ANSI CUT RATINGS EXPLAINED

The cut resistance standard from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) became effective in North America in March 2016. The updated ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 standard, based on the ASTM F2992-15 testing method, measures cut resistance for Industrial work gloves on a 9-level scale of A1-to-A9. ANSI/ISEA adjusted their cut resistance standards in 2016 to reflect new technological changes in materials and techniques. The previous ANSI/ISEA 105-2011 rating went up to only a 5-level scale.

The levels indicate what the gloves can withstand by the measure of weight in grams until the cut-through is achieved. To understand what each level might be good for, we’ve listed them below and added some industrial applications.

A1: 200–499 grams (Low Cut Hazards)

General purpose, warehousing, and small parts assembly.

A2: 500–999 grams (Light Cut Hazards)

General purpose, plastics injecting and molding, pulp and paper.

A3: 1000–1499 grams (Light/Medium Cut Hazards)

Raw material handling, general manufacturing, and construction.

A4: 1500–2199 grams (Medium Cut Hazards)

HVAC, aerospace, and food prep.

A5: 2200–2999 grams (Medium/High Cut Hazards)

Glass or metal sheet handling, automotive assembly, HVAC

A6: 3000–3999 grams (High Cut Hazards)

Metal fabrication, glass manufacturing, changing blades.

A7: 4000–4999 grams (Higher Cut Hazards)

Meat prep/processing, glass manufacturing, and changing blades.

A8: 5000–5999 grams (Highest Cut Hazards)

Metal stamping, recycling, heavy assembly.

A9: 6000+ grams (Extreme Cut Hazards)

Sharp metal stamping, recycle sorting, metal fabrication.

The ANSI/ISEA 105 ASTM F2992-15 standard uses a straight blade to measure cut resistance on a 20-millimeter distance. This scale allows for testing higher cut-resistant materials and to more accurately categorize them for results up to 6000 gram