Glove Cut Resistance Symbol: EN388
CE (EU) glove standards are mandatory in Europe and most gloves sold in North America are imported, so you will see this symbol more often.
- By Joseph McGarry
- Apr 01, 2010
Many safety buyers, purchasing agents, and users are always asking about the EN-388 label on gloves. This label indicates the abrasion; blade; tear, and puncture resistance a glove. I constantly receive calls asking for an explanation
Work glove hand protection standards have existed for years, but most users fail to pay attention to the ratings. Specifically cut resistance. Both the ANSI (American National Standard Institute) and the EU (European Union) have hand protection selection criteria.
Although the criteria between both are very complex, I prefer seeing the EU – EN388 symbol, since it rates the gloves for abrasion, blade cut, tear, and puncture resistance. ANSI doesn’t have a single symbol covering these categories. However, in situations requiring a very high level of cut resistance, you should look for gloves tested and rated under both standards since they vary on the high end in the cut-resistant category. In the EN-388 symbol (shown at left), you will see a number for each category.
All tests are ranked 1-4 (4 being the highest level), except for the blade cut category ranking of 1-5.
You can always contact me if you have any questions or need any assistance on work glove and cut-resistant glove selections. FYI: Since the CE (EU) glove standards are mandatory in Europe and most gloves sold in North America are imported, you will see this symbol more often.