AS/NZS 2161.3:2020 - Occupational Protective Gloves, Part 3: Protection against Mechanical Risks is an Australia/New Zealand safety standard for occupational hand protection. Released in December 2020, the standard adopts European standard EN388:2016 – Protective Gloves against Mechanical Risks, including the two new tests added to this standard in 2016. The objective of this standard is to specify requirements, test methods, markings and information for occupational hand protection.
AS/NZS 2161.3:2020 is not a government-mandated safety standard in Australia, but it is the benchmark for high-quality hand protection and performance standards in this category.
What is EN388:2016?
In order to comply with AS/NZS 2161.3:2020, gloves must be tested to EN388:2016 by an accredited testing lab. They are tested for mechanical risks according to the criteria set out below. The resultant level of protection against the risk for each test is set out in a published test report and is the basis for certification to AS/NZS 2161.3:2020.
Test methods used in EN388:2016 include:
- Abrasion Resistance
- Circular Blade Cut Resistance
- Tear Resistance
- Puncture Resistance
- Straight Blade Cut Resistance
- Impact Resistance (if the glove offers impact protection)
Visit our EN388 Glove Ratings Explained blog for more details on the tests and performance levels of the EN388:2016 safety standard.
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Gloves must display the EN388 pictogram that indicates the results of these tests. Each test has a performance level indicator that provides information on the level of resistance achieved for that specific test. A higher number or letter indicates a greater protection level and gloves must meet at least level 1 or A for at least one test to comply with EN388. Where the glove in question is also certified to Australian Standards, both the EN and AS/NZS accreditation marks need to appear visibly and in close proximity to the product. |
Impact protection is the only test that differs from this rating system; you will see either Pass (P), Fail (F) or Not Tested (X) for this test.
Other Glove Standards
Other Australia/New Zealand glove standards which adopt European glove standards include:
- AS/NZS 2161.1:2005 – EN421 – Protection against radioactive contamination & ionising radiation
- AS/NZS 2161.2:1998 – EN420 – General requirements for protective gloves
- AS/NZS 2161.4:1999 – EN407 – Heat resistant gloves
- AS/NZS 2161.5:1998 – EN511 – Standard for protection against cold
- AS/NZS 2161.10:2005 – EN374 – Protection against chemicals and micro-organisms