EN 388 is the European standard for gloves that protect against mechanical risks — abrasion, cuts, tears, punctures and, optionally, impact. The current version is EN 388:2016+A1:2018. Every compliant glove carries a hammer-shaped pictogram with a short code underneath, and that code tells you far more than the product name does. This guide explains how to read it, what the numbers are actually measuring, and how to match a glove to the task.
EN 388 sits alongside EN ISO 21420, the general requirements every protective glove must meet (sizing, comfort, innocuousness and marking). Chemical, heat and cold protection are covered by their own standards — EN ISO 374, EN 407 and EN 511.
Reading the code, character by character
A full EN 388 code has four digits and up to two letters, always in the same order. An X in any position means that test was not carried out or does not apply to the glove.
| Position | What it measures | Scale | In the example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Abrasion resistance | 0–4 | 4 — the highest level |
| 2nd | Blade cut resistance (coupe test) | 0–5 or X | X — not used, see below |
| 3rd | Tear resistance | 0–4 | 4 |
| 4th | Puncture resistance | 0–4 | 3 |
| 5th | Cut resistance, ISO 13997 (TDM) test | A–F or X | D |
| 6th | Impact protection (EN 13594) | P or blank | P — passed |
What each level actually means
The levels are not arbitrary scores — each one is a threshold in a laboratory test. Knowing the test values makes it much easier to compare two gloves that both look "high performance".
| Level | Abrasion (cycles) | Coupe cut (index) | Tear (newtons) | Puncture (newtons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 1.2 | 10 | 20 |
| 2 | 500 | 2.5 | 25 | 60 |
| 3 | 2,000 | 5.0 | 50 | 100 |
| 4 | 8,000 | 10.0 | 75 | 150 |
| 5 | — | 20.0 | — | — |
Why there are two cut scores — and which one to trust
The original "coupe" test runs a rotating circular blade back and forth across the material under a light load and counts how long it takes to cut through. It works well for cotton and leather, but the high-performance yarns used in modern cut-resistant gloves — HPPE, glass fibre, steel — blunt the blade, which makes the result unreliable.
The 2016 revision therefore added the ISO 13997 "TDM" test, which draws a straight blade across the material once, with a fresh blade for each cut, and records the force in newtons needed to cut through over a set distance. When the coupe blade blunts during testing, the TDM result becomes the reference result and the coupe digit is often shown as X. For cut-resistant gloves, read the letter.
| Letter | Force to cut through | Typical risk |
|---|---|---|
| A | at least 2 N | Light handling, minimal sharp edges |
| B | at least 5 N | General handling, packaging, light assembly |
| C | at least 10 N | Handling building materials, light sheet metal |
| D | at least 15 N | Sheet metal, glass handling, most construction tasks |
| E | at least 22 N | Heavy metal fabrication, sharp castings |
| F | at least 30 N | Blade changes, glass and metal with severe cut hazards |
You will still see older gloves and catalogues describing "cut level 5". That refers to the coupe scale from the 2003 version of the standard, not the A–F letter, and the two cannot be converted directly.
Matching the glove to the job
- Warehouse picking, packing and light assembly: level A–B cut is usually enough; prioritise grip and dexterity — often a mechanics glove or a general handling glove.
- Construction, building materials and light sheet metal: level C–D, with good abrasion (3–4) because gloves wear fast on masonry and timber.
- Glazing, sheet metal fabrication and sharp-edged work: level D–F — see our cut-resistant gloves.
- Scaffolding, steel erection and heavy handling: look for high abrasion and tear scores, and consider a P for impact protection on the back of the hand. Rigger gloves suit rough, dry handling.
Higher is not automatically safer. A very high cut level usually means a thicker or stiffer glove, and a glove that stops people working properly gets taken off. The right glove is the lowest level that controls the real risk, in a size and grip that people will keep wearing.
Getting the size right
EN ISO 21420 sizes gloves by hand circumference measured around the knuckles, excluding the thumb. A glove that is too big snags and reduces dexterity; one that is too small tires the hand and splits.
| Glove size | Hand circumference |
|---|---|
| 6 (XS) | 152 mm |
| 7 (S) | 178 mm |
| 8 (M) | 203 mm |
| 9 (L) | 229 mm |
| 10 (XL) | 254 mm |
| 11 (XXL) | 279 mm |
Your legal duty
Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended in 2022 to cover limb (b) workers), employers must provide suitable PPE free of charge where a risk cannot be controlled another way, make sure it fits, and train people to use it. EN 388 levels are how you show a glove is suitable for the mechanical risks in your risk assessment.
General guidance only. Cut protection is one factor — base glove selection on a task risk assessment covering grip, dexterity, chemical and heat exposure as well.
Frequently asked questions
- What does 4X43D mean on a glove?
- It is an EN 388:2016 code: abrasion level 4, blade (coupe) cut not tested or not applicable (X), tear level 4, puncture level 3, and ISO 13997 cut level D, meaning at least 15 newtons of force were needed to cut through.
- Which cut level do I need?
- As a rule of thumb, A to B for light handling and assembly, C to D for construction, building materials and sheet metal, and E to F for heavy fabrication, glass and blade changes. Your task risk assessment should decide.
- Is cut level 5 the same as cut level F?
- No. "Cut level 5" is the top of the old coupe scale from EN 388:2003, while A to F is the ISO 13997 scale added in 2016. They measure cut resistance differently and cannot be converted directly, so compare gloves on the letter.
- What does the P mean in an EN 388 code?
- P shows the glove passed the EN 13594 impact test, which is typically done on padding over the knuckles and back of the hand. If the glove was not tested for impact, the sixth position is left blank.
- Does my employer have to provide cut-resistant gloves?
- Where a risk assessment shows a cut risk that cannot be controlled another way, the PPE at Work Regulations require the employer to provide suitable gloves free of charge, make sure they fit and train staff to use them.