EN 12477:2001

Protective gloves for welders

This European Standard specifies requirements and test methods for protective gloves for use in manual metal welding, cutting and allied processes.
Protective gloves for welders protect the hands and the wrists during the process of welding and related tasks.
Protective gloves for welders protect against small splashes of molten metal, short contact exposure to limited flame, convective heat and contact heat and U.V. radiation from the arc. Besides, they protect against mechanical aggressions.
According to their performance, protective gloves for welders are classified into two types :
- type A : lower dexterity (with higher other performance),
- type B : higher dexterity (with lower other performance).
Protective gloves for special welding processes are outside the scope of this standard.

Schutzhandschuhe für Schweißer

Diese Europäische Norm legt wesentliche Anforderungen an und Prüfverfahren für Schutzhandschuhe zum manuellen Schweißen, Schneiden und für verwandte Verfahren fest. Schutzhandschuhe für Schweißer schützen die Hände und Handgelenke beim Schweißen und bei damit verbundenen Arbeiten.
Schutzhandschuhe für Schweißer schützen die Hände und die Handgelenke während des Schweißvorgangs und ähnlichen Arbeiten. Schutzhandschuhe für Schweißer schützen vor kleinen Spritzern geschmolzenen Metalls, kurzem Kontakt mit beschränkter Flammeneinwirkung, konvektiver Wärme und Kontaktwärme und UV-Strahlen vom Lichtbogen. Darüber hinaus schützen sie gegen mechanische Angriffe.
Entsprechend ihrer Anforderungen werden Schutzhandschuhe für Schweißer in zwei Ausführungen unterteilt:
- Ausführung A: geringe Fingerfertigkeit (mit hohen anderen Anforderungen)
- Ausführung B: hohe Fingerfertigkeit (mit geringen anderen Anforderungen)
Schutzhandschuhe für besondere Schweißprozesse gehören nicht zum Anwendungsbereich dieser Norm.

Gants de protection pour soudeurs

La présente Norme spécifie les exigences et les méthodes d'essai applicables aux gants de protection utilisés pour le soudage et le coupage manuels des métaux, et les techniques connexes.
Les gants de protection pour soudeurs protégent les mains et les poignets lors du procédé de soudage et des tâches associées.
Les gants de protection pour soudeurs protègent contre les petites projections de métal fondu, l'exposition de courte durée à une flamme limitée, la chaleur convective, la chaleur de contact et le rayonnement UV émis par l'arc. En outre, ils protègent contre les agressions mécaniques.
Les gants de protection pour soudeurs sont classés en deux types :
Type A : moins grande dextérité (avec les autres performances plus élevées),
type B : plus grande dextérité (avec les autres performances plus faibles).
Les gants de protection pour les procédés de soudage spéciaux sont exclus du domaine d'application de cette norme.

Varovalne rokavice za varilce

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 02-Oct-2001
• Withdrawal Date: 29-Apr-2002
• ICS: 13.340.10 - Protective clothing
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 162 - Protective clothing including hand and arm protection and lifejackets
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 162/WG 8 - Protective gloves
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 12-Dec-2016
• Completion Date: 14-Apr-2025
• Directive: 2016/425 - Regulation (EU) 2016/425 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on personal protective equipment and repealing Council Directive 89/686/EEC
• Directive: 89/686/EEC - Council Directive 89/686/EEC of 21 December 1989 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to personal protective equipment
• Mandate: M/031 - Standardization mandate to CEN/CENELEC concerning standards for Personal Protective Equipment
• Ref Project: SIST EN 12477:2002 - Protective gloves for welders

Relations

• Amended By: EN 12477:2001/A1:2005 - Protective gloves for welders
• Effective Date: 22-Dec-2008
• Revised: prEN 12477 - Protective gloves for welders
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2021

Overview

EN 12477:2001 is a European Standard developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) that specifies the requirements and test methods for protective gloves for welders. These gloves are designed to safeguard the hands and wrists during manual metal welding, cutting, and allied processes. The standard ensures that welding gloves provide protection against multiple hazards encountered in welding tasks, including mechanical risks, thermal exposures, and ultraviolet radiation from welding arcs.

This standard is essential for manufacturers, safety officers, and users of welding gloves, offering clear guidelines to ensure optimum protection and performance in demanding industrial environments.

Key Topics

• Protection Characteristics: EN 12477 covers protection against:

  • Small splashes of molten metal
  • Short contact with limited flames
  • Convective and contact heat
  • Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from welding arcs
  • Mechanical risks such as abrasion, tearing, cutting, and puncturing

• Classification of Gloves:

  • Type A: Gloves with lower dexterity but higher protection performance.
  • Type B: Gloves with higher dexterity but relatively lower protection levels.

