Glove Safety Simplified
Safety is complicated, our glove safety icons are not. OSHA safety standards, ANSI/ISEA, and European Standards for protective glove testing metrics are hard to understand and constantly changing. 212 Performance Safety Icons are designed to make all the complicated safety standards easier to understand so you can find exactly the glove you need to get the job done. So whether you're a safety manager on a jobsite, a personal protective equipment (PPE) purchaser, or just working on projects around your home, find out how The One Degree of Difference keeps your hands protected and your life easier with our Glove Safety Icons.
Cut Level
Cut Resistance is the most talked about attribute when it comes to hand safety. Gloves are measured on a 1-5 scale (5 being most cut resistant) by EN 388:2016 standards and a A1-A9 scale (9 being the most cut resistant) by ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 standards. The EN 388 rating may also include the results of the TDM-100 cut test, which are measured on an A-I scale (I being the most cut resistant). For more information on cut resistance, check out our Cut Resistance Blog.
Puncture Resistant
Glove puncture resistance is tested using the ANSI 105:2011 and EN 388:2016 standard, part of the mechanical risk tests. A blunt probe is pushed through the glove material until failure. For the EN 388, the ratings are based on a 1-4 scale (4 being the most puncture resistant), and for the ANSI 105, the ratings are based on a 0. Read our Puncture Resistance Blog to learn more.
Anti Microbial
Select 212 Performance gloves are made with antimicrobial materials. Antimicrobial gloves help prevent bacteria buildup, unpleasant smells, and rashes.
Grip Level
Grip Level is a 212 Performance glove standard testing metric. We conduct the test in house by using a measured grip pressure and adding weigh to the object being help. The more weight that can be held at the consistent pressure, the higher the rating of grip strength. We rate Grip Level on a 1-5 scale (5 having the most grip).
Arc Flash Resistant
Electrical arc flashes are one of the most dangerous work safety hazards. 212 Performance arc flash resistant gloves are rated using the ASTM F2675-13 testing standard. The arc rating result a level between 1-4 along with an ATPV rating.
Flame Resistant
Glove flame resistance testing is done using the EN 407:2004 Protective Glove Against Thermal Risk standard. Six thermal hazards are tested in this standard: flammability, contact heat, convection heat, radiant heat, small and large splashes of molten metal. A glove might be tested for some or all of the thermal hazards and each test is measured on a 1-4 scale (4 being the most resistant).
Tear Level
Tear resistance is the measurement of textile tinsel strength of the main material of a glove. EN388:2016 and ASTM D2261 are the two most frequently used tests to measure tear strength. They are both measured by clamping the material to two jaws and increasing the force separating the jaws until the material breaks. EN388:2016 is measured on a 1-4 scale (4 being the most tear resistant). ASTM D2261 is measured simply by reporting the force of the tear.
Abrasion Resistant
Abrasion resistant is part of the mechanical risk tests in ANSI 105 and EN 388 for work glove performance requirements. The EN 388 is measured on a 1-4 scale (4 being the most abrasion resistant) and ANSI 105 is measured on a 0-6 scale (6 being the most abrasion resistant). The abrasion resistance test is done by rotating a flat surface against the glove palm material until it is punctured.
Touch Screen
Touch Screen gloves allow the wearer to use any touch screen phone, tablet, or device without removing the glove. 212 Performance touch screen gloves have copper weaved fabrics in certain portions of the finger.
Chemical Resistant
Chemical Resistance varies from glove to glove and chemical to chemical. Each material used might have a different resistance to certain chemicals. Our chemical resistant icon lets you know that this particular glove is resistant to certain chemicals.
Water Resistant
212 Performance uses the water resistant icon to point out one of two things: the glove either has a waterproof liner or the outside of the glove is treated with a waterproofing solution. In general, most leather gloves have a water resistant treatment and synthetic gloves have a non-permeable coating or waterproof liner.
Impact Resistant
Impact resistance was recently added to the EN 388:2016 glove safety rating and measures back-of-hand knuckle impact protection. There are three potential ratings that would be included on the EN 388 safety icon: P for passed impact protection test, F for failed impact protection test, and X for not tested for impact protection. There currently are no glove impact protection safety standards for ANSI/ISEA.
Anti Vibration
212 Performance Anti-Vibration gloves have all passed the ANSI S2.73-2002 (R2007)/ISO 10819:1996 Anti-Vibration Glove Standard. Anti-Vibration gloves greatly reduce or eliminate fatigue, numbing, and soreness caused by machinery and repeated palm strikes.
Dexterity Level
Dexterity is the tactile sensitivity (or flexibility) of a glove. In general, the thinner the glove, the more dexterity it has and the easier it will be to handle small objects. The test we use to determine 212 Performance glove dexterity is EN 420:2009. This test measures the smallest stainless steel pin that can be picked up. The smaller the object, the higher the rating on a 1-5 scale.
Warmth Level
Glove warmth is a measure of the level of insulation each glove possesses. The better insulated the glove, the better it is able to keep hands warm when used both in cold weather conditions and when handling cold tools and materials through direct contact. Conversely, a glove with a higher warmth level, while serviceable, would be less comfortable to wear if used in hotter environments.
Contact Cold
Winter work glove contact cold rating is part of the EN 511 standard. Contact cold rating lets you know how cold the item or material the wearer can be handling before they start to feel cold. If the glove passes the test, it is given a rating between Level 1 and Level 4.
Convective Cold
Winter work glove convective cold rating is part of the EN 511 standard. Convective cold rating lets you know well a glove will react to the air temperature around it. If the glove passes the test, it is given a rating between Level 1 and Level 4.