Glove Cut and Abrasion Levels

If you’ve ever picked up a box of industrial gloves, you might have seen some symbols on the side of the packaging that have the acronym ANSI followed by some numbers on them. These symbols on the side of the box denote glove abrasion and cut levels. Below, these terms will be explained more in detail, starting with glove abrasion levels.

What are glove abrasion levels and what is the purpose of denoting such measurements?

Most gloves will have anti abrasion properties depending on the material. Abrasion simply means the potential of being scrapped or wearing away due to friction. Workers perform various duties that require personal protective equipment (PPE), especially when working in industrial workplaces (ie. construction, using heavy equipment, automotive industry). The lack of proper hand PPE can contribute to a range of skin irritations from repeated rubbing or chaffing, to more serious injuries in the workplace environment. While it can be easy for manufacturers to promise that gloves have anti abrasive properties, it’s important to have testing standards to confirm this without bias or perjury. Thus, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) set a standard model in place to measure glove abrasion levels. ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 (as noted from the assigned number, it was established in 2016) is the North American standard which is based off of the abrasion tests set by the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM). ASTM D2289-10 and ASTM D3884-09 are the testing standards for abrasion testing. They measure the number of cycles it takes for an abrasion machine to break down the glove material or create a hole. There are seven ANSI abrasion levels. The first four levels (0-3) are tested in batches of 500 gram loads of gloves while the last three levels (4-6) are tested in batches of 1000 gram loads of gloves.

• Level 0 means the gloves could not withstand even 100 cycles on the abrasion machine (<100).
• Level 1 means the gloves broke down between 100 to 499 cycles on the abrasion machine.
• Level 2 means the gloves broke down between 500 to 999 cycles on the abrasion machine.
• Level 3 means the gloves broke down at around 1,000 cycles on the abrasion machine.
• Level 4 means the gloves broke down between 3,000 to 9,999 cycles on the abrasion machine.
• Level 5 means the gloves broke down between 10,000 to 19,999 cycles on the abrasion machine.
• Lastly, Level 6 means the gloves broke down at around 20,000 cycles on the abrasion machine.

SW cares the utmost about worker protection and our industrial gloves are of the highest quality. SW’s GraphEx gloves have an ANSI rating of 5 and higher. Our KarbonHex series contain gloves with an ANSI rating of 3 and higher. The purpose of the ANSI abrasion rating labels demonstrates the gloves integrity and how it will hold up over time while under constant contact with rough workplace surfaces or equipment. Other manufacturers may not carry gloves with as high of an ANSI abrasion rating as our products.

Now, what are cut levels and what is the purpose of denoting such measurements?

Cut levels measure the cut resistance of a glove. Cut resistance determines the ability for a glove to withstand the weight or force on the glove material before it is cut through by a blade. This is incredibly important as the more cut resistance a glove has, the more protection it will provide, especially when working with machinery or sharp equipment. ANSI and ISEA also established the rating standard for cut resistance in North America, which falls under ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 as well. The standard they established is based on the ASTM F2992-15 test. The standardized rating has nine levels from A1 to A9.

• A1 can withstand 200 to 499 grams.
• A2 can withstand 500 to 999 grams.
• A3 can withstand 1000 to 1499 grams.
• A4 can withstand 1500 to 2199 grams.
• A5 can withstand 2200 to 2999 grams.
• A6 can withstand 3000 to 3999 grams.
• A7 can withstand 4000 to 4999 grams.
• A8 can withstand 5000 to 4999 grams.
• A9 can withstand more than 6000 grams.

 

SW’s industrial gloves are manufactured using a proprietary yarn technology that is 45% stronger and 21% more cut-resistant without sacrificing fit or comfort. Our GraphEx series come with various ANSI cut resistance ratings, with our highest being A6 and lowest being A4. Our KarbonHex gloves also come in multiple ANSI ratings, the highest being A4. Our consumers can adequately protect themselves with our cut resistant gloves. Another positive is that the higher the cut resistance, the longer the glove can sustain repeated use.

We aim to produce quality products that last, saving money for our consumers as well as cutting down on carbon emissions. Longer lasting gloves equates to a slower generation of waste, as you don’t need to throw the glove away after one or two uses. Less generation of waste contributes to less carbon emissions, which remains a steadfast goal for our company. SW is dedicated to contributing positively towards the environment.