Australian standard
EN 388: protective gloves against mechanical risks
CEN publishes EN 388 covering protective gloves against mechanical risks, reported as a sequence of performance levels for properties including abrasion, cut, tear and puncture. Glove listings cite it with a code such as the 4244X that appears in this corpus.
What is EN 388?
EN 388 is the European standard for protective gloves against mechanical risks, published by CEN. A glove certified to it carries a short performance code, and each character in that code reports a level for one property such as abrasion, cut, tear or puncture resistance.
EN 388 is the European standard for protective gloves against mechanical risks. It is the designation behind the four or five character performance code printed on a glove or its listing.
Which products does it apply to?
0 guides on this hub cite EN 388, across ppe and protective equipment, hand protection.
| Marking on the listing | What it indicates | How it appears in these guides |
|---|---|---|
| 4244X | The code stated on one listing here | Each character reports one property level |
| X in a code | Property not tested or not applicable | Read the manufacturer detail for what was tested |
Guides that cite EN 388
Frequently asked questions
How do you read an EN 388 code?
Each character in the code reports a performance level for one mechanical property, in a fixed order set by the standard. A higher number is a higher level for that property. An X means the property was not tested or does not apply, so it is not a zero.
Does a high cut level make a glove safe for any task?
No. Cut resistance is one property. Grip, dexterity, chemical resistance, heat and fit all affect whether a glove is right for a task, and a glove too bulky to work in gets taken off. Match the glove to the actual hazard and the actual job.
Is EN 388 the same as the Australian glove standard?
No. The Australian and New Zealand series for occupational protective gloves is AS/NZS 2161, and some listings in this corpus name parts of it. A glove can carry an EN 388 code, an AS/NZS 2161 reference, or both. Check what your workplace requires.
What this page is not
This page explains how EN 388 is used in product listings. It is not the standard, and it does not reproduce its text. Compliance decisions should reference the published standard and your own workplace risk assessment.
- CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, EN 388
- The product listings on donerightsafety.com.au that name this designation