Chemical Resistant Gloves

Nitrile, neoprene, butyl and latex gloves certified to EN ISO 374-1:2016 for handling acids, solvents, oils and process chemicals, with EN ISO 374-5 options for micro-organism risk.

How to choose a chemical resistant glove

Chemical glove selection is the one area of hand protection where a general purpose answer is always wrong. Two liquids in the same chemical family can behave completely differently against the same polymer. Start from the substance and the concentration, not from the category.

EN ISO 374-1:2016 Types A, B and C

The standard defines a list of eighteen test chemicals, each with a letter code from A to T. A glove is challenged with the chemicals the manufacturer claims, and the type is set by how many it resists for at least 30 minutes.

Type A. At least six test chemicals at breakthrough performance level 2 or better.
Type B. At least three test chemicals at level 2 or better.
Type C. At least one test chemical at level 1 or better.

Type A and Type B gloves print the letter codes of the chemicals they passed underneath the pictogram. Those letters are the useful part of the marking. A Type A glove that passed six letters none of which is your chemical is no help at all.

Breakthrough time, levels 1 to 6

Breakthrough is measured as the time until the chemical is detected on the inside of the glove at a defined permeation rate.

Level 1, more than 10 minutes.
Level 2, more than 30 minutes.
Level 3, more than 60 minutes.
Level 4, more than 120 minutes.
Level 5, more than 240 minutes.
Level 6, more than 480 minutes.

These are laboratory figures for continuous immersion of flat material at a controlled temperature. Real work involves flexing, heat from the hand and abrasion, all of which shorten the time. Treat the level as a ranking, not as a promise about how long the glove is safe to wear.

Permeation, degradation and penetration

Three separate failure modes are often confused.

Permeation. The chemical moves through the intact glove material at molecular level. Nothing is visible. This is what breakthrough time measures.
Degradation. The material itself is attacked, so it swells, hardens, cracks or softens. This one you can see, and it is reported separately.
Penetration. Liquid passes through a physical flaw, a pinhole or a seam. This is why every certified chemical glove is leak tested.

EN ISO 374-5 and the VIRUS marking

EN ISO 374-5:2016 covers protection against micro-organisms. A glove passing the penetration requirement carries the biohazard pictogram for bacteria and fungi. Only where it has additionally passed the viral penetration test to ISO 16604 may the word VIRUS be printed under the pictogram. If the word is absent, no viral claim has been made.

Material against chemical family

Nitrile. The broad workhorse. Strong against oils, greases, hydrocarbons and many solvents, and mechanically tough. Weak against ketones and some chlorinated solvents.
Neoprene. Good all round performance against acids, alcohols and oxidising agents, with better flexibility at low temperature than nitrile.
Butyl. The choice for ketones, esters and highly polar solvents, and for gas tight applications. Poor against hydrocarbons.
Latex. Excellent against dilute acids, bases and water based chemistry, with outstanding elasticity. Poor against oils and solvents, and carries a protein allergy consideration.

Always confirm the specific substance, its concentration, the temperature and the contact type against manufacturer permeation data before issuing a glove. If the substance is a mixture, no single test result covers it and the assessment has to be conservative.

Chemical Resistant range

GRANBERG 0300: Soft chemical-resistant PVC gloves for cleaning and catering. Rayon flock lined, phthalates-free.
GRANBERG 0122: Chemical-resistant latex gloves with cotton flock lining. Food-safe, virus-tested, and EN 374 Type A certified for labs, food processing, and cleaning.
GRANBERG 2000: Heavy-duty neoprene chemical-resistant gloves. Flock lined with anti-slip grip for industrial use.
GRANBERG 3000: Pro-X® bonded gloves for chemical, heat and food-safe protection. Warm acrylic liner for cold conditions.
GRANBERG 6000: Flexible chemical-resistant gloves for industrial wet work. Sandy nitrile palm, nylon liner.
GRANBERG 0630W: Nitrile chemical-resistant winter gloves with fleece lining and sandy grip.
GRANBERG 9013: Chemical-and-cut resistant gloves with HF acid protection and ANSI A7 rating.
GRANBERG 9015: Chemical protective gloves with 360° anti-cut Typhoon® liner and ANSI A7 rating.
GRANBERG 626: Soft Nitrile™ powder-free single-use disposable gloves in indigo.
GRANBERG 0700: Latex/neoprene blend chemical-resistant gloves. Flock-lined, food-safe, Type A certified.
GRANBERG 1000: Heavy-duty nitrile chemical-resistant gloves. Flock-lined, food-safe, extremely high chemical protection.
GRANBERG 0630: Nitrile chemical-resistant gloves with interlock liner. 4x more durable than PVC, food-safe.
GRANBERG 1046: Extended 46 cm unlined nitrile chemical gloves. Extremely high chemical protection, food-safe.
GRANBERG 0660: Shoulder-length 68 cm nitrile chemical gloves. Interlock lined, food-safe, Type B certified.
GRANBERG 0660W: Shoulder-length 68 cm winter-lined nitrile chemical gloves. Cotton fleece liner, food-safe.
GRANBERG 0400A: Chemical-resistant latex gloves with flock lining. Food-safe, Type A certified, virus-tested.
GRANBERG 8155: PVC chemical-resistant gloves with textured palm for extra grip. Type A certified, 35 cm cuff.
GRANBERG 6060: Chemical and impact resistant nitrile gloves with cotton liner and granulated grip. Type A, 39 cm.
GRANBERG 970: Black nitrile single-use gloves with patented fish scale grip. Powder-free, chemical and virus resistant.
GRANBERG 925: Disposable COATS® nitrile gloves with colloidal oatmeal lining. Skin-healing, medical-grade, virus and chemical resistant.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Type A, B and C under EN ISO 374-1?

The types record how many of the eighteen standard test chemicals a glove resisted for at least 30 minutes. Type A resisted at least six at level 2 or better, Type B at least three, and Type C at least one at level 1 or better. The letter codes printed under the pictogram tell you which chemicals were actually passed.

Does a level 6 breakthrough time mean I can wear the glove for eight hours?

No. Level 6 means more than 480 minutes under laboratory conditions, using flat material at a controlled temperature with no flexing or abrasion. Working conditions shorten breakthrough considerably. Use the level to rank materials, and set your own change out interval well inside it.

What does the VIRUS marking mean?

It means the glove passed the viral penetration test to ISO 16604 in addition to the bacteria and fungi requirement of EN ISO 374-5:2016. Where the biohazard pictogram appears without the word VIRUS, no viral protection claim has been made.

Can I pick a glove based on the chemical category alone?

No. Concentration, temperature, mixtures and contact type all change the result, and two chemicals in the same family can behave very differently against the same polymer. Select against the specific substance using permeation data, and reassess whenever the process chemistry changes.

Request a quote

Send the sizes and quantities you need and we will come back with a written quotation. Contact Knight Safety Gear.