Cut ratings have become a trendy topic in industrial safety, with glove manufacturers developing new blends of High Performance Polyethylene (HPPE) that stretch our imaginations regarding what fabric can do. Blends of Aramid®, Kevlar®, and other engineered fabrics have raised the threshold on hand protection.
HPPE blends allow for user comfort, coupled with extreme protection. Many cut-resistant glove options have turned up on the market, and the testing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has precipitated a veritable lab war between the U.S. and European standards. While EN testing was originally developed for the European Union, it is accepted nearly worldwide as a safety certification. Meanwhile, ANSI testing has gained traction recently on many U.S. jobsites, as many in America feel it is “tougher” to get a high rating.