This standard specifies the requirements and performance test methods for protective clothing against cold at temperatures lower than -5°C (cold store / extreme cold workers).

There are two types of garment :

Garments: covering part of the body, e.g. parka, jacket, coat.

Suits: covering the whole body (trunk + legs), e.g. coveralls, parka & dungarees.

X (undergarment B/C/R) : /cler of the garment

X : Class of air permeability, AP

X : Class of resistance to water penetration WP (Optional)

EN ISO 374-5 specifies the requirements and test methods for protective gloves intended to protect the user against microorganisms (mold and bacteria, potentially viruses).

Penetration of molds and bacteria (tested according to EN374-2): Test by which the water and airtightness of a glove is checked.

Penetration of viruses (tested according to method B of ISO 16604): Process that determines the resistance to penetration by blood-borne pathogens.

- Test method using Phi-X174 bacteriophage.

The glove, depending on its type, will bear the following pictogram:

Examples of application:

The field of use is decisive because, depending on the case, the glove may have to combine several properties in order to meet the necessary protection requirements. It is therefore very important to refer to the recommended areas of use and the results of the laboratory tests found in the instructions for use. However, it is recommended to check that the gloves are suitable for the intended purpose by carrying out tests beforehand, because the conditions at the workplace may differ from those of the standard test, depending on the temperature, abrasion and degradation.

Standard ISO 18889 specifies the performance requirements of protective gloves for pesticide operators and re-entry workers.

G1 gloves are suitable when the potential risk is relatively low. These gloves are not suitable for use with concentrated pesticide formulations and/or for scenarios where mechanical risks exist. G1 gloves are typically single use gloves.

G2 gloves are suitable when the potential risk is higher. These gloves are suitable for use with diluted as well as concentrated pesticides. G2 gloves also meet the minimum mechanical resistance requirements and are therefore suitable for activities that require gloves with minimum mechanical strength.

GR gloves provide protection only to the palm-side of the hand for a re-entry worker who is in contact with dry and partially dry pesticide residues that remain on the plant surface after pesticide application.

Standard EN ISO374-1, protective gloves against chemicals and micro-organisms, specifies the performance requirements required for gloves for protecting users against chemical products and/ or micro organisms and defines the terms to be used:

• Penetration (tested as per standard EN374-2): Diffusion of water or air, to check the impermeability, on a non-molecular level, of a chemical product and/or micro-organism through the porosities, seams, micro-holes or other imperfections present in the material of the protective glove.

• Degradation (tested as per standard EN374-4): Determination of the physical resistance of materials to degradation after continuous contact with hazardous chemicals.

• Permeation (tested as per standard EN374-3 or EN16523): Process by which a chemical product diffuses through the material of a protective glove, by continuous contact, on a molecular level. The EN ISO version of standard 374-1, introduces the concept of three types of protection against the permeation of chemicals:

- Type A: The glove gives a performance index to permeation at least equal to 2 for 6 chemical test substances taken from the list of chemicals specified in the standard.

- Type B : The glove gives a performance index to permeation at least equal to 2 for 3 chemical test substances taken from the list of chemicals specified in the standard.

- Type C : The glove gives a performance index to permeation at least equal to 1 for 1 chemical test substances taken from the list of chemicals specified in the standard.

IRAM 3610 is an Argentine standard specifying safety footwear requirements and testing methods. It covers 42 different types of tests: structural, material, minimum height, etc. The tests concern everything from impacts to the fingers (up to 200 J of energy) to finger compression (up to 1500 kg/3307 lb), and mechanical resistance of the leather, linings, insoles, tongues, outsoles, etc.

The EN511 standard defines the requirements and test methods for cold protection gloves from cold transmitted by convection or conduction down to -30°C (optionally up to -50°C). This cold can be from climatic conditions or industrial activity.

The selection process of a cold protection glove must take into account several parameters such as the ambient temperature, the health of the person, the duration of exposure, and the level of activities...

Standard EN16350 provides additional requirements for protective gloves that are worn in areas where flammable or explosive areas exist or might be present.

Further electrostatic properties can be determined through EN1149-1 (surface electrostatic properties) or EN1149-3 (charge decay), but cannot be used for electrostatic dissipative protective gloves.