In early 2000, the ISEA Hand Protection Group completed a comprehensive standard for gloves. The new standard, ANSI/ISEA 105, American National Standard for Hand Protection Selection Criteria, establishes a system of classification and testing of gloves for specific performance properties related to chemical and industrial applications. The standard requires the use of specific test methods for measuring glove properties and then provides levels for classifying the performance of each glove style. With the exception of the test for detection of holes in gloves, each performance property involves multiple levels. Level "0" indicates no protection while higher numbered levels indicate better protection.
The ANSI/ISEA 105 standard establishes a consistent way for gloves to classified, based on performance to a standard test method by subjecting the product to a recognized performance test such as an ASTM or ISO method and then rating the glove's performance numerically against the results it produces. The classification based on a numeric scale, helps users make better-informed decisions about which gloves are suitable for the tasks as hand.
In addition the standard allows purchasers to have informed discussions with their distributors when it comes to selecting proper hand protection. This is especially important when a new exposure is introduced into the workplace. For example, a purchaser may be familiar with a particular glove that gives Level 3 protection for cut-resistance, as needed in his work environment. If the work scenario changes to where not only cut-resistance is an issue but heat resistance also becomes a concern, the purchaser can use the ratings in the standard as a tool with the distributor to select a glove that can provide effective protection against both exposures.
The scope of the standard does not include firefighting applications that are already covered in NFPA standards. The ANSI/ISEA 105 standard focuses more conventional manufacturing, industrial, chemical, building and trades exposures such as degradation, cut protection, thermal protection, abrasion and puncture resistance.
Glove performance areas include:
Mechanical protection
Chemical protection
Heat and flame protection
Protection from cold
For each performance area, there are one or more test methods that are used to assess glove performance. ANSI/ISEA 105 specifies the test method and any test parameters that are needed to ensure uniform testing (some tests provide options to choose various approaches of material evaluation). The standard then provides a table for classifying the results. These tables provide numerical classes as a means for discriminating performance. Four to six levels are provided for all properties except one.
The specific performance properties listed, methods of test, and numbers of performance levels are shown in Table 1. Each of the existing areas of performance is further described in the following sections.
