EN 388 cut levels explained: the numbers and the letters
EN 388 rates gloves against mechanical risk, and cut resistance appears in the code twice: as the coup test result on a scale of 1 to 5, and as the ISO 13997 TDM result on a scale of A to F. The 2016 revision added the letters. It did not remove the numbers, and both can appear on the same glove.
That is the most misread part of any PPE specification. A buyer asking for "cut level 5" is often sent a glove whose coup digit is X, and assumes something is wrong. Usually nothing is: the material blunted the coup blade, so the rating moved to the letter. What follows is general buyer education on reading the code, not a claim about any particular product.
- The coup test scale of 1 to 5 still exists in the EN 388 code. The 2016 revision added a letter, it did not replace the number.
- Where the material blunts the coup blade, the coup result is reported as X and the ISO 13997 TDM letter A to F carries the cut rating instead.
- X means not tested or not applicable. It is not a zero and it is not a fail.
- There is no official conversion between the 1 to 5 coup scale and the A to F TDM scale, so never substitute on an assumed equivalence.
- If a specification just says "cut level 5", ask the specifier in writing which test they mean before ordering.
What each character in the EN 388 code means
The marking is a string of up to six characters, read left to right in a fixed order. Each position is a different test, so a glove that is excellent in one can be poor in another.
- Abrasion, levels 1 to 4, in cycles of abrasive paper: 100, 500, 2,000 and 8,000.
- Coup cut, levels 1 to 5, an index from a circular blade drawn back and forth across the sample: 1.2, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0.
- Tear, levels 1 to 4, in newtons: 10, 25, 50 and 75.
- Puncture, levels 1 to 4, in newtons: 20, 60, 100 and 150.
- ISO 13997 TDM cut, levels A to F, in newtons: 2, 5, 10, 15, 22 and 30. A straight blade makes a single pass under increasing load.
- Impact, marked P only if the glove passes the impact test the standard references. If it was not tested, the character is simply absent.
Why a genuinely cut-resistant glove often shows an X
The coup test uses a rotating circular blade. That works on leather, coated polyester and general handling materials. It works badly on the fibres used in serious cut protection - high performance polyethylene, glass fibre and steel fibre - because those materials blunt the blade during the test. A blunt blade cuts less, the index inflates, and the result stops meaning anything.
EN 388 handles this honestly. Where blade blunting is observed, the coup result is reported as X and the ISO 13997 TDM test becomes the reference for cut. So a code such as 4X42D is not a glove that failed: its cut performance is stated by the D, at 15 newtons or above. Read X the same way in every position - this test was not applicable or not performed.
The two scales do not convert
Informal cross-reference tables circulate widely and none of them are official. The two tests use different blades, loads, geometry and definitions of failure. One drags a rotating blade repeatedly under fixed load; the other makes a single straight pass and finds the load that cuts through within 20 mm of travel.
There is no recognised conversion between 1 to 5 and A to F. Treating F as "level 5 but better" is guesswork that can end up in a written specification. In practice:
- If a specification states a cut level without naming a test, go back and ask. "Level 5 coup" and "level E to ISO 13997" are different requirements.
- When replacing a discontinued glove, match against the test the specification names. Do not swap a number for a letter.
Cut is only one of the risks on the hand
Over-specifying cut resistance is as common as under-specifying it, and it has a cost: higher grades usually mean a thicker, stiffer glove with less feel. A glove pulled off to handle a small fixing protects nobody, so the highest letter available is rarely the right answer. Read the whole code against the task.
- Abrasion usually decides how long the glove lasts, and so the real cost per shift.
- Puncture to EN 388 uses a blunt steel pin. It does not describe needle resistance, which is a separate test.
- Impact, the optional P, matters more than cut in heavy plant, drilling and pipe handling.
- Heat, cold and chemical risks sit outside EN 388 entirely, under their own standards.
Grip, cuff length and sizing then decide whether the glove is worn at all. A glove a size too large slides and reduces control, raising the chance of the injury it was bought to prevent.
Common questions
Does EN 388 cut level 5 still exist?
Yes. The coup test scale of 1 to 5 remains part of EN 388 and still appears in the code. The 2016 revision added a fifth character, A to F, for cut resistance measured by the ISO 13997 TDM test. It did not delete the coup scale, and many gloves carry a number and a letter.
What does X mean in an EN 388 code?
X means the test was not applicable or was not performed. It is not a zero and not a failure. In the coup cut position it usually means the material blunted the test blade, which is typical of high performance polyethylene, glass fibre and steel fibre gloves. The ISO 13997 letter then carries the cut rating.
Is TDM level F the same as coup cut level 5?
No, and there is no official conversion between the two scales. They use different blades, loads and test geometry, so no fixed relationship exists between a number and a letter. Any conversion table you find is informal. If a specification names a cut level without naming a test, ask which one is meant.
What does the P at the end of an EN 388 marking mean?
P means the glove passed the optional impact protection test, normally knuckle and back-of-hand protection. It is a pass or nothing: if the glove was not tested for impact, the character is simply absent from the code. There are no impact performance levels under EN 388, only the pass mark.
Related
Back to the PPE & safety standards glossary · All glossary terms
Need this checked against a real specification?
Definitions only get you so far. Send us the actual requirement - a PPE schedule, a fixings list, a PQQ question or a marking you cannot make sense of - and the TES team will come back with what matches it. Trade pricing is on the B2B portal.