Cut-resistant gloves by industry and task
Twelve of the applications that generate most industrial glove enquiries, with the cut level normally specified, the construction that delivers it, and the mistake that turns a correct specification into an injury report.
| Application | EN 388 cut | ANSI/ISEA 105 |
|---|---|---|
| Sheet metal, stamping & press work | D–E | A4–A6 |
| Glass handling, glazing & window assembly | D–E | A4–A6 |
| Automotive assembly, engine & parts handling | C–D | A3–A5 |
| Food processing, meat & poultry | C–E | A3–A6 |
| Warehouse, picking & parcel handling | A–B | A1–A3 |
| Construction, rebar & scaffolding | D–E | A4–A6 |
| Oil & gas, drilling & well service | D–E (impact "P") | A4–A6 |
| Composites, fibreglass & carbon fibre | D–F | A4–A6 |
| Machining, tool room & blade changes | C–D | A3–A5 |
| Recycling, waste sorting & scrap | E–F | A5–A7 |
| Landscaping, forestry & brush clearing | B–D | A2–A4 |
| Electrical, utilities & panel work | B–D | A2–A4 |
Not sure which one is yours? The cut level checker walks through the same data and produces an enquiry sheet you can send to suppliers.
Sheet metal, stamping & press work
Sharp edges, burrs and slivers from blanking and trimming; pinch points at the press.
| Liner | HPPE or HPPE/steel-wire blend, 13–15 gauge |
| Coating | Nitrile palm dip (dry and light oil) or PU where feel matters |
Look for
- Reinforced thumb crotch
- Impact "P" marking where hands work near the press
- Knit wrist, 70–100 mm cuff
Also check
- EN ISO 10819 if vibrating tools are used
- EN 16350 in ATEX areas
Where this goes wrong
- A4–A5 is the everyday level. Step up to A6 only for raw coil or trim scrap — higher cut gloves are thicker and slower, and operators quietly stop using them.
Glass handling, glazing & window assembly
Cut and puncture from sharp edges, breakage and slivers; heavy flat loads.
| Liner | HPPE or glass-fibre blend with steel or basalt wire, 13 gauge |
| Coating | Nitrile or sandy nitrile palm for wet glass |
Look for
- High puncture rating (EN 388 position 4 at 3–4)
- Reinforced thumb crotch
- Long 100 mm+ cuff
- Impact back for large pane work
Also check
- Cut-resistant sleeves for forearms
- EN ISO 21420 general requirements
Where this goes wrong
- Glass slivers puncture as well as cut. Read the puncture digit, not just the cut letter — a glove can be EN level E and still let a sliver through a weak palm.
Automotive assembly, engine & parts handling
Sharp stamped panels, machined edges and burrs; oil and coolant on the hands.
| Liner | HPPE blend, 15–18 gauge for dexterity |
| Coating | Nitrile foam or PU — oil grip with real touch sensitivity |
Look for
- Thin gauge for small fasteners
- Touchscreen-compatible fingertips
- Oil and coolant resistance
Also check
- EN 374 where fluids are handled
- EN 16350 for EV battery and paint shop areas
Where this goes wrong
- Most assembly jobs sit at A3–A4. Going higher costs dexterity, operators take the gloves off, and that is how a plant ends up with a worse real-world outcome at a higher nominal level.
Food processing, meat & poultry
Knives, bandsaw and bone; wet and greasy at all times; hygiene risk.
| Liner | HPPE blend, 13–18 gauge |
| Coating | Nitrile or PVC with food-contact approval |
Look for
- Food-contact compliant (FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 / EU 1935/2004 and 10/2011)
- Blue or metal-detectable versions for HACCP
- EN ISO 374-5 where micro-organisms are a risk
- Dexterity for knife work
Also check
- EN 374 / EN ISO 374-5
- EN 407 where ovens, fryers or sterilisers are nearby
Where this goes wrong
- Filleting and boning lines commonly run A4–A6. In food plants the glove is also a hygiene item, so food-contact approval and detectability are not optional extras.
Warehouse, picking & parcel handling
Cardboard edges, plastic strapping, the occasional blade; hours of repetitive handling.
| Liner | Nylon or light HPPE blend, 13–15 gauge |
| Coating | PU palm — dry, breathable and inexpensive |
Look for
- Breathable back
- Touchscreen fingertips
- Machine washable
Also check
- EN 511 if working in chilled or frozen areas
Where this goes wrong
- Over-specifying here is the classic error. Pickers lose dexterity, gloves come off, and the accident happens anyway. A2–A3 with excellent grip wins.
Construction, rebar & scaffolding
Rebar, wire mesh and tie wire; crushed stone; impact and pinch.
| Liner | HPPE blend with steel wire, 13 gauge |
| Coating | Nitrile or latex crinkle palm for wet and dry grip |
Look for
- Impact "P" with TPR back-of-hand
- Reinforced thumb crotch
- Water-repellent back
Also check
- EN 511 for winter sites
- EN ISO 10819 for breaker and hammer work
Where this goes wrong
- Anti-vibration is a separate standard. A glove can be A6 and still transmit full vibration to the hands — you need the EN ISO 10819 marking for that, not a higher cut level.
Oil & gas, drilling & well service
Pipe and tool handling, wireline, slips and tongs; impact; hydrocarbon exposure.
| Liner | HPPE/steel blend, 13 gauge, with TPR impact back |
| Coating | Nitrile or sandy nitrile |
Look for
- Impact marking "P"
- Oil and hydrocarbon resistance
- EN 16350 antistatic for ATEX zones
- Cut-resistant sleeves and arm guards
Also check
- EN 16350
- EN 407 for hot surface contact
Where this goes wrong
- Offshore operators usually fix the level in their own HSE standard. On this application the contract sets the number far more often than the regulation does.
