All COFRA’s gloves are engineered to grant protection to workers, in the foreseeable conditions of end use. The performances of PPE are expressed by a pictogram alongside the markings. They are certified according to laboratory tests.
EN 420:2003+A1:2009 - Protective gloves - General requirements and test methods |
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It defines the requirements for glove design and construction, innocuousness, sizes, dexterity and marking. The compliance with EN 420:2003+A1:2009 is compulsory for any kind of gloves, however marking is not strictly required. Any further technical information is in the information sheet included in the packaging. |
EN ISO 21420:2020 - Update of the European standard EN 420:2003+A1:2009 |
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The new version of EN 420 is now an International Standard and no longer just a European standard. The innocuousness of materials has become more restrictive following REACH regulations, by defining nickel content ( within allowable values) , DMF in polyurethane coated gloves and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, as well as the determination of carcinogenic amines. The standard is now applicable also to arm protection devices . Minimum glove length is no longer specified , except where required (see EN 12477 – protective glove for welders) The standard defines only the basic requirements and does not refer to protective properties of gloves (EN 388, EN407, EN511,…). Therefore, it is not used alone but in combination with the appropriate specific standard. |
DEXTERITY | ||
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Dexterity is the the capacity to handle tools and make movements when wearing gloves. According to the intended use, the glove should provide the maximum dexterity allowed. It depends on several factors, e.g. the thickness of the glove material, its elasticity, its deformability. COFRA carries out the dexterity test on each glove, so that the best application can be selected. The standard defines different performance degrees in a range from 1 (low dexterity) up to maximum 5 (maximum dexterity). |
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Art. LIMBER (dexterity 5), it allows to handle with high precision even very small tools |
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Art. INOX (dexterity 3), it guarantees high protection and resistance, while keeping a dexterity degree suitable for the intended application |
EN 388:2003 - Protective gloves against mechanical risks | ||||||
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It defines the protection from at least one of the following mechanical risks (if the test falls below level 1, it will be “0” marked): |
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LEVELS | ||||||
PERFORMANCE |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 | |
A. Abrasion resistance (cycles) |
≥ 100 |
≥ 500 |
≥ 2.000 |
≥ 8.000 |
-- |
|
B. Blade cut resistance (index) |
≥ 1,2 |
≥ 2,5 |
≥ 5,0 |
≥ 10,0 |
≥ 20,0 |
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C. Tear resistance (Newton) |
≥ 10 |
≥ 25 |
≥ 50 |
≥ 75 |
-- |
|
D. Puncture resistance (Newton) |
≥ 20 |
≥ 60 |
≥ 100 |
≥ 150 |
-- |
EN 388:2016+A1:2018 - EN 388:2003 Updated European Standard | ||||||
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Revision of EN 388 standard, applied to mechanical protective gloves, increases accuracy and reliability of cut tests. The current EN 388:2003 describes the test method called Coupe Test which calculates the number of cycles needed to cut the glove at 5N pressure (500 g about). Protection gloves against mechanical risks must have a performance level equal to 1 or higher for at least one of the properties (abrasion, blade cutting, tear and perforation) or at least a level A of the EN ISO 13997:1999 TDM cutting resistance test; classified according the minimal requirements for each level which is shown in the following scheme: |
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LEVELS | ||||||
MARKING |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
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A. Abrasion resistance (number of frictions) |
≥ 100 |
≥ 500 |
≥ 2000 | ≥ 8000 | - | ||
B. Cutting test* : blade cut resistance (index) |
≥ 1,2 | ≥ 2,5 | ≥ 5,0 | ≥ 10,0 | ≥ 20,0 | ||
C. Tear resistance (N) |
≥ 10 | ≥ 25 | ≥ 50 | ≥ 75 | - | ||
D. Perforation resistance (N) |
≥ 20 | ≥ 60 |
≥ 100 |
≥ 150 |
- |
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E. TDM*: cutting resistance (N) - EN ISO 13997
