Page 1210 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive

Health, Safety & Environmental Bulletin No 452

26 February 2015

Gloves

The below images show why it is necessary to wear suitably rated gloves. This damage was done by the handling
of roofing sheets whilst wearing gloves with a 4543 rating. The gloves protected the worker from a significant
hand injury.

Always check the ratings of the gloves you need to wear, our JSA’s specify the minimum EN388 rating for each
task. Check the JSA for the minimum rating and ensure you wear gloves that meet or exceed the minimum
standard specified; if you are unsure or need additional gloves, contact your line manager.

Commonly, we issue gloves rated at 4543, and these are suitable for most tasks. However for some tasks these
might not be sufficient, or may not allow enough dexterity – check the JSA.

EN388 glove rating is a European standard for the performance of gloves. The rating is given as a four digit
number, representing the abrasion, cut, tear and puncture resistance. The larger the number the higher the
protection. The ratings are non-linear, and a level 4 abrasion resistance is 80 times better than a level 1.

Test / Property Performance Levels
1 2 3 4 5
Abrasion Resistance (Cycles) 100 500 2000 8000 N/A
Blade Cut Resistance (Cut Index) 1.2 2.5 5 10 20

Tear Resistance (Newtons) 10 25 50 70 N/A
Puncture Resistance (Newtons) 20 60 100 150 N/A