F = ≥ 30 N
Impact P	P = pass (knuckle ≥ 9 kN), no letter = not tested

Best For:

Cut-resistant work gloves, industrial safety gloves, gardening thorn-proof gloves

Bottom Line:

The primary standard you need to understand for almost any protective glove.

European Union

EN 374

Chemical & Microorganism Protection

Tests gloves for permeation by specific chemicals and for protection against microorganisms.

Format

EN 374 Type A/B/C
  Type A = tested against 6 chemicals
  Type B = tested against 3 chemicals
  Type C = tested against 1 chemical

Levels Explained

Type A (Highest)	Permeation > 30 min for 6 of 18 listed chemicals
Type B	Permeation > 30 min for 3 of 18 listed chemicals
Type C	Permeation > 10 min for 1 chemical
Microorganism	Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) ≤ 3, passes penetration test
Virus	Passes ISO 16604 bacteriophage test (for medical use)

Best For:

Lab gloves, chemical handling gloves, exam gloves claiming chemical resistance

Bottom Line:

Critical for anyone handling chemicals, lab work, or biological hazards.

European Union

EN 455

Medical Gloves (Single Use)

The harmonized standard for medical single-use gloves. Four parts covering different requirements.

Format

EN 455-1/2/3/4
  -1: Freedom from holes
  -2: Physical properties
  -3: Biological evaluation
  -4: Shelf life determination

Levels Explained

Part 1 (Holes)	AQL ≤ 1.5 for exam gloves, ≤ 0.65 for surgical
Part 2 (Strength)	Tensile strength ≥ 9 N (latex), elongation ≥ 300%
Part 3 (Biology)	Powder ≤ 2 mg/glove, protein ≤ 50 µg/g (latex)
Part 4 (Shelf Life)	Real-time aging test for claimed shelf life

Best For:

Medical examination gloves, surgical gloves, dental gloves

Bottom Line:

Required for any glove marketed as a medical device in the EU.

European Union

EN 511

Cold Protection

Tests gloves for protection against convective cold, contact cold, and water permeability.

Format

EN 511 A B C
  A = Convective cold (0-4)
  B = Contact cold (0-4)
  C = Water permeability (0 or 1)

Levels Explained

Convective Cold	0 = < 0.10 m²·°C/W, 4 = ≥ 0.55 (thermal insulation)
Contact Cold	0 = < 0.025 m²·°C/W, 4 = ≥ 0.150
Water Permeability	0 = fails, 1 = passes

Best For:

Winter gardening gloves, cold-storage work gloves, freezer gloves

Bottom Line:

The standard to look for when buying gloves for cold weather or cold storage work.

European Union

EN 407

Thermal Hazards (Heat & Flame)

Tests gloves against contact heat, convective heat, radiant heat, small splashes of molten metal, and large splashes.

Format

EN 407 A B C D E F
  A = Abrasion (0-4)
  B = Cut (0-5)
  C = Tear (0-4)
  D = Puncture (0-4)
  E = Contact heat (0-4)
  F = Convective heat (0-4)

Levels Explained

Contact Heat	Test temp: 100°C (1), 250°C (2), 350°C (3), 500°C (4) — 15 sec threshold
Convective Heat	Heat Transfer Index (HTI) seconds before 24°C rise
Radiant Heat	Radiant heat transfer index t24 (seconds)
Molten Metal Splashes	Number of droplets to raise temp 40°C

Best For:

Welding gloves, foundry work, oven operations, bakeries

Bottom Line:

Required for any glove used in hot work environments.

United States

ANSI/ISEA 105

Hand Protection (US Standard)

American National Standard for hand protection. Uses cut levels A1–A9 (the American system you'll see most often).

Format

ANSI/ISEA 105
  Cut: A1 (lowest) – A9 (highest)
  Abrasion: Levels 1–6
  Puncture: Levels 1–5

Levels Explained

Cut Levels	A1 = 200g, A2 = 500g, A3 = 1,000g, A4 = 1,500g, A5 = 2,200g, A6 = 3,000g, A7 = 4,000g, A8 = 5,000g, A9 = 6,000g+
Abrasion	Level 1 = 100 cycles, Level 6 = 20,000 cycles
Puncture	Level 1 = 10 N, Level 5 = 200 N

Best For:

US-market work gloves, especially cut-resistant

Bottom Line:

Often shown alongside EN 388 ratings. The two systems are not identical but are commonly cross-referenced.

Global

OEKO-TEX

Standard 100 (Skin Safety)

Tests textiles for harmful substances. Class I (baby), II (skin contact), III (no skin contact).

Format

OEKO-TEX Standard 100
  Class I: Baby items (under 3)
  Class II: Direct skin contact
  Class III: No direct skin contact

Levels Explained

Class I	Strictest — for baby and toddler items
Class II	Standard for clothing in direct contact with skin
Class III	For outerwear and items not in direct contact

Best For:

Any glove in direct skin contact, kids gloves, premium consumer gloves

Bottom Line:

Look for this when buying gloves for sensitive skin, kids, or anyone concerned about chemical exposure.

United States

ASTM D120

Electrical Insulating Gloves

The American standard for dielectric rubber gloves used for live electrical work. Categorized by voltage class.

Format

ASTM D120 Class 00 – Class 4
  Class 00: 500V AC max use
  Class 0: 1,000V
  Class 1: 7,500V
  Class 2: 17,000V
  Class 3: 26,500V
  Class 4: 36,000V

Levels Explained

Class 00	Use voltage up to 500V AC — residential and light commercial work
Class 0	Use voltage up to 1,000V — common in industry
Class 1	Use voltage up to 7,500V — utility work
Class 2	Use voltage up to 17,000V — high-voltage utility
Class 3-4	Use voltage 26,500V–36,000V — transmission line work

Best For:

Electrical work, utility workers, solar installation, EV charging

Bottom Line:

Required for any work on or near energized electrical circuits.

United States

ASTM D6978

Chemotherapy Drug Permeation

Standard test method for permeation of gloves by chemotherapy drugs. Required for USP <800> compliance in US pharmacies.

Format

ASTM D6978
  Gloves are tested against specific chemotherapy agents
  Permeation rate < 10 μg/cm²/min required

Levels Explained

Test Chemotherapy Agents	Carmustine, Cisplatin, Cyclophosphamide, Dacarbazine, Doxorubicin, Etoposide, Fluorouracil, Methotrexate, Mitomycin, Paclitaxel, and others
Pass Criteria	Permeation breakthrough time ≥ 30 minutes at < 10 μg/cm²/min
USP <800	Required for US pharmacy compounding of hazardous drugs

Best For:

Oncology nurses, pharmacy compounders, veterinary oncology

Bottom Line:

Required for any glove marketed for chemotherapy drug handling in the US.