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A |
B |
C | D | E | F | |
≥ 2 | ≥ 5 | ≥ 10 | ≥ 15 | ≥ 22 | ≥ 30 | ||
F. Impact protection - EN 13594:2015 | P | ABSENT | |||||
Achieved | Test not executed | ||||||
* For the opacification during the cut resistance test (index B), the cutting test results are only indicative while the TDM cut resistance test (index E) is the result of the reference performance. If one of the marking indexes is marked with: |
EN 407:2004 - Protective gloves against thermal risks (heat and/or fire) | ||||||
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This standard specifies the protection from at least one of the following sources of heat. This standard is applicable only together with EN 420; the material of the protection gloves must at least correspond to the performance level 1 of the abrasion and the tear resistance under EN 388. |
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LEVELS | |||||
MARKING |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 | ||
A. Behaviour to fire |
Time persistence to flame (s) |
≤ 20 |
≤ 10 |
≤ 3 |
≤ 2 |
|
Residual glow time (s) |
no requirement |
≤ 120 |
≤ 25 |
≤ 5 |
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B. Contact Heat |
Contact temperature Tc (°C) |
100 |
250 |
350 |
500 |
|
Threshold time tt (s) |
≥ 15 |
≥ 15 |
≥ 15 |
≥ 15 |
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C. Convective heat |
Heat transfer index HTI (s) |
≥ 4 |
≥ 7 |
≥ 10 |
≥ 18 |
|
D. Radiant heat |
heat transfer t24 (s) |
≥ 7 |
≥ 20 |
≥ 50 |
≥ 95 |
|
E. Small splashes of molten metal |
Number of droplets |
≥ 10 |
≥ 15 |
≥ 25 |
≥ 35 |
|
F. Large splashes of molten metal |
Cast iron (g) |
30 |
60 |
120 |
200 |
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If one of the marking indexes is marked with: |
EN 407:2020 - Protective gloves and other hand protective equipment against thermal risks (heat and/or fire) | |
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The revision of EN407 now defines also the application to arm protection devices and to new hand protection devices such as mittens, potholders, oven gloves, barbecue gloves and so on. A new pictogram has been introduced to be used in case of gloves that are not flame – resistant (i.e. not tested to the first parameter of the Standard). In the case of a flame-tested glove reaching at least level 1, - it is still marked with the usual pictogram used until now (the two pictograms can never be used at the same time). Other improvements have been made to test methods for flame resistance (now limited flame spread) contact heat, convective heat and for large quantities of molten metal. For protective gloves tested against small splashes and large quantities of molten metal, a minimum glove length is required according to the selected size. If the test of limited flame spread does not reach at least level 3 and the gloves do not pass the rapid removal test, all other thermal tests cannot mention a value higher than level 2. All areas of the glove that are exposed to contact heat must be tested. |
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LEVEL | |||||
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MARKING |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 | ||
Limited flame spread |
After flame time (s) |
≤ 15 |
≤ 10 |
≤ 3 |
≤ 2 |
|
After glow time (s) |
no requirement |
≤ 120 |
≤ 25 |
≤ 5 |
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Contact Heat |
Contact temperature Tc (°C) |
100 |
250 |
350 |
500 |
|
Threshold time tt (s) |
≥ 15 |
≥ 15 |
≥ 15 |
≥ 15 |
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Convective heat |
Heat transfer index HTI (s) |
≥ 4 |
≥ 7 |
≥ 10 |
≥ 18 |
|
Radiant heat |
Heat transfer t24 (s) |
≥ 7 |
≥ 20 |
≥ 50 |
≥ 95 |
|
Small splashes of molten metal |
Number of droplets |
≥ 10 |
≥ 15 |
≥ 25 |
≥ 35 |
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Large quantities of molten metal |
Cast iron (g) |
30 |
60 |
120 |
200 |
|
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EN 12477:2001+A1:2005 - Protective gloves for welders | |||||||
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It defines the welding performances and distinguishes them between TYPE A and TYPE B, where TYPE A refers to high performance gloves but, consequently, with low dexterity, whereas TYPE B refers to gloves with high dexterity but with lower performances. |
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GENERAL REQUIREMENTS |
Minimum performance required | Glove size | Suitable for |
Minimum | |||
EN number | TYPE A | TYPE B | |||||
Abrasion resistance | EN 388 | 2 (500 cycles) |
