Discuss the safety certifications and standards for impact gloves, such as ANSI and CE ratings, helping employers and workers understand what makes a glove compliant with safety regulations.

 

When it comes to workplace safety, protecting workers’ hands is essential, especially in high-risk environments where the risk of injury is significant. Impact gloves are designed to offer protection against blunt force trauma, abrasions, and other hazards that workers may face in industries like construction, manufacturing, automotive, and logistics. However, not all impact gloves are created equal. To ensure that the gloves provide the required level of protection, it is crucial to understand the safety certifications and standards that make them compliant with safety regulations. This article will discuss the key safety certifications and standards for impact gloves, including ANSI and CE ratings, and help employers and workers understand what makes a glove compliant and safe for use.

Why Safety Standards Matter for Impact Gloves

Impact gloves are made to safeguard workers’ hands from injuries caused by impact, vibration, and sharp objects. However, the level of protection these gloves offer depends on various factors, including their material construction, design, and performance in specific conditions. Safety certifications and standards help determine whether a pair of impact gloves meets the necessary criteria to protect workers adequately.

Without proper standards, it can be challenging for employers to determine whether the gloves they are providing to workers are effective. These standards ensure consistency, quality, and reliability in the performance of gloves, providing employers with a benchmark to evaluate the protection levels they need to keep workers safe.

ANSI Standards for Impact Gloves

In the United States, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) plays a significant role in setting safety standards for personal protective equipment (PPE), including impact gloves. ANSI standards help define the performance criteria for gloves, including their ability to resist cuts, punctures, impacts, and abrasions.

ANSI/ISEA 138-2019, developed by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) in collaboration with ANSI, is the standard for protective gloves designed to reduce impact injuries. The ANSI 138 standard sets requirements for gloves that offer impact protection, focusing on their ability to protect the hands from external forces that could lead to injuries.

The ANSI 138 standard evaluates the effectiveness of impact gloves in three primary areas:

1. Impact Resistance: This refers to the gloves’ ability to absorb and distribute the force of impact to prevent injuries. The gloves are tested for their resistance to blunt force trauma, such as a worker’s hand being struck by falling tools or machinery.
2. Cut Resistance: Impact gloves must also provide resistance to cuts from sharp objects like metal shards, glass, or equipment parts.
3. Dexterity: The gloves should not compromise a worker’s ability to perform fine motor tasks. While protection is paramount, workers must also maintain grip, flexibility, and control, particularly when handling tools or machinery.

The gloves are tested for each of these factors, and manufacturers must meet the performance thresholds outlined in the standard to label their products as compliant with ANSI 138. This gives employers confidence that the gloves provide the necessary protection without sacrificing performance or comfort.

CE Certification for Impact Gloves

In addition to ANSI standards, the European Union (EU) has its own certification process for protective equipment, including impact gloves, known as CE certification. CE stands for “Conformité Européenne,” which translates to European Conformity. It signifies that the product meets the health, safety, and environmental protection standards required by the EU.

For impact gloves to achieve CE certification, they must pass several tests that evaluate their performance in various hazard scenarios. These tests are outlined in the European standard EN 388, which is the primary regulation for protective gloves designed to offer mechanical protection. EN 388 covers the following aspects:

1. Abrasion Resistance: This test evaluates the glove’s ability to withstand friction and wear when exposed to rough surfaces. Gloves are rubbed against a rotating abrasive surface, and the number of cycles the glove endures before showing visible signs of wear is recorded.
2. Cut Resistance: This test measures the glove’s ability to resist cuts from sharp objects. It uses a rotating circular blade to cut through the glove material under a controlled force.
3. Tear Resistance: This test checks how well the glove resists tearing when a specific force is applied to it. It evaluates the glove’s material strength and durability.
4. Puncture Resistance: In this test, a pointed object is used to puncture the glove, measuring how much force is required to penetrate the material.
5. Impact Protection: The impact protection test evaluates how well the glove absorbs and disperses force upon impact. The glove is tested using a mechanical device designed to simulate real-world impacts, such as a falling object.

Gloves that pass these tests are labeled with a CE marking, indicating they comply with the EN 388 standard. The CE certification also includes a number that identifies the glove’s performance in each of the four categories. This rating system helps workers and employers select impact gloves that offer the right level of protection based on their specific job tasks and hazards.

The Importance of Both ANSI and CE Ratings

While ANSI and CE certifications are separate, they share a common goal: to ensure that impact gloves provide adequate protection to workers. Both certification systems involve rigorous testing procedures, but they are tailored to different markets and regulatory environments. For employers, understanding the significance of both ANSI and CE ratings can help ensure they are providing their workers with gloves that meet the appropriate safety requirements.

In the U.S., ANSI-certified impact gloves provide a high level of assurance that the gloves meet domestic safety standards. For employers sourcing PPE from the EU or international markets, CE-certified gloves are critical to meeting the safety regulations set by the European Union. Depending on the region and specific safety requirements of the job site, employers may need to choose gloves that are compliant with either ANSI, CE, or both standards.

What to Look for When Purchasing Impact Gloves

When purchasing impact gloves, employers should look for the following features in addition to certification:

1. Proper Fit: A glove that fits well is more effective in providing protection and improving dexterity. Ill-fitting gloves can compromise safety by reducing grip and control.
2. Material Composition: Different materials offer different levels of protection. For instance, gloves made from synthetic rubber, Kevlar, or leather provide different levels of impact, cut, and abrasion resistance.
3. Grip and Dexterity: Depending on the task, workers may require gloves that allow for a high degree of precision and tactile sensitivity. Choosing gloves that offer the right balance of protection and flexibility is crucial.
4. Comfort Features: Look for gloves with breathable materials, padded palms, and ergonomic designs to improve comfort during extended wear. Comfort features ensure that workers are more likely to use the gloves consistently.

Conclusion

Impact gloves play a crucial role in protecting workers from injuries caused by impact, abrasions, cuts, and other workplace hazards. To ensure that these gloves meet the necessary safety standards, it is essential to understand the certifications and regulations that determine their effectiveness. ANSI and CE certifications are key indicators that a pair of gloves meets the required performance standards for impact protection.

Employers and workers must be aware of these certifications and select gloves that are compliant with the appropriate regulations. By prioritizing safety, comfort, and performance, workers can stay protected while performing their tasks efficiently, minimizing the risk of injury and ensuring a safer workplace environment.