When Is a Glove More Than a Glove?

Get to know the updated ANSI/ISEA 105 hand protection standard.

• By Cam Mackey
• Jun 30, 2025

Ancient Romans called it the manus. We call it the hand. We use it for nearly everything: grasping other hands in greeting, waving farewell, gripping tools, picking up children, twisting lids off of jars, steering cars. And we have a bad habit of taking  our hands for granted—except when one of them is injured. 

Rare is the adult hand that hasn’t been slightly singed in a minor kitchen mishap or thumped on the thumb with a hammer. But workplace risks often present far more serious potential injuries: cuts, burns, broken bones, punctures, crushing, amputations and more. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 238,900 total workplace hand injuries for 2021-20221. 

OSHA has noted that 71 percent of hand and arm injuries could have been prevented with personal protective equipment (PPE), specifically safety gloves. Yet, 70 percent of workers don’t wear hand protection. And of those who do, 30 percent don’t wear the right kind of glove for the task. 

Those stats make an updated industry standard for hand protection all the more critical. The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) recently announced the release of an updated standard for hand protection products:ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 American National Standard for Hand Protection Classification2. Its the sixth edition of the voluntary industry consensus standard on hand and arm protection classification that was first published in 1999. 

Employers and workers alike need guidance to help them easily select the right gloves for safety and performance. The latest standard introduces significant updates to glove labeling, aimed at enhancing clarity and uniformity to the way glove manufacturers display levels of protection. The standard provides or refers to appropriate test methods for specified criteria and provides pass/fail criteria to allow users to interpret test results and determine if certain hand protection products meet their needs. 

Improved Glove Labeling 

As Dr. Andrew Funk, chair of the ISEA Hand Protection Product Group and senior laboratory manager at Wells Lamont Industrial, explains: “The biggest change made by ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 is in product labeling. It made no major changes to test methods or levels of protection.” 

The updated standard specifies the use of a new pictogram label in the form of a pentagon badge, with the glove's abrasion, cut, and puncture ratings displayed inside. 

The standard also specifies the positioning of the label's elements within the pentagon: 

• The Cut rating symbol is in the top center. 

• The Abrasion rating symbol is on the left. 

• The Puncture rating symbol is on the right. 

•  An 'X' can be applied in place of a rating to indicate the classification was not tested or is not applicable. 

The test results being used to indicate protection levels are not changing. Rather, what's changing is how they are shown. Prior to the new pentagon badge system introduced in ANSI/ISEA 105-2024, manufacturers used their own individual systems of shields and graphics to convey protection levels. The new approach provides uniformity and predictability for the entire industrial hand-protection ecosystem. 

Funk emphasizes that every glove conforming to ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 should show the new pentagon label containing the protection level. The improved labeling will help buyers, d end-users, and workers instantly recognize whether a particular glove is suitable for the task at hand (no pun intended). 

ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 also includes specific language for demonstrating conformity, referencing ANSI/ISEA 125-2021, American National Standard for Conformity Assessment of Safety and Personal Protective Equipment, which is available as a free download3.  

Proper Referencing Is Also Vital 

The updated standard also notes that the ANSI® mark must not be used on the product, packaging or marketing materials in such a way that implies that ANSI has approved or certified a product. 

For example, manufacturers or suppliers of gloves that conform to ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 should not use terms such as 'ANSI Cut' or 'ANSI 105.' This is an ISEA standard, and it must be included when referencing the standard. Use ANSI/ISEA, the number 105, and the standard year (ANSI/ISEA 105-2024). 

Resources Available 

• Hand protection can consist of protective gloves, arm coverings or elbow-length gloves, or finger guards. Protective gloves can be fabric or coated fabric; leather, canvas, or metal mesh; chemical-resistant material; or insulated rubber. 

• The OSHA PPE standard for hand protection,29 CFR 1910.1384, specifies the selection criteria to be used when providing hand protection and ensures that employers provide their workers with PPE that is relevant to their work. 

• To help all stakeholders navigate the changes made to ANSI/ISEA 105-2024, ISEA has educational resources available at safetyequipment.org/gloves5. 

REFERENCES: 

1. https://tinyurl.com/4dc66em3 

2. https://tinyurl.com/46bnje86 

3. https://tinyurl.com/3ccwxbvt 

4. https://tinyurl.com/4h46zhax 

5. https://tinyurl.com/2awp3yfp 

This article originally appeared in the June 2025 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.