• Performance Requirements:

  • Abrasion resistance
  • Blade cut resistance
  • Tear resistance
  • Puncture resistance
  • Burning behavior
  • Contact heat resistance (tested at 100 °C)
  • Convective heat resistance (Type A only)
  • Resistance to small splashes of molten metal
  • Dexterity testing to assess usability

• Test Methods:

  • EN 388 for mechanical risks (abrasion, cuts, tears, punctures)
  • EN 407 for thermal risks (burning behavior, heat resistance)
  • EN 702 for contact heat transmission
  • EN 348 for molten metal splash resistance
  • EN 367 for convective heat resistance
  • prEN 420 for general glove requirements and dexterity

• Marking and Manufacturer Information:

  • Gloves must be marked clearly with the standard number (EN 12477), type (A or B), and pictograms indicating protection levels against thermal and mechanical risks.
  • Detailed manufacturer instructions on recommended use and care, emphasizing the intended application and cleaning procedures.

• Scope Exclusion:

  • Gloves for special welding processes are explicitly excluded from this standard, focusing primarily on general manual metal welding applications.

Applications

EN 12477-compliant welding gloves are crucial for:

• Manual metal welding operations such as MMA (Manual Metal Arc), MIG (Metal Inert Gas), and MAG (Metal Active Gas) welding.
• Cutting and allied processes where exposure to thermal and mechanical hazards is prevalent.
• Industrial, construction, and fabrication environments requiring robust hand protection to prevent burns, cuts, and other injuries.
• Work situations demanding a balance between protection and dexterity, allowing welders to handle tools and perform precise operations safely.
• Occupational safety programs aiming to comply with EU directives on personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly Directive 89/686/EEC.

Welding gloves classified as Type A are recommended where high thermal protection is critical, though with some reduction in manual dexterity. Conversely, Type B gloves suit applications like TIG welding, where finer manual control is necessary despite lower thermal protection.

Related Standards

EN 12477:2001 references multiple key European and international standards applicable to protective gloves and welding safety:

• EN 388: Protective gloves against mechanical risks including abrasion, cuts, tears, and punctures.
• EN 407: Protective gloves against thermal risks due to heat and fire.
• EN 702: Test method for assessing contact heat transmission through protective clothing materials.
• EN 348: Determination of behavior of materials on impact of small splashes of molten metal.
• EN 367: Protection against convective heat transmission.
• prEN 420: General requirements for protective gloves, including sizing, comfort, and dexterity.
• ISO 857-1: Vocabulary for welding and allied processes.

Compliance with EN 12477 also aligns with essential health and safety requirements of the EU Directive 89/686/EEC concerning personal protective equipment. It provides a structured approach to ensure gloves used in welding environments meet harmonized quality and safety benchmarks across the European market.

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Keywords: EN 12477, welding gloves standard, protective gloves for welders, thermal protection gloves, mechanical risk gloves, Type A gloves, Type B gloves, welding safety, EU PPE directive, EN 388, EN 407, manual metal welding gloves, convective heat resistance, molten metal splash protection.

Standards Content (Sample)

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Varovalne rokavice za varilceSchutzhandschuhe für SchweißerGants de protection pour soudeursProtective gloves for welders25.160.01Varjenje, trdo in mehko spajkanje na splošnoWelding, brazing and soldering in general13.340.40Varovanje dlani in rokHand and arm protectionICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 12477:2001SIST EN 12477:2002en01-junij-2002SIST EN 12477:2002SLOVENSKI
STANDARD
EUROPEAN STANDARDNORME EUROPÉENNEEUROPÄISCHE NORMEN 12477October 2001ICS 13.340.40English versionProtective gloves for weldersGants de protection pour soudeursSchutzhandschuhe für SchweißerThis European Standard was approved by CEN on 13 January 2001.CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this EuropeanStandard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such nationalstandards may be obtained on application to the Management Centre or to any CEN member.This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translationunder the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Management Centre has the same status as the officialversions.CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATIONCOMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATIONEUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNGManagement Centre: rue de Stassart, 36
B-1050 Brussels© 2001 CENAll rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reservedworldwide for CEN national Members.Ref. No. EN 12477:2001 ESIST EN 12477:2002

Part 1: Metal welding processes".The nature and the severity of the risks for welders' hands vary according to the various welding processes. Theperformance (protection and dexterity) required for protective gloves can therefore differ depending on theirintended use.1 ScopeThis European Standard specifies requirements and test methods for protective gloves for use in manual metalwelding, cutting and allied processes.Protective gloves for welders protect the hands and the wrists during the process of welding and related tasks.Protective gloves for welders protect against small splashes of molten metal, short contact exposure to limitedflame, convective heat and contact heat and U.V. radiation from the arc. Besides, they protect against mechanicalaggressions.According to their performance, protective gloves for welders are classified into two types :- type A : lower dexterity (with higher other performance),- type B : higher dexterity (with lower other performance).Protective gloves for special welding processes are outside the scope of this standard.2 Normative referencesThis European standard incorporates, by dated or undated references, provisions from other publications. Thesenormative references are quoted at the appropriate places in the text and the publications are listed hereafter. Fordated references, subsequent amendments or revisions of any of these publicatio
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