Abrasion is the wear that results from scratching or rubbing. The protective layer of work gloves decreases during abrasion and the worker’s hand becomes more at risk of being injured or irritated.
The abrasion resistance performance rating of a glove measures the number of abrasion cycles to failure. When a glove is tested in accordance with ASTM D3389-10 or ASTM D3884-09, the abrasion resistance is classified as shown below:
| Level | Cycles |
|---|---|
| (tested at 500-gram load) | |
| 0 | < 100 |
| 1 | ≥ 100 |
| 2 | ≥ 500 |
| 3 | ≥ 1000 |
| (tested at 1,000-gram load) | |
| 4 | ≥ 3000 |
| 5 | ≥ 10000 |
| 6 | ≥ 20000 |
ASTM D3389-10 is used for coated gloves and the end point (failure) is the number of abrasion cycles when the film or coating is worn through. ASTM D3884-09 is used for uncoated gloves and the end point is the number of abrasion cycles when the first thread or yarn is broken.
Larger numbers of cycles indicate greater abrasion resistance.
The material of the gloves is subjected to abrasion by sandpaper under a determined amount of pressure. The protection level is indicated on a scale of 1 to 4 depending on the number of turns until a hole appears in the material. The higher the number, the better the resistance to abrasion.
| Level | Turns |
|---|---|
| 0 | < 100 |
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 500 |
| 3 | 2000 |
| 4 | 8000 |
The American National Standards Institute / International Safety Equipment Association (ANSI/ISEA) 105-2016 American National Standard for Hand Protection Classification is the latest revision of a voluntary consensus standard first published in 1999, and revised in 2005, 2011 and 2016.
This standard addresses the classification and testing of hand protection for specific performance properties related to chemical and industrial applications. It provides, or refers to, appropriate test methods and provides pass/fail criteria used by manufacturers to classify their products. End users can use this information to review the documentation received from their supplier to help verify the gloves they are considering meet their needs.