EN 455 is the European standard measuring the quality and strength of single use gloves. To carry the EN455 mark the gloves must pass three separate tests before they're considered safe to be used. These are:
Part 1: Requirements and testing of gloves for freedom from holes.
Part 2: Requirements and tests for physical properties.
Part 3: Requirements and tests for biological evaluation.
Between them, each test ensures your gloves act as a barrier against micro-organisms, perform effectively without breaking and protect you against hazardous material in the workplace.
Although the EN455 markings are only mandatory for medical use the HSE and other professional bodies in the UK strongly recommend that all industries insist that only EN455 rated gloves are used. The reason for this recommendation is to ensure that all workers using single use gloves are assured they have maximum protection, and the gloves are suitable for the application.
The ON-Hand range of gloves we supply here at HTS are all fully compliant with EN455 parts 1,2 and 3. They also conform to EN ISO374-5 and EN ISO374-1 standards. While there may be cheaper gloves out there in the market the potential health risks are not worth taking!
