ANSI/ISEA 105 Cut Levels A1 to A9: Choosing Work Gloves

ANSI/ISEA 105 cut levels run from A1 to A9, and each level is the force, in grams, that a blade needs to cut through the glove material in a standard lab test. A1 begins at 200 grams-force and A9 at 6,000. To choose, find the sharpest edge your crew handles on a normal shift, pick the lowest cut level that covers it, then choose a palm coating for the surface they grip.

The rating has a limit, and it belongs right next to the number. A cut level measures resistance to a straight blade under controlled conditions. It does not make a glove cut-proof, and cut-resistant gloves are not for powered or serrated blades.

How the ANSI/ISEA 105 cut test works

The cut test is ASTM F2992, run on a machine called the TDM-100. A straight blade is drawn across the glove material under a set load, and the lab finds the load in grams-force (gf) that cuts through with 20 mm of blade travel. The more force it takes, the higher the level.

The current edition is ANSI/ISEA 105-2024, published by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) in November 2024. ISEA says the update made no major changes to the test methods or the protection levels, so the A1 to A9 scale reads the same as it did under the 2016 edition. What changed is the label, covered further down.

ANSI/ISEA 105 cut levels chart, A1 to A9

The steps between levels get wider as you climb. A5 takes 11 times the force of A1, and A9 takes 30 times.

Which cut level do you need for your job?

ISEA's key to hand protection classifications groups example applications by cut level:

• A1 to A3: material handling, small parts assembly with sharp edges, packaging, warehouse work, general purpose and construction.
• A4 to A5: appliance manufacturing, bottle and light glass handling, drywall work, electrical, HVAC, and metal fabrication and handling.
• A6 to A9: metal stamping, metal recycling, glass and window manufacturing, recycling plant sorting and meat processing.

Treat those groups as starting points. Two crews doing "warehouse work" can face very different edges. A picker opening cartons all day handles cardboard and stretch film. A receiver cutting steel strapping off pallets handles something much sharper, and that edge sets the level for anyone who does the job.

Glass is a common sticking point. We tie glass handling to A4, which matches ISEA's placement of bottle and light glass handling in the A4 to A5 band. Glass and window manufacturing sits in the A6 to A9 band, above every level our current line carries, so a crew cutting or fabricating sheet glass needs a higher-rated glove than the ones we sell.

Is a higher cut level always better?

No. A higher cut level often means a thicker or stiffer glove, and that costs feel. A glove that fights a worker on fine tasks tends to come off. A glove in a back pocket protects nobody.

Match the level to the hazard, then pick the lightest glove that meets it.

Coating is the second decision. Cut resistance comes mainly from the knit shell, while grip comes from the palm coating. A thin polyurethane coating keeps fingertip feel for small parts. Nitrile is the coating to look at when parts come off the line oily. Our guide to nitrile, latex and PU coated gloves compares the coatings in detail.

Kiwi cut-resistant gloves at A1 and A4

Every rated Kiwi glove page lists its ANSI/ISEA 105 cut level under its compliance badges and in Specifications.

A1: PUD palm coated grip gloves

The A1 PUD palm coated grip gloves come in grey nylon/spandex, neon stretch polyester, orange nylon and red nylon knits. The palm and fingers carry DexLock, an ultra-thin polyurethane dispersion (PUD) coating. It gives a bare-hand precision grip with abrasion and oil resistance. Synapse fingertips work on touchscreens, so nobody has to pull a glove off to use a scanner. The seamless knit has an open back for airflow, which you notice on a warm afternoon sorting small fasteners, when a heavier glove would already be on the bench.

Cuff color shows the size: green is medium and red is large. The glove size chart covers measuring.

A1 is a light-edge glove. For sheet metal, glass or anything with a burr, move up to A4.

A4: nitrile palm coated polyethylene blend knit

The A4 gloves come in grey and orange, such as the A4 nitrile palm coated grey grip glove, on a polyethylene blend knit. A nitrile (NBR) palm and finger coating gives excellent resistance to oils and greases. Synapse fingertips are here too.

The cut-resistant work gloves collection lists every rated glove we carry, including a higher level above A4.

Our foam latex and string knit gloves carry no ANSI/ISEA 105 rating. They are good grip gloves for general handling. Where the hazard assessment names a cut hazard, use an A1 or A4 glove instead.

Reading the ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 pentagon label

The 2024 edition introduced a pentagon-shaped badge so buyers can read a glove's mechanical ratings at a glance:

• Top center: the cut level, A1 to A9.
• Left side: abrasion, 0 to 6.
• Right side: puncture, 0 to 5.
• X in any position: that property was not tested.

An X is not a zero. It means nobody ran the test, so the glove makes no claim either way. ISEA has also asked manufacturers to drop shorthand versions of the standard's name and write it in full with the level, as in ANSI/ISEA 105 cut level A4.

ANSI/ISEA 105 vs EN 388 cut ratings

Many gloves, Kiwi's included, also carry an EN 388 code. EN 388 is the European standard for mechanical risks, with its own tests. Don't convert one scale into the other. The EN 388 code reads in this order:

1. Abrasion resistance, 0 to 4
2. Coup test blade cut, 0 to 5
3. Tear resistance, 0 to 4
4. Puncture resistance, 0 to 4
5. ISO 13997 (TDM) cut, A to F
6. Impact protection, marked P only where passed

An X means not tested or not applicable. On high-cut materials the coup test blade dulls, so the coup result is replaced by X and the ISO letter is the cut result to read.

Our A4 gloves read 4X43D: abrasion 4, coup test X, tear 4, puncture 3, ISO cut D. On the A1 PUD gloves the code depends on the knit. The grey nylon/spandex reads 4142A, which is abrasion 4, coup cut 1, tear 4, puncture 2 and ISO cut A. The orange nylon reads 4141A, the red nylon 4131A and the neon stretch polyester 4121A. Our guide to EN 388 ratings walks through every digit.

What cut-resistant gloves don't protect against

The A1 and A4 gloves also list EN 407: X1XXXX. That is contact heat level 1 only, a threshold of 100 °C contact for at least 15 seconds. It is not flame protection.

Kiwi gloves are not flame resistant and not arc rated. They are not for chemical or electrical protection, and we don't sell EN 374 chemical-resistant gloves. Keep any glove away from rotating or moving machinery where it can be caught and pull a hand in.

Checklist: choosing a cut level for a task

OSHA's hand protection rule, 29 CFR 1910.138, bases glove selection on "performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the task(s) to be performed, conditions present, duration of use, and the hazards and potential hazards identified." Walk the job with this list:

• What edges do hands touch: cardboard and film, sheet metal, glass, strapping or stampings?
• Is the edge fixed or moving? Sliding sheet metal is a different hazard from opening a box.
• Is the surface dry, wet or oily? That points to the coating.
• How much fine work is involved? Screws