Composites, fibreglass & carbon fibre
Glass and carbon fibre strands, sharp trim scrap, resins and solvents; skin irritation.
| Liner | HPPE or glass-fibre blend, 13–18 gauge |
| Coating | Nitrile (resin and solvent resistance) or PU for feel |
Look for
- Cut and puncture for trim scrap
- Chemical-resistant coating
- Long cuff so no skin is exposed
Also check
- EN 374 for resins, styrene and acetone
- Antistatic in lay-up areas
Where this goes wrong
- Fibre dust is an abrasion and irritation problem as much as a cut problem. Covered forearms and long cuffs matter more here than the headline cut letter.
Machining, tool room & blade changes
Cutting tools, inserts, swarf and blades; oils and coolant.
| Liner | HPPE blend, 18 gauge for maximum feel |
| Coating | PU or nitrile micro-foam, oil resistant |
Look for
- Very high dexterity
- Coolant resistance
- Fingertip-reinforced variants for precision work
Also check
- EN 374 if coolant concentrates are handled
Where this goes wrong
- Precision machinists will not wear a full A6 glove. Fingertip-reinforced designs at A3–A4 get worn all shift, which is the only compliance that counts.
Recycling, waste sorting & scrap
Mixed sharps — glass, metal, ceramics, needles; unpredictable loads and contamination.
| Liner | HPPE with steel wire, 10–13 gauge, heavy construction |
| Coating | Nitrile or PVC full dip — no exposed knit |
Look for
- Highest cut and puncture in the range
- Full-coverage dip
- Gauntlet cuff
- Needle-resistant palm where the contract requires it
Also check
- EN ISO 374-5 for biological hazards
- Cut-resistant aprons and sleeves for needle risk
Where this goes wrong
- This is the one application where going high is correct: loads are unpredictable and the biological hazard is real. Note that EN 388 puncture testing uses a blunt probe and does not cover hypodermic needles — that is a separate test (ASTM F2878).
Landscaping, forestry & brush clearing
Hand tools, branches, brambles and thorny material; chainsaw work if felling.
| Liner | HPPE blend, or latex crinkle for wet work |
| Coating | Latex crinkle (outstanding wet grip) or PU |
Look for
- Wet grip
- Thorn and abrasion resistance
- Breathable back for summer work
Also check
- Chainsaw work needs EN ISO 11393-4 (formerly EN 381-7) gloves — a different standard with its own class numbers
- EN 511 for winter work
Where this goes wrong
- A cut-resistant work glove is not chainsaw protection. If the task is felling or clearing with a saw, you need EN ISO 11393-4 gloves plus matching leg protection — no A-level makes a glove safe for a saw chain.
Electrical, utilities & panel work
Sharp sheet-metal enclosures, cable, tool edges; live conductors.
| Liner | HPPE blend, 18 gauge for terminations |
| Coating | PU palm, non-marking |
Look for
- High dexterity
- No exposed metal parts
- Insulating glove worn over the cut glove for live work
Also check
- EN 60903 / IEC 60903 insulating gloves (Class 00–4) for live working
- Arc flash protection to IEC 61482
- EN 16350 antistatic
Where this goes wrong
- Cut-resistant gloves provide no electrical insulation. On live work the EN 60903 insulating glove is the outer layer and it carries its own class system — never substitute one for the other.
Choosing the coating
The liner decides the cut level. The coating decides whether anyone keeps the glove on.
| Coating | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| PU (polyurethane) | Dry parts, precision handling | Thinnest and most dexterous, lowest cost. Poor with oil. |
| Nitrile (smooth) | Oils, greases, light chemicals | The all-round oil-resistant choice. |
| Nitrile foam / sandy nitrile | Wet and oily grip | The default in automotive and food plants. |
| Latex crinkle | Wet and dry grip, glass, masonry | Best wet grip available. Check the plant latex-allergy policy. |
| PVC | Coarse, chemical and cold handling | Bulky and low dexterity, but chemically resistant. |
| Neoprene / butyl | Solvents and aggressive chemicals | Select against EN 374 permeation data, not by feel. |
Quoting a glove programme?
Run the cut level checker for your application, copy the enquiry sheet, and send it to everqueen19@gmail.com. Every supplier then quotes against the same specification.
Request a quoteFrequently asked questions
How are these levels chosen?
They are the bands that industrial buyers and glove suppliers converge on for each task, based on the sharpness, speed and temperature of what is being handled and how long the exposure lasts. They are a starting specification for a risk assessment — not a legal requirement and not a substitute for testing the actual task.
Why does one application get a range, like A4–A6?
Because the job varies. Handling finished painted panels is not the same as handling raw coil with a burred edge, and a plant in a cold climate is not the same as one running hot material. The bottom of the range is the everyday choice; the top is for the harshest version of the task.
Is the highest level always the safest choice?
No. High levels need thicker, stiffer liners, and operators who lose feel and grip take gloves off. A plant that issues A6 gloves for an A3 job often ends up with more injuries than one that issues a comfortable A3 glove that workers keep on. Match the level to the hazard.
What about chemicals, heat and vibration?
Each is a separate standard and a separate test: EN 374 for chemicals, EN 407 for heat, EN 511 for cold, EN ISO 10819 for vibration and EN 16350 for antistatic. A glove can be excellent for cut and useless for the chemical sitting on the bench next to it.