{"id":496,"date":"2026-10-08T20:35:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T12:35:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vigourwallpaper.com\/blog\/?p=496"},"modified":"2026-10-08T20:35:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T12:35:18","slug":"are-there-any-certifications-for-impact-resistant-gloves-4325-67f71b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vigourwallpaper.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/08\/are-there-any-certifications-for-impact-resistant-gloves-4325-67f71b\/","title":{"rendered":"Are there any certifications for impact – resistant gloves?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever stood on a job site, warehouse floor, or automotive shop floor watching someone fumble with a wrench, duck their head to avoid a falling steel bracket, or snap a glove back on after a heavy tool slips, you know one thing: impact-resistant gloves aren\u2019t a \u201cnice-to-have\u201d \u2014 they\u2019re non-negotiable. As a supplier who\u2019s spent 12 years sourcing, testing, and refining these gloves for industries from construction to aerospace, I get asked at least a dozen times a week: \u201cAre there actual certifications for these things, or is it just marketing fluff?\u201d Impact-resistant Gloves<\/a><\/p>\n

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It\u2019s a fair question. Walk down any work gear aisle online, and you\u2019ll see everything from \u201cheavy-duty impact gloves\u201d to \u201cindustrial grade impact protection\u201d with no clarity on what any of that actually means. Let\u2019s cut through the noise. For impact-resistant gloves, certifications aren\u2019t just stickers \u2014 they\u2019re proof that a glove has been tested to withstand the exact types of blunt force, sharp blows, and vibration that lead to the hand injuries we see all too often.<\/p>\n

First, Let\u2019s Define \u201cImpact\u201d Here<\/h3>\n

Before we dive into certifications, it\u2019s worth grounding this in what we\u2019re actually protecting against. A hammer glancing off your knuckle is way different from a falling 10-pound tool hitting your palm, or repeated vibration from a jackhammer wearing away at your nerves over a shift. Most impact glove certifications test for blunt impact (sudden, high-force blows) and, increasingly, vibration (long-term, low-force force that causes injury over time). The worst part? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 100,000+ hand impact injuries are reported annually in the U.S. alone, most from falling objects, moving machinery parts, or repetitive tool use. That\u2019s why these certifications exist: to make sure the gloves you buy will actually hold up when something goes wrong.<\/p>\n

The Most Widely Recognized Certifications (And What They Actually Test)<\/h3>\n

Not all certifications are created equal. Some are industry-specific, some are global, and some are just self-reported marketing claims. Here are the only ones I\u2019d put my own team\u2019s hands in, because they\u2019re backed by third-party testing and strict performance thresholds.<\/p>\n

ANSI\/ISEA 138-2019 (U.S. Standard, The Gold Standard for Impact Gloves)<\/h4>\n

If you\u2019re in the U.S. and asking about impact glove certifications, this is the first name you\u2019ll hear, and for good reason. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) released the 138 standard in 2019, and it\u2019s the only U.S. standard that specifically measures impact resistance for gloves. Before 2019, there was no formal, consistent test for impact gloves in the U.S. \u2014 manufacturers could say \u201cimpact resistant\u201d with little proof.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the test works: Labs use a standardized impact tester that drops a calibrated, weighted mass from a set height onto the knuckle area of the glove (the part that takes most blunt impact). The test measures how much force is transferred through the glove to the \u201chand\u201d dummy underneath. If the transferred force is below a certain threshold, the glove passes. If not? It gets a fail.<\/p>\n

The standard also grades impact resistance into levels: Level 1, 2, 3, and 4, with 4 being the highest. For example, a Level 4 glove has to transfer less than 7.5 Newtons of force during the test, which means it can handle the hardest, most forceful impacts. I can\u2019t tell you how many gloves we\u2019ve turned away because they only hit a Level 1 \u2014 that\u2019s fine for light jobs, but not for a construction crew working with framing lumber or heavy machinery.<\/p>\n

One thing to note: ANSI 138-2019 doesn\u2019t test for everything. It doesn\u2019t cover cut resistance, puncture resistance, or vibration, so a glove might pass ANSI 138 for impact but still need extra layers for other hazards. That\u2019s why we always pair ANSI impact testing with other tests when our customers need multi-hazard protection.<\/p>\n

