EN 388 impact standards knuckle only ISEA 138 impact standards knuckle and fingers 4 Tests all 4 tests on different gloves, average outcome = final score 18 Tests lowest outcome = final score Pass/fail ≤ 7kN EN reference digit 4244XP ≤ 4kN Level 3 80% of force absorbed ≤ 6.5kN Level 2 67.5% of force absorbed ≤ 9kN Level 1 55% of force absorbed Levels ISEA EN Back-of-hand bones and soft tissues are extremely vulnerable to impact-related hand injuries among a wide range of job sites. This U.S.-based impact performance standard will help safety professionals make better-informed decisions about glove selection – ultimately keeping more people safe on the job. Impact protection: ANSI/ISEA 138 The ISEA 138 standard establishes the minimum performance, classification, and labeling requirements for gloves that are designed to protect the knuckles and fingers from impacts based on three performance levels. How the test works: To score gloves into their appropriate level, impact protection testing under ISEA 138 requires consistent, regulated tests on each kind of glove on two areas for impact performance: knuckles and fingers/thumb. On both gloves, knuckles are tested four times and fingers/thumb are tested five times. To start, one pair of gloves is required per test. The gloves are cut in half and the back-of-hand (where the impact protection is located) is placed on an anvil. A striker with a force of 5 Joules is dropped on the required back-of-hand locations, and the amount of force transferred through the glove back-of-hand is recorded with a force gauge that is connected below the anvil and measured in kiloNewtons (kN). Scoring: The average of eight knuckle tests are compared to the average of the ten finger tests. The highest average of the two is the impact testing score. • Performance Level 1 – Results in an average peak transmitted force of less than or equal to 9 kN. -- 55% of force absorbed • Performance Level 2 – Results in an average peak transmitted force of less than 6.5 kN. -- 67.5% of force absorbed • Performance Level 3 – Results in an average peak transmitted force of less than 4 kN. -- 80% of force absorbed The chart showcases the ISEA 138 performance levels, with “Performance Level 3” being the highest. Any impact-resistant PPE that scores higher than a 9 kN force transfer will not qualify for a ranking and will fail. With no impact material, the machine registers around 20kN, so in order to pass the test, the impact material must register less than 9kN, reducing the force or energy transferred by 55%. The anvil will drop roughly around 5 ½ pounds from 8 inches. Impact protection: EN 388 The European industrial glove market includes impact testing performance ratings in EN 388, which tests the impact on just the knuckles, and the tests are given a basic score of pass or fail. To pass the test, the transmitted force needs to be less than or equal to 7 kN with no single results greater than 9 kN. Impact protection 253
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