CE certification for gloves is not a single standard but a combination of standards depending on the intended use. EN 420 serves as the foundational general requirements standard, while EN 388 (mechanical risks), EN 374 (chemicals), EN 407 (thermal risks), and EN 511 (cold protection) are application-specific standards that must be used in conjunction with EN 420 [4].
EN 420: General Requirements for Protective Gloves
EN 420 establishes six mandatory criteria that ALL protective gloves must meet before any specific performance testing [4]:
EN 420 Six Core Requirements
| Requirement | Test Method | Acceptance Criteria |
|---|
- Sizing
| Hand circumference measurement | Must correspond to declared size (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) |
- Comfort & Dexterity
| Pegboard test (EN 420:2003 Section 5.3) | Minimum number of pegs picked up in specified time |
- Water Vapor Permeability
| Evaporation test (if applicable) | ≥8 mg/cm²/h for comfort gloves |
- Identification & Marking
| Visual inspection | Permanent, legible size and manufacturer info |
- Harmlessness
| Chemical analysis | pH 3.5-9.5, Chromium VI <3 mg/kg, extractable chemicals within limits |
- Permeability (for liquid-tight gloves)
| Water leakage test | No leakage after 3 minutes |
EN 420 is mandatory for ALL CE-marked gloves. It cannot be used alone—must be paired with at least one specific standard (EN 388/374/407/511)
[4].
EN 388: Protection Against Mechanical Risks (2016+A1:2018)
EN 388 is the most widely referenced standard for general work gloves. The 2016 revision introduced a 6-digit performance code system that provides more granular protection information [2]:
EN 388:2016+A1:2018 6-Digit Code: AB CD EF where A=Abrasion (0-4), B=Cut (A-F), C=Tear (0-4), D=Puncture (0-4), E=Impact (P=Pass/F), F=Coup Cut Test (A-F, only if B test inconclusive)
Performance Level Breakdown:
EN 388 Performance Levels
| Test | Level 0 | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 |
|---|
| Abrasion (cycles) | <100 | 100+ | 500+ | 2000+ | 8000+ | N/A | N/A |
| Cut (Index) | N/A | 1.2+ | 2.5+ | 5.0+ | 10.0+ | 15.0+ | 22.0+ |
| Tear (Newtons) | <10 | 10+ | 25+ | 50+ | 75+ | N/A | N/A |
| Puncture (Newtons) | <20 | 20+ | 60+ | 100+ | 150+ | N/A | N/A |
| Impact | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | P=Pass | F=Fail |
Higher numbers indicate better protection. Level 4 abrasion (8000+ cycles) and Level A-F cut resistance are common requirements for industrial work gloves
[2].
EN 374: Protection Against Chemicals and Microorganisms (2016)
EN 374 classifies chemical-resistant gloves into three types based on breakthrough time against a list of 18 standard chemicals [3]:
EN 374 Chemical Protection Types
| Type | Minimum Chemicals Tested | Breakthrough Time Requirement | Use Case |
|---|
| Type A | At least 6 chemicals | ≥30 minutes (Performance Level 2+) | Heavy chemical handling, industrial cleaning |
| Type B | At least 3 chemicals | ≥30 minutes (Performance Level 2+) | Moderate chemical exposure, laboratory work |
| Type C | At least 1 chemical | ≥10 minutes (Performance Level 1+) | Light chemical splash protection |
Breakthrough time is measured in performance levels 0-6: Level 0 (<5 min), Level 1 (>10 min), Level 2 (>30 min), Level 3 (>60 min), Level 4 (>120 min), Level 5 (>240 min), Level 6 (>480 min)
[3].
The 18 standard chemicals under EN 374 include methanol, acetone, acetonitrile, dichloromethane, carbon disulfide, toluene, diethylamine, nitric acid, acetic acid, ammonia, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, chloroform, n-heptane, sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and hydrofluoric acid. Each chemical is assigned a letter code (A-R), and glove markings show which specific chemicals the glove protects against [3].
