Protective gloves against chainsaws according to EN ISO 11393-4

EN ISO 11393-4:2018 is part of the modernized standard series replacing EN 381, covering protective clothing for users of hand-held chainsaws. Part 4 specifically deals with test methods and requirements for protective gloves.

The principle is to evaluate whether gloves can protect the hands by:

• Resisting cuts from a running chainsaw chain,
• Slowing or stopping the chain’s rotation by clogging it with fibers,
• Limiting injury depth or severity in case of accidental contact.

For gloves, the standard defines:

Cut resistance test:

• A glove is mounted on a test fixture shaped like a hand.
• A chainsaw with a specified chain speed (usually corresponding to Class 0–3) is brought into contact with the glove.
• The saw is dropped or moved toward the glove at controlled force and speed.

Pass/fail criteria:

• The glove passes if the chainsaw does not cut through the protective material to reach the underlying "fingers" of the test fixture or dummy.
• The test checks if protective fibers jam the saw’s sprocket or significantly slow chain movement.

Chain speed classes:

• Same as other EN 11393 parts:
  • Class 0: 16 m/s
  • Class 1: 20 m/s
  • Class 2: 24 m/s
  • Class 3: 28 m/s

Additional tests:

• Ergonomics: checking dexterity and comfort.
• Resistance of materials: seam strength, abrasion, tear resistance.
• Dimensional stability: e.g., shrinkage after washing.

The goal is to balance protection with enough flexibility for safe chainsaw handling.