138 CALL 132 100 OR SHOP 24/7 AT RSEA.COM.AU CLICK&COLLECT FREE Pick-up from our Stores EN STANDARDS GUIDE FOR GLOVES PPE - HAND PROTECTION EN STANDARDS GUIDE FOR GLOVES EXPLAINING THE THREE RISK CATEGORIES ACCORDING TO EN LEGISLATION The PPE directive 89/686/EEC specifies two classes of glove meeting two levels of risk: ‘minimal’ and ‘mortal’ or ‘irreversible’ risk. A risk which falls between the two levels may be described as ‘intermediate’. A system of marking has been developed to identify the level of risk to help you select gloves of the appropriate class. EN STANDARDS IN DETAIL Standard EN 420: - General Requirements For Protective Gloves Relevant Australian Standard: AS/NZS 2161.2:1998 This pictogram indicates that the user has to consult the ‘instructions for use’. Note: The CE marking is a mandatory conformity mark, certifying that a product has met the European Union’s consumer, safety and/or environmental requirements. The initials CE do not stand for any specific words. Risk Category I: Gloves of Simple Design For Minimal Risk Only For gloves of simple design offering protection from low level risks, e.g. janitorial gloves, manufacturers are permitted to test and certify gloves internally (i.e. there is no requirement for testing and certification by an independent body). Risk Category II: Gloves of Intermediate Design For Intermediate Risk Gloves designed to protect against intermediate risk, e.g. general handling gloves requiring good cut, puncture and abrasion performance, must be subjected to independent testing and certification by a notified body. Only these approved bodies may issue a CE mark, without which the gloves may not be sold. Each notified body has its own identification number. The name and address of the notified body that certifies the product has to appear on the instructions for use that will accompany the gloves. Gloves of this category are CE marked as indicated. Risk Category III: Gloves of Complex Design For Irreversible Or Mortal Risk Gloves designed to protect against the highest levels of risk e.g. chemicals, must also be tested and certified by a notified body. In addition, the quality assurance system used by the manufacturer to guarantee homogeneity of production or the quality consistency testing of the final product must be independently checked. The body carrying out this evaluation will be identified by a number which must appear alongside the CE mark (in this case, 0493). Gloves of complex design are CE marked as indicated. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Australian/New Zealand Standards (AS/NZS) help classify specific product attributes and communicate the quality and protection levels of personal protection equipment. The standards are designed to assist managers in the provision and maintenance of workplace safety levels. The elimination of health and safety workplace hazards is mandated by government legislation. Where they cannot be eliminated, employers are responsible for reducing hazards to a minimum as is reasonably practical. As a result, they have implemented a number of identical standards to those used in Europe. For example, standard EN420 (AS/NZS 2161.2:1998) - Occupational Protective Gloves, General Requirements - defines requirements for all protective gloves (except electrical and medical gloves) for glove construction, cleaning, comfort and efficiency, marking and information. While the majority of the Australian/New Zealand occupational glove standards are identical to the European standards, there are instances where the European standard has been revised, but the Australian/New Zealand standard has not been changed. This is why, for example, the protection against cold standard AS/ NZS 2161.5:1998 is not the same as the European cold standard EN511:2006. The requirements are similar but the two standards use different testing methodologies. EN Protection Standards Chemical Protection Cold Protection Mechanical Protection Low Chemical Resistance Radioactive Contamination Micro- Organisms Heat Protection Ionizing Radiation Above is a guide to pictograms used for the EN Standards. Material Courtesy of Ansell
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