ISO 15383:2001

This International Standard specifies test methods and minimum requirements for protective gloves to be worn during fire fighting and associated activities where there is a risk of heat and/or flame. The purpose of this International Standard is to provide minimum performance requirements for protective gloves designed to protect against injury in fire fighting operations. This International Standard covers the general glove design, the minimum performance levels of the materials used and the methods of test for determining these performance levels. With the exception of flame resistance and ergonomic requirements, this International Standard establishes three levels of performance for all other performance requirements. Type 3 gloves provide a higher level of thermal insulation and physical protection, and require liquid penetration resistance (including synthetic blood) as compared to Type 2 gloves. Type 1 gloves are intended to provide minimum requirements for gloves in any fire fighting application, such as for wildland fire fighting. Annex E provides a comparison of the performance requirements for all three glove types. This International Standard does not cover special gloves for use in other high risk situations such as specialized fire fighting. It does not cover protection for the head, torso, arms, legs and feet or protection of the hands against other hazards, e.g. chemical, biological, radiation and electrical hazards, except for limited, accidental exposure to fireground chemicals and contaminated blood or body fluids (Type 3 gloves). These aspects may be dealt with in other standards. Selection of the appropriate system of clothing, including gloves, is dependant on carrying out an effective risk assessment which identifies the hazards to be faced, evaluates the likelihood of those hazards and provides the means of reducing or eliminating these hazards. Guidelines for conducting a risk assessment and some factors for consideration are included in annex D.