Why Certification Is a Requirement, Not a Nice-to-Have
Safety gloves are regulated personal protective equipment in most markets, and the certifications are not marketing - they are the proof that a glove performs as claimed. For an importer, certification matters at three levels: customs clearance, corporate tender requirements, and legal liability. A glove that cannot be backed by a test report is a risk to your customer and to your business.
The three core European standards - EN 388 for mechanical risks, EN 374 for chemical risks and EN 407 for heat - cover the vast majority of work gloves. Understanding what each one measures, and which applies to your products, is the foundation of a compliant product line.
EN 388: Mechanical Protection
EN 388 measures a glove's resistance to mechanical hazards and is the most common certification for work gloves. It uses a series of performance levels printed on the glove:
- Abrasion resistance - how well the glove resists wearing through.
- Cut resistance - measured on a scale from A to F (older scale was 1 to 5).
- Tear resistance - how well it resists tearing once cut.
- Puncture resistance - resistance to a sharp point.
The cut level is the one buyers most often misread, because the old 1-to-5 scale and the new A-to-F scale look similar but are not the same. Always confirm which standard the level was tested under, and match the level to the actual hazard - general handling needs less cut protection than glass or sheet metal work.
EN 374: Chemical Protection
EN 374 covers protection against chemicals and micro-organisms and is relevant for nitrile, latex and other coated or disposable gloves used in chemical handling, cleaning and food processing. The standard tests penetration resistance and, for higher categories, degradation against specific chemicals.
For most industrial and food-handling gloves, the key question is whether the glove is certified for the specific chemicals or substances your customers handle. A glove certified for general chemical splash is not automatically suitable for aggressive solvents, so verify the certificate against the actual use case.
EN 407: Thermal Protection
EN 407 covers protection against heat and flame and applies to gloves used in welding, foundries, ovens and other high-temperature work. It measures several properties including resistance to burning, contact heat, convective heat, radiant heat and molten metal splash.
Heat-resistant gloves are a specialist category, and the specific performance levels matter. A glove suitable for brief contact with a warm surface is different from one rated for foundry work, so match the certificate to the temperature and exposure your customers face.
How to Verify a Certificate Before You Order
- Request the certificate number for each style, not just a logo image.
- Check the test report - it should name the notified body, the standard and the achieved levels.
- Verify against the issuing body - genuine certificates can be checked against the body's database.
- Match the certificate to the style - a certificate for one glove does not cover another.
- Keep copies on file - for customs, tenders and your own records.
A supplier who provides certificate numbers and invites verification is behaving professionally. A supplier who offers only a CE logo or a vague claim should be treated with caution.
How Expedition Safety Documents Certification
Expedition Safety holds CE EN 388, EN 374 and EN 407 certification across our cut-resistant, nitrile, latex, PU and heat-resistant ranges, and we provide the certificate number and test report for verification before you commit. We match each style to its correct certificate and supply the documentation your customs broker, corporate buyers and tenders require. Our in-line inspection and final AQL 2.5 check ensure the product matches the certified specification.
How to Verify a Certificate
A certificate is only as good as your ability to verify it. The test report carries a certificate number and the notified body that issued it, and both can be checked. Ask the supplier for the certificate number and the test standard, then confirm them against the issuing body's records. A supplier who hesitates to share the number is a red flag, because a genuine certificate is never a secret.
Also confirm that the certificate matches the glove you are actually ordering. Certificates are issued for a specific product and specification - a certificate for one style does not cover a different yarn, coating or construction.
What to Do When a Certificate Is Expired
Certificates have a validity period and must be renewed. An expired certificate does not necessarily mean the glove is unsafe, but it does mean the compliance documentation is no longer current. The correct move is to require a current certificate before shipment, and to put the requirement in writing in the proforma so there is no ambiguity. A supplier running a compliant factory will renew on schedule and provide the updated document without being pushed.
Keeping a One-Page Compliance File
For every certified style you stock, keep a single page with the certificate number, the notified body, the test standard, the achieved levels and the expiry date. Update it when certificates renew. This one page becomes your answer to every customer and customs question, and it turns a compliance scramble into a thirty-second lookup.
Most importers keep this documentation in a drawer or a forgotten email thread. Keeping it on one page, current and complete, is a small habit that makes you look - and act - like a professional supplier.
The Cost of Getting Compliance Wrong
Non-compliant gloves cost far more than the certificate ever did. A single rejected shipment eats the freight, the storage and the rework, and a customer who discovers non-compliant gloves on their site will not order again. In the worst case, an injury traced to an uncertified glove becomes a liability that no margin can absorb.
Compliance is not a cost of doing business - it is the price of staying in business. Verify the certificate before the order, every time, without exception.
Verify Our Certificates
Request our certificate numbers and test reports for any style - we provide them before you order.
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