1 (100 cycles) |
6 (XS) |
6 |
300 / 11,8” |
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Blade cut resistance | EN 388 |
1 (index 1,2) |
1 (index 1,2) |
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Tear resistance | EN 388 |
2 (25 N) |
1 (10 N) |
7 (S) | 7 | 310 / 12,2” | |
Puncture resistance | EN 388 | 2 (60 N) | 1 (20 N) | ||||
Burning behaviour | EN 407 | 3 | 2 | 8 (M) | 8 | 320 / 12,6” | |
Contact heat resistance | EN 407 | 1 (contact temperature 100 °C) | 1 (contact temperature 100 °C) | ||||
Convective heat resistance | EN 407 | 2 (HTI ≥ 7) | - | 9 (L) | 9 | 330 / 13” | |
Resistance to small splashes of molten metal | EN 407 | 3 (25 drops) | 2 (15 drops) | ||||
Dexterity | EN 420 | 1 (minimum diameter 11 mm) | 4 (minimum diameter 6,5 mm) |
10 (XL) |
10 | 340 / 13,4” | |
Gloves type B are reccomended for welding which requires high dexterity, as for TIG welding. Gloves type A are reccomended for other welding processes. |
11 (XXL) |
11 | 350 / 13,8” |
EN 511:2006 - Protective gloves against cold | ||||||
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It defines the protection from at least one kind of cold, convective and contact cold, while waterproofness is optional: |
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LEVELS | |||||
MARKING |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 | ||
A. Convective cold |
Thermal insulation value |
0,10 ≤ ITR < 0,15 |
0,15 ≤ ITR < 0,22 |
0,22 ≤ ITR < 0,30 |
0,30 ≤ ITR |
|
B. Cold contact |
Thermal resistance R (m2 K/W) |
0,025 ≤ R < 0,050 |
0,050 ≤ R < 0,100 |
0,100 ≤ R < 0,150 |
0,150 ≤ R |
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C. Water resistance * |
1 Achieved |
0 |
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*The performance level 1 indicates that no water transit occurred at the end of the trial period. When this requirement is not fulfilled, it is indicated with performance level 0 and the gloves if they are wet can lose their insulating capacities. |
EN ISO 374-1:2016+A1:2018 (replace EN 374-1:2003) - Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms | |||||
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Part 1: Terminology and performance requirements for chemical risks Specifies the requirements for protective gloves intended to protect the user against dangerous chemicals and defines terms to be used. |
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EN 374-2:2014 (replace EN 374-2:2003) - Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms | |||||
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Part 2: Determination of resistance to penetration Specifies a test method for the penetration resistance of gloves that protect against dangerous chemicals and/or micro-organisms. The tested gloves must pass the air leakage test (verifying the absence of holes on the surface after the pressurization with air of the inner part of the glove) and / or the water leakage test (verifying the absence of drops on the external surface after filling the glove with water). Such tests must be carried out in compliance with requirements and acceptable quality levels (AQL) of ISO 2859 standard, provided and / or established for quality assurance during production. The AQL (Accepted Quality Level) evaluates the quality of each production batch determining the probability of finding holes. For this reason a lower AQL (for example 0.65 rather than 1.5) will correspond to a lower statistical probability of finding defects / holes. |
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PERFORMANCE LEVEL | ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL UNIT (AQL) | TEST LEVEL | |||
Level 3 | < 0,65 | G1 | |||
Level 2 | < 1,5 | G1 | |||
Level 1 | < 4,0 | S4 | |||
EN 16523-1:2015 (replace EN 374-3:2003) - Determination of material resistance to permeation by chemicals | |||||
Part 1: Permeation by potentially hazardous liquid chemicals under conditions of continuous contact Specifies a test method for the determination of the resistance of gloves to permeation by potential hazardous liquid chemicals under the condition of continuous contact (this test method is not adapted for the assessment of chemical mixtures, except for aqueous solutions). The permeation resistance of these chemical products is evaluated by measuring their relative crossing time from the outer surface of the glove to the internal surface in contact with the skin . Based on this measurement, the glove resistance is established by the reference permeation performance level by a range of value from 1 to 6, as quoted here below: |
