Overview
EN ISO 374-1:2016/A1:2018 is an amendment to the international and European standard for protective gloves against dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms. Prepared by ISO/TC 94 and adopted by CEN, this amendment (A1) updates terminology and performance requirements for chemical risks and was approved in July 2018. It is intended to support conformity with the EU PPE Regulation and has been endorsed for national implementation across CEN member bodies.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and purpose: Defines terminology and minimum performance criteria for gloves used to protect hands from hazardous chemicals.
- Amendments introduced:
- Replacement of key illustrative figures (Figures 2–4) to clarify requirements and presentation.
- Revision to clause 6.3 requiring manufacturer user instructions to list the tested chemical(s) and provide information about their performance levels.
- Requirement to disclose if additional chemicals (not in the standard list) have been tested and to report their performance levels in the user instructions.
- Standards governance: A1 modifies EN ISO 374-1:2016 without technical change by CEN; member bodies are required to adopt the amendment as a national standard by January 2019.
- Regulatory alignment: The amendment supports essential requirements under the EU PPE framework and highlights potential patent considerations.
Practical applications and users
This amendment is directly relevant to:
- Glove manufacturers - to update specifications, labelling and user instructions to list tested chemicals and associated performance levels.
- Testing laboratories - to ensure test reports and declarations align with the revised clause and figures.
- Procurement and safety professionals - to verify glove selection, compliance documentation and user guidance when managing chemical risks.
- Regulatory and conformity assessment bodies - to assess PPE conformity against the amended EN ISO 374-1 requirements.
Practical benefits include clearer user information on chemical protection performance and strengthened traceability of chemical testing for end-users.
Related standards
- ISO/EN standards in the ISO 374 series covering protective gloves for chemical and microorganism protection (other parts address microorganism resistance, permeation testing and classification).
- EU PPE Regulation compliance documents and CEN/CENELEC implementation guidance.
Keywords: EN ISO 374-1:2016/A1:2018, protective gloves, chemical risks, performance requirements, PPE Regulation, CEN, user instructions, chemical protection.
