Personal protective equipment, known as PPE, is an essential component of
safety at work. A common type of PPE are work gloves, which must adhere to
specific regulatory standards to ensure adequate protection. In this article, we will explore
regulations EN511 and EN374-5, which refer respectively to the protection from cold and
protection against micro-organisms.
EN511 - Protection from Cold
EN511 sets out requirements and test methods for gloves designed to provide
protection from cold. This includes cold transmitted through convection or conduction up
at a temperature of -50 ¹ C. These gloves are essential in work environments that involve
exposure to extremely low temperatures.
EN511 defines three levels of protection:
a. Resistance to convective cold (with values from 0 to 4)
b. Contact cold resistance (with values from 0 to 4)
c. Water penetration test (failed or passed)
Gloves conforming to this standard are frequently used outdoors during
winter, as well as in cold stores or storage rooms.
EN374-5 - Protection against Microorganisms
EN374-5 specifies requirements for gloves intended to protect the user from
microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and viruses.
There is a difference between protection against bacteria and fungi and protection against viruses.
To ensure protection against viruses, gloves must be subjected to specific
viral penetration and meet the EN374-5 VIRUS standard.
These gloves are widely used in the health and chemical industry, where exposure to
microorganisms is a constant risk.
Selecting the right work gloves can make a difference in terms of safety while you are
work. It is therefore important to understand what the various
regulations and how these affect the choice of the most appropriate glove.
If you need help choosing the most suitable work gloves for your needs or have
questions about regulations contact us here, we are at your disposal.