01
Purpose
EN 407:2020 specifies requirements, testing, marking and user information for protective gloves and other hand protection against heat and/or fire, and is used together with EN ISO 21420.
Hand ProtectionTECHNICAL PPE LIBRARY
EN 407
Protective Gloves Against Thermal Risks Standard
EN 407:2020 specifies requirements, testing, marking and user information for protective gloves and other hand protection against heat and/or fire, and is used together with EN ISO 21420.
Product type
Protective glove/hand protection against heat and/or fire
Field focus
Code + product + conditions of use
TECHNICAL PRODUCT IDENTITY
EN 407
EN 407Standard6-POSITION CODEPerformance codeEN ISO 21420General requirementsAlways verify the actual product label, manufacturer technical documentation and conformity markings.
02
Typical use
Tasks involving hot surfaces, flame, convective/radiant heat or molten-metal splash hazards.
03
What to look for?
Check the EN 407 pictogram and six performance positions: flame spread, contact heat, convective heat, radiant heat, small splashes of molten metal and large quantities of molten metal; X can indicate not tested/not applicable.
CLASSES & SELECTION LOGIC
Technical classes in this standard
A class code is not a selection decision by itself. Interpret it together with task-specific risk assessment and manufacturer data.
1
Flame spread
First performance position; indicates flame behaviour.
2
Contact heat
Second position; indicates hot-surface contact performance.
3-6
Other thermal performances
Convective heat, radiant heat, small and large molten-metal splash performance.
READ THE PRODUCT LABEL
Code & marking decoder
EN 407StandardHand protection against thermal risks.6-POSITION CODEPerformance codeSix positions; X may appear where not tested/not applicable.EN ISO 21420General requirementsGeneral glove requirements used together with EN 407:2020.
READ THE PRODUCT IN THE FIELD
Where is the standard marking found?
Location varies by manufacturer and design. These are the first places to check; final verification must use the actual product and manufacturer documentation.
1
Thermal-risk pictogram and performance code on glove back
The marking should be legible, durable and match the product.
2
Cuff/packaging label
The marking should be legible, durable and match the product.
STANDARD FAMILY
Standards often reviewed together
EN 407:2020Hand protection against thermal risks
EN ISO 21420General glove requirements
EN 12477Welder gloves are a separate product standard
COMMONLY CONFUSED
They are not the same thing
High contact-heat level ≠ high protection against every thermal hazard
The six performance positions represent different thermal hazards.
WRONG-SELECTION EXAMPLE
A typical field mistake
Selecting a glove for flame or molten metal only because contact-heat level is high.
Why is this a problem?
Relevant performance positions are tested separately.
Better approach
Identify the real hazard and verify the corresponding EN 407 performance position with manufacturer data.
WHERE IN THE FIELD?
Typical applications
01
Hot surfaces
02
Flame risk
03
Furnace / process work
04
Molten-metal hazards
HSE FIELD CHECK
30-second field check
Use for quick pre-checks. It does not replace certification, competent inspection or task-specific risk assessment.
CHECK FOCUS
Has the performance position relevant to the actual hazard been tested?
CRITICAL MISTAKE
Selecting a glove for flame or molten metal only because contact-heat level is high.
BETTER APPROACH
Identify the real hazard and verify the corresponding EN 407 performance position with manufacturer data.
1
Has the performance position relevant to the actual hazard been tested?
2
Any burn, hardening or thermal damage?
3
If mechanical strength is needed, has it been verified separately?
4
Are EN ISO 21420 and manufacturer instructions available?
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