EN 381-7 standard: anti-cut gloves for hand chainsaw

The EN 381-7 standard applies to safety gloves for hand chainsaw users. It is therefore mandatory protection for loggers and pruners. This standard indicates the presence of anti-cut reinforcements on the top of the gloves for optimal protection of the hand and possibly the fingers. Indeed, depending on the desired degree of protection, you have the choice between two types of cut-resistant gloves.

The different types of anti-cut gloves - lumbering / special chainsaw

As just mentioned, there are two categories of EN 381-7 cut resistant gloves which differ in their design and the protection provided: type A and type B cut resistant gloves.

Type A anti-cut protection gloves

The type A cut-resistant glove is designed for only protection of the pasterns, that is, the phalanges that make up the back and palm of the hand. The fingers are therefore not protected. The standard requires that the protective surface be at least 110mm wide and 120mm high at the highest point.

Type B cut-resistant protective gloves

Offering better protection, the type B cut-resistant glove also protects the metacarpals and phalanges, but also the fingers except for the thumb. As with type A cut-resistant gloves, its protective surface must have a minimum width of 110 mm while the minimum height required is 190 mm at the highest point.

Specific features of lumberjack gloves with anti-cut protection

You should know that the protections generally only concern the left glove. Indeed, it turns out that when handling the chainsaw, the left hand is the most stressed. Used to hold the handle of the machine, it is most likely to come into contact with the moving chain. For better handling of the chainsaw, the right hand glove does not have protection most of the time. Nevertheless, if you are left-handed or if you do not want to take any risks, it is possible to find models of cut-resistant gloves offering protection for both hands.

It is important to point out that the cut-resistant glove does not guarantee complete protection in the event of an accident. Its role is to slow the speed of the chain when it hits the hand to minimize injury. It is also imperative to change your work gloves once they have cuts as they will no longer be able to accomplish their mission. It will also be useless to try to repair them since it is impossible to repair them.