Different levels and types of cut-resistant gloves

American and European standards can help you choose the right kind of cut-resistant gloves. In the US, gloves are rated by theAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) for how well they protect against cuts. In Europe, the European Commission is in charge of cutting resistance ratings. The name of their standard is EN 388.

TheAmerican Standard

In 2016,ANSI and ISEA(International Safety EquipmentAssociation) released a new scale with 9 levels of cut protection. The levels show how many grams of force a sharp blade can cut through a glove before it gets through.

A1: 200 – 499 grams

A2: 500 – 999 grams

A3: 1000 – 1499 grams

A4: 1500 – 2199 grams

A5: 2200 – 2999 grams

A6: 3000 – 3999 grams

A7: 4000 – 4999 grams

A8: 5000 – 5999 grams

A9: 6000+ grams

The European Standard

The European Commission’s standard for cut resistance includes the TDM-100Test (which uses the same machine asANSI) and the Coup Test. So, when you look at EN 388 cut levels for a glove you want to buy, you should look at two different ratings.