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TIME MEASURED TO PENETRATION (min) | PERMEATION PERFORMANCE LEVEL | ||||
> 10 | 1 | ||||
> 30 | 2 | ||||
> 60 | 3 | ||||
> 120 | 4 | ||||
> 240 | 5 | ||||
> 480 | 6 | ||||
The list of chemical products that can be tested according to EN 16523-1 standard: 2015 includes, in addition to 12 chemical products already mentioned in the previous EN 374-3:2003 standard (concerning the letters from A to L), further 6 chemical products (concerning the letters from M to T) for a total of 18 chemical products listed here below. |
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CODE LETTER | CHEMICALS | CAS NUMBER | CLASS | ||
A | Methanol | 67-56-1 | Primary alcohol | ||
B | Acetone | 67-64-1 | Ketone | ||
C | Acetonitrile | 75-05-8 | Nitrile compound | ||
D | Dichloromethane | 75-09-2 | Chlorinated hydrocarbon | ||
E | Carbon disulphide | 75-15-0 | Sulphur containing organic | ||
F | Toluene | 108-88-3 | Aromatic hydrocarbon | ||
G | Diethylamine | 109-89-7 | Amine | ||
H | Tetrahydrofuran | 109-99-9 | Heterocyclic and ether compound | ||
I | Ethyl acetate | 141-78-6 | Ester | ||
J | N-heptane | 142-82-5 | Saturated hydrocarbon | ||
K | 40% Sodium hydroxide | 1310-73-2 | Inorganic base | ||
L | 96% Sulphuric acid | 7664-93-9 | Inorganic mineral acid, oxidant | ||
M | 65% Nitric acid | 7697-37-2 | Inorganic mineral acid, oxidant | ||
N | 99% Acetic acid | 64-19-7 | Organic acid | ||
O | 25% Ammonium hydroxide | 1336-21-6 | Inorganic base | ||
P | 30% Hydrogen peroxide | 7722-84-1 | Peroxide | ||
S | 40% Hydrofluoric acid | 7664-39-3 | Inorganic mineral acid | ||
T | 37% Formaldehyde | 50-00-0 | Aldehyde | ||
According to their permeation performances, chemical protective gloves are classified into three types (starting from 21/04/2018 according to EN 16523-1:2015 standard): |
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GLOVE TYPE | MARKING | REQUIREMENTS | |||
Penetration | Permeation | ||||
Type A | Protective gloves must not show any leak when subjected to air leakage and water leakage tests. |
Permeation performance must be at least level 2 for a minimum of six test chemical products. |
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Type B | Protective gloves must not show any leak when subjected to air leakage and water leakage tests. |
Permeation performance must be at least level 2 for a minimum of three test chemical products. |
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Type C | Protective gloves must not show any leak when subjected to air leakage and water leakage tests. |
Permeation performance must be at least level 1 for a minimum of one test chemical product. |
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During the transition period that will last until the 21th of April 2023 it will be possible to find the pictograms relating to the previous EN 374-3: 2003 standard, that is: |
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Protection against chemicals The glove marked with the pictogram on the side achieves a minimum permeation performance level of 2 for at least three chemicals. |
Impermeability to water and low chemical protection |
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EN 374-4:2013 - Protective gloves against chemicals and micro-organisms | ||||||
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Part 4: Determination of resistance to degradation by chemicals It specifies the test method for the determination of the resistance of protective glove materials to degradation by dangerous chemicals with continuous contact. The deterioration due to the contact with chemical product is a damaging change of one or more characteristics of the protective glove material. Among these changes it is possible include: break-up, swelling, disintegration, embrittlement, color variations, dimension variations, look, hardening and softening. This resistance to deterioration is determined by measuring the percentage of perforation resistance of glove material due to continuous contact ( for an hour) of glove external surface with the tested chemical product. |
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EN ISO 374-5:2016 - Protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms | ||||||
Part 5: Terminology and performance requirements for micro-organisms risks It specifies the requirements and test methods for protective gloves intended to protect the user against micro-organisms, that means against those microbiological agents such as bacteria, virus or fungi. The gloves that have not leakage when they are tested to penetration resistance defined by EN 374-2:2014 standard are considered as resistant to bacteria and fungi, so they pass both air and water leakage test. On the other hand, gloves that are tested according to ISO 16604:2004 standard (procedure B) that do not show any detectable transfer ( < 1 PFU/ml) of ) PHI- X174 bacteriophage are considered as resistant to viruses (as well as bacteria and fungi). |
