Thermal hazards are one of the most common injury sources in industrial and commercial operations, including convective hot air, high-temperature surface contact, thermal radiation, flame exposure and molten metal splashing. Ordinary general-purpose gloves lace stable thermal insulation and flame-retardant properties, which cannot effectively prevent thermal burns.
EN 407 is an official harmonized European standard titled Protective Gloves-Heat Resistance. It established unified testing specifications and performance garding criteria for gloves used in heat and flame-risk environments. The standard covers both industrial and domestic scenarios, such as high-temperature manufacturing, oven operation and barbecue work. It is critical to clarify that EN 407 excludes professional firefighting gloves and welding gloves, which comply with dedicated independent standards. For workplace safety managers and procurement personnel, EN 407 is the core basis for verifying thermal glove protection capabilities.
1. Six Core Test Contents in EN 407
Different thermal hazards come with different heat transfer principles. EN 407 divides thermal protection into six independent test dimensions, covering almost all heat injury types. Each indicator corresponds to a professional protective mechanism and targeted application scenarios:
1.1 Limited Flame Spread
Standard: ISO 15025 Method A
Test content: The burner is placed under the glove such that it lies in the same plane as the vertical mid line of the glove or the middle finger and is perpendicular to the surface of the glove. The distance between the tip of the burner and the lower edge of the glove or the middle finger is 20±2 mm.
Grade: 1-4
1.2 Contact Heat
Standard: EN ISO 12127-1
Test content: The material of the gloves is exposed to temperatures ranging from +100°C to +500°C. The time required for the internal material of the gloves to increase by 10°C from the initial temperature (approximately 25°C) is then measured. 15 seconds is the shortest acceptable approved time.
Grade: 1-4
1.3 Convective Heat
Standard: ISO 9151
Test content: Convection is a mechanism by which heat is transferred from a heat source to another location through the movement of fluids such as water or air. The sample is exposed to the heat source, with the glove kept at a certain distance from the flame, and the time required for the temperature of the inner material of the glove to rise by 24°C is measured.
Grade: 1-4
1.4 Radiant Heat
Standard: EN ISO 6942 Method B
Test content: Glove samples were exposed to a radiative heat source. Similar to the convective heat resistance test, the goal was to evaluate how long it takes for the internal temperature to rise by 24°C.
Grade: 1-4
1.5 Small Drops of Molten Metal
Standard: EN 348
Test content: In the controlled chamber, two palm and two back-of-hand samples were exposed to small droplets of molten metal. The test was based on the total number of molten metal droplets required to cause a 40°C temperature rise between the inside of the glove and the skin.
Grade: 1-4
1.6 Large Drops of Molten Metal
Standard: ISO 9185
Test content: PVC aluminum foil is used to simulate skin attached to the inner surface of the glove material. Then molten metal is poured onto the glove material. The amount of molten metal required to cause damage is measured.
Grade: 1-4
2. Scope and Definition of EN 407 Standard
EN 407 is the unified EU certification standard for thermal and flame protective gloves. It focuses on evaluating the ability of glove materials and structures to resist heat transfer and flame spread under controlled laboratory conditions. It works together with EN ISO 21420, which defines general requirements for protective gloves such as construction, safety and marking.
Applicable scenarios: General industrial high-temperature operation, household thermal operation, catering baking and daily flame contact scenarios.
Non-applicable scenarios: Professional fire rescue gloves and special welding protective gloves are non within the scope of EN 407 certification.
3. Scientific Glove Selection Criteria Based on EN 407
Standardized selection replaces empirical selection, which is the core value of EN 407. Professional procurement and workplace protection should follow the following principles:
Hazard priority matching: Confirm the dominant thermal hazard in the working environment. Prioritize gloves with high-level flame resistance for frequent flame exposure, and high radiant heat resistance for long-term furnace proximity work.
Temperature and duration matching: Select corresponding grade products according to actual contact temperature and sustained heat exposure time, avoiding over-specification procurement and cost waste.
Material performance coordination: High-grade EN 407 certified gloves are mostly made of aramid fiber, ceramic fiber and retardancy and stable thermal insulation, which are the core guarantee of standard compliance.
4. Conclusion
EN 407 is the harmonized European standard for assessing thermal and flame protection performance of protective gloves. It defines six primary thermal hazard categories and establishes a comprehensive quantitative testing and classification system.
Instead of relying on experience to pick gloves, EN 407 provides data-backed benchmarks for workplace safety planning. Matching glove performance classes, material properties and site-specific thermal hazards effectively reduces burn risks, streamline procurement spending, and delivers standardized, evidence-based protection for high-temperature work environments.
When sourcing heat-resistant gloves, always refer to EN 407 test results. The standard’s graded performance data helps you avoid guesswork and select gloves that truly match you on-site thermal risks.