CE EN 388 (Global Standard, Common in Europe and Beyond)<\/h4>\n

If you\u2019re working with international teams, or sourcing gear for overseas operations, you\u2019ve probably seen the CE mark on safety gear. The CE marking means the product meets standards set by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), and for work gloves, the key standard here is EN 388. This standard tests for multiple mechanical hazards: abrasion, cut, tear, puncture, and impact. Wait \u2014 impact is included here, but it\u2019s a separate test within EN 388, not the main focus.<\/p>\n

For impact testing under EN 388, the test is similar in some ways to ANSI 138, but it\u2019s not identical. It also measures force transfer during a blunt impact, and rates impact resistance on a scale from 0 to 5, with 5 being the highest. A lot of our European customers specify EN 388 Level 5 impact for their teams, which makes sense for jobs like automotive assembly where tools slip repeatedly.<\/p>\n

One thing to keep in mind with EN 388: the impact rating is part of a broader panel of tests, so a glove might have a high impact rating but a low cut rating, which is important to match to your exact job.<\/p>\n

ISO 10819 (Vibration Resistance, For Repetitive Tool Use)<\/h4>\n

Here\u2019s a certification that a lot of people overlook, but it\u2019s a game-changer for anyone using power tools all day long \u2014 think jackhammers, angle grinders, or pneumatic nail guns. The ISO 10819 standard tests for vibration transmission through gloves, which is critical because long-term exposure to hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is a real, permanent injury that causes numbness, pain, and reduced dexterity.<\/p>\n

ISO 10819 grades gloves into two groups: Group A (low vibration transmission) and Group B (medium). A lot of our customers in road construction and manufacturing ask specifically for ISO 10819-certified gloves because their teams use jackhammers for 8+ hour shifts, and HAVS isn\u2019t something to take lightly. This certification is separate from impact testing, so even if a glove is ANSI or CE certified, it\u2019s worth checking for ISO 10819 if vibration is a hazard on your site.<\/p>\n

Other Certifications (That Matter For Specific Industries)<\/h4>\n

Depending on your industry, you might run into other certifications that tie into impact resistance, even if they\u2019re not dedicated to it. For example, NFPA 1911 is for wildland firefighting gloves, which need to withstand impact from falling branches, debris, and extreme heat, in addition to other hazards. For aerospace, there\u2019s ASTM F2878, which covers gloves for aircraft maintenance, including impact from heavy parts and tools. These aren\u2019t general impact glove certifications, but they\u2019re critical if you\u2019re in a specialized industry.<\/p>\n

What About \u201cSelf-Certified\u201d Gloves? The Fine Print<\/h3>\n

I get it \u2014 sometimes you see gloves advertised as \u201cimpact resistant\u201d with no third-party certification, and they\u2019re cheaper. Before you grab that deal, let\u2019s talk about what that usually means. A lot of manufacturers will do their own in-house testing, which isn\u2019t standardized, and call it \u201ccertified.\u201d The problem is, in-house testing can be adjusted to give the results the manufacturer wants. We once tested a glove that claimed \u201cANSI Level 2 impact resistance\u201d \u2014 but when we sent it to a third-party lab, it barely hit Level 1, because the manufacturer only tested the top layer of the glove, not the full glove on a hand dummy.<\/p>\n

Another red flag: gloves that use terms like \u201cindustrial impact\u201d or \u201cheavy impact\u201d with no mention of a standard. If it doesn\u2019t reference ANSI 138, CE EN 388, or ISO 10819, it\u2019s not backed by a third party that\u2019s independent from the glove maker. At our company, we stopped carrying any glove that doesn\u2019t have at least one of these certifications, because we\u2019ve seen too many injuries from gloves that failed when they should have protected the wearer.<\/p>\n

How Certifications Work For Real-World Use Cases<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s break this down by industry, because one size doesn\u2019t fit all. If you\u2019re a general contractor, your crew is dealing with falling framing, hammer impacts, and occasional use of power tools. For that, ANSI 138 Level 2 or 3 gloves with a CE EN 388 impact rating are perfect \u2014 they balance impact protection with dexterity, so workers can still handle small parts without fumbling.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a mechanic working on car engines, where tools slip under tight spaces, ISO 10819-certified vibration-resistant gloves with EN 388 impact Level 4 are a must, because you\u2019re dealing with repeated, sharp impacts from wrenches and power tools.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a wildland firefighter, you need NFPA-certified gloves that not only have impact resistance but also withstand heat and punctures from branches. That\u2019s a whole different bar than a standard construction glove.<\/p>\n

A Quick Note on Common Misconceptions<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve heard a lot of myths about impact glove certifications over the years, so let\u2019s clear a few up:<\/p>\n