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GLOVE TYPE |
MARKING |
REQUIREMENTS | ||||
Penetration | Protection against viruses | |||||
Protective gloves against bacteria and fungi |
- |
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Protective gloves against viruses, bacteria and fungi |
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EN 455 - Medical gloves for single use | ||||||
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EN 455-1:2020 - Requirements and testing for freedom from holes EN 455-2:2015 - Requirements and testing for physical properties EN 455-3:2015 - Requirements and testing for biological evaluation EN 455-4:2009 - Requirements and testing for shelf life determination |
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EN 16350:2014 – Protective gloves - Electrostatic properties | ||||||
This European Standard provides additional requirements for protective gloves that are worn in areas where flammable or explosive areas exist or might be present. It specifies a test method and requirements for performance, marking and information for electrostatic dissipative protective gloves to minimize explosion risks. This European Standard does not cover: - protection of electronic devices; - protection against mains voltages; - insulative protective gloves for live working (EN 60903); - protective gloves for welders (EN 12477). |
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EN 1149-2:1997 - Protective clothing - Electrostatic properties | ||||||
Part 2: Test method for measurement of the electrical resistance through a material (vertical resistance) |
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This European Standard specifies a test method for measuring the electrical vertical resistance of protective clothing materials. This European Standard is not applicable for specifying protection against mains voltages. |
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EN 1149-1:2006 - Protective clothing - Electrostatic properties | ||||||
Part 1: Test method for measurement of surface resistivity |
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This standard specifies a test method for materials used in the production of electrostatic dissipative protective clothing (or gloves), to avoid incendiary charges. |
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EU Directive 1999/92/EC - ATEX (ATmosphères EXplosibles) | ||||||
The EU Directive 1999/92/EC (Atex Directive) indicates the requirements for safety and health protection of workers potentially exposed to the risk of explosive atmospheres. COFRA gloves comply with all requirements about the materials and the designing required by the standard UNI EN 16350:2014 (electrostatic properties): they avoid that electrostatic discharges cause fires, thus making the glove suitable to be used in ATEX environments (CEN/CLC/TR 16832:2015). |
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EN ISO 14419:2010 – Textiles - Oil repellency - Hydrocarbon resistance test | ||||||
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European food contact regulations | ||||||
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OEKO-TEX® | ||||||
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REACH | ||||||
In order to safeguard the consumers’ health, the European Union issued the REACH regulation (come into force on 1st June 2007) which forbids the use of certain chemicals. COFRA guarantees that all its gloves comply with the REACH regulation; they do not contain forbidden or limited substances (Aromatic amines and 4-aminobenzoic acid deriving from azo dyes, heavy metals, phthalates, and so on) and, to guarantee it, all garments and accessories used during production are subjected to controls. |
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UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) | ||||||
New product conformity marking, used for most of the products placed on the Great Britain market (England, Wales and Scotland) now covered by regulations and directives for EC marking. |
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TP TC 019/2011 | ||||||
Technical regulation on the safety of Personal Protective Equipment distributed in the territory of the Eurasian Customs Union. |