Cut level checker: what level do you need?
Two questions — which market, and which job — decide the cut level for most industrial glove enquiries. Choose them below and the specification, the reasoning and a ready enquiry sheet follow.
Check your requirement
Choose the market you are buying for and the job the gloves are for. The result updates as you change either box — there is no button to press.
Cut level usually specified
Common industry practice, not a legal requirement. The level a buyer must actually meet comes from the risk assessment plus the customer contract, insurer and any trade union agreement.
Glove specification to quote
| Liner | — |
| Coating | — |
Look for
Also check
Where this goes wrong
Your enquiry sheet
Copy this and send it to a supplier. It states the market, the level and the construction you want, so quotes come back comparable instead of guesswork.
Get a quotation
Send the sheet to everqueen19@gmail.com and we will come back with matching glove models, certification and test reports, MOQ, sample lead time and a quotation.
Email this enquiryReading the two scales
EN 388 reports cut in newtons on the ISO 13997 test; ANSI/ISEA 105 reports it in grams of force on ASTM F2992-15. Same principle, different edge and load — so the scales overlap instead of matching.
| EN 388 cut | Force (newtons) | Equivalent force (grams) | Overlaps ANSI/ISEA 105 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2–5 N | 204–510 g | A1 |
| B | 5–10 N | 510–1020 g | A2 |
| C | 10–15 N | 1020–1530 g | A3 |
| D | 15–22 N | 1530–2243 g | A4 |
| E | 22–30 N | 2243–3059 g | A5 |
| F | 30+ N | 3059+ g | A6 / A7 / A8 / A9 |
Every application, and the level usually specified
| Application | Typical hazards | EN 388 | ANSI/ISEA 105 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet metal, stamping & press work | Sharp edges, burrs and slivers from blanking and trimming; pinch points at the press | D–E | A4–A6 |
| Glass handling, glazing & window assembly | Cut and puncture from sharp edges, breakage and slivers; heavy flat loads | D–E | A4–A6 |
| Automotive assembly, engine & parts handling | Sharp stamped panels, machined edges and burrs; oil and coolant on the hands | C–D | A3–A5 |
| Food processing, meat & poultry | Knives, bandsaw and bone; wet and greasy at all times; hygiene risk | C–E | A3–A6 |
| Warehouse, picking & parcel handling | Cardboard edges, plastic strapping, the occasional blade; hours of repetitive handling | A–B | A1–A3 |
| Construction, rebar & scaffolding | Rebar, wire mesh and tie wire; crushed stone; impact and pinch | D–E | A4–A6 |
| Oil & gas, drilling & well service | Pipe and tool handling, wireline, slips and tongs; impact; hydrocarbon exposure | D–E (impact "P") | A4–A6 |
| Composites, fibreglass & carbon fibre | Glass and carbon fibre strands, sharp trim scrap, resins and solvents; skin irritation | D–F | A4–A6 |
| Machining, tool room & blade changes | Cutting tools, inserts, swarf and blades; oils and coolant | C–D | A3–A5 |
| Recycling, waste sorting & scrap | Mixed sharps — glass, metal, ceramics, needles; unpredictable loads and contamination | E–F | A5–A7 |
| Landscaping, forestry & brush clearing | Hand tools, branches, brambles and thorny material; chainsaw work if felling | B–D | A2–A4 |
| Electrical, utilities & panel work | Sharp sheet-metal enclosures, cable, tool edges; live conductors | B–D | A2–A4 |
What the regulation actually says
Worth reading before you accept anyone's claim about what is "legally required" — including ours.
Enforced by: OSHA (US Department of Labor)
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.138 — no cut level is named
The standard requires employers to select hand protection "appropriate for the performance and construction of the work", based on the hazards identified. It does not require A4, A5 or any other number.
ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 — voluntary, but effectively the market standard
This is the consensus standard that defines the A1–A9 cut levels. It is not law, but US buyers, insurers and contracts reference it constantly.
Where the real requirement comes from
An automotive plant specifying A4–A5 in its purchase order, a customer audit, an insurer condition, or OSHA General Duty Clause 5(a)(1) enforcement after an injury. The number comes from the risk assessment and the contract — not from the regulation.
Enforced by: National market surveillance authorities (per Member State)
Regulation (EU) 2016/425 — certification, not levels
Gloves for mechanical risks are Category II PPE: they need an EU type-examination, a technical file, a notified body certificate and CE marking. The Regulation says nothing about which cut level is required.
EN 388:2016+A1:2018 — where the number comes from
This is the harmonised test standard for mechanical risks. Its six-position marking (like 4X42D) is what appears on the glove and what buyers compare.
EN ISO 21420:2020 — general requirements
Replaced EN 420. Covers innocuousness, sizing and marking. A compliant glove normally references both EN ISO 21420 and EN 388.
Where the real requirement comes from
Framework Directive 89/391/EEC requires the employer to carry out a risk assessment. The output of that assessment — plus customer contracts and trade union agreements — sets the level you must buy.
Enforced by: HSE (Health and Safety Executive)
PPE Regulations 2022 (as amended)
The UK retained the EU-era hand protection duties after Brexit. Employers must provide suitable PPE based on a risk assessment; no numeric cut level is prescribed.
EN standards are still the reference
UK buyers continue to specify EN 388 levels, and UKCA marking runs alongside CE for the products affected. In practice you will see the same EN 388 markings as in the EU.
Where the real requirement comes from
HSE guidance, the employer risk assessment, and increasingly client contract requirements pushed down the supply chain.
Enforced by: OSHA in the US · notified bodies and market surveillance in the EU
Dual marking is normal on a supply contract
A glove sold into both markets is usually tested against EN 388 (for the CE marking) and against ASTM F2992-15 (to print the A1–A9 level on the US artwork).
Do not assume the numbers match across scales
The two cut tests use the same TDM principle but different edge and load conditions. "EN level D" does not automatically mean "ANSI A4" — the conversion is approximate, which is why we publish the overlap ranges rather than a single mapping.
Practical route
Test once, mark both. When you write the purchase order, state the level in the buyer's own scale (A-levels for the US, EN letter for the EU) and require the test report as an attachment.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use the checker?
Choose the market you are buying for and the application the gloves are for. The level, the glove specification and the enquiry sheet update immediately. The result is a starting specification to confirm with your own risk assessment.
Why are two levels shown for every application?
Because a range is honest. The exact level depends on the material thickness, the sharpness and temperature of the parts, the exposure time and the plant's own standard. We give the band that industrial buyers normally work in, in both the EN 388 and the ANSI/ISEA 105 scales, so you can quote in whichever scale your buyer reads.
The checker says a range, but my customer insists on one level.
Then the customer contract sets it, and the practical move is to quote that level and attach the test report. If the contract requires a level above what the hazard justifies, it is worth raising with the customer, because over-specified gloves get taken off in hot plants.
Can I use this to write a purchase order?
Yes, as a starting specification. State the scale your buyer uses (A-levels for the US, EN letter for the EU), require the test report to EN 388:2016+A1:2018 or ASTM F2992-15 as an attachment, and confirm the other hazards in the task — chemicals, heat, vibration and static are separate standards.