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EN 659: 2003 + A1: 2008
Protective gloves for firefighters

A specialist standard for gloves used in firefighting that references test procedures from EN 420, EN 388 and EN 407 plus other specific tests for properties such as resistance to water and chemical penetration.

Burning Behaviour

The fingers of a glove are exposed to a small gas flame for a specified time (3 and 15s), while the behaviour of the glove is visually observed. Classification is based on the afterflame and afterglow time and whether or not the glove seams open and the glove material melts or drips.

Contact Heat

The thermal insulation of the glove is measured by the rate of temperature rise of a calorimeter on the inside of the glove while the glove outer is placed in contact with a hot probe of defined dimensions and temperature.

Convective Heat

The thermal insulation of the glove is measured by the rate of temperature rise of a calorimeter on the inside of the glove while the glove outer is placed in contact with a controlled gas flame.

Radiant Heat

The thermal insulation of the glove is measured by the rate of temperature rise of a calorimeter on the inside of the glove while the glove outer is exposed to radiant heat of a defined flux density.

Small Molten Metal

The thermal insulation of the glove is measured by the rate of temperature rise of a calorimeter on the inside of the glove while drops of molten metal of specified size impact the glove outer at defined rate.