National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 659:2003, incorporating corrigendum June 2009. It supersedes BS EN 659:2003 which is withdrawn.

The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in the text by tags. Tags indicating changes to CEN text carry the number of the CEN amendment. For example, text altered by CEN amendment A1 is indicated by .

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted by Technical Committee PH/3, Protective clothing to subcommittee PH/3/8, Protective gloves.

A list of organizations represented on this subcommittee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 25 June 2003

Introduction

Suitable gloves for firefighters can enable the firefighters to work for long periods under hazardous conditions. However, it is not possible to relate the performance levels achieved in laboratory testing to protection levels under actual use conditions because the thermal hazards in wet and dry conditions may be very different.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 7 February 2003 and includes Amendment 1 approved by CEN on 5 January 2008.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN 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 translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Foreword

This document (EN 659:2003+A1:2008) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 162, "Protective clothing including hand and arm protection and lifejackets", the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This document shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by September 2008 and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by September 2008.

This document includes Amendment 1, approved by CEN on 2008-01-05.

This document supersedes EN 659:2003.

This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EU Directive(s).

For relationship with EU Directive(s), see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part of this document.

Annex A is informative.

According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

1 Scope

This European Standard defines minimum performance requirements and test methods for firefighters' protective gloves.

This European Standard applies only to firefighters' protective gloves which protect the hands during normal firefighting, including search and rescue.

These gloves are not intended for deliberate handling of liquid chemicals, but provide some protection against accidental contact with chemicals.

Protective gloves for special operations within firefighting service are excluded from the scope of this standard.

2 Normative references

3 Requirements

3.1 General requirements

3.2 Sizes

3.3 Abrasion resistance

3.4 Cut resistance

3.5 Tear resistance

3.6 Puncture resistance

3.7 Burning behaviour

3.8 Convective heat resistance

3.9 Radiant heat resistance

3.10 Contact heat resistance

3.11 Heat resistance of the lining material

3.12 Heat shrinkage

3.13 Dexterity

3.14 Seam breaking strength

3.15 Time for the removal of gloves

3.16 Resistance of glove material to water penetration (optional)

3.17 Whole glove integrity test

3.18 Resistance to liquid chemical penetration

4 Preconditioning and testing conditions

5 Marking

6 Information supplied by the manufacturer

BS EN 659:2003+A1:2008

Protective gloves for firefighters

Current, Under Review

Published:

25 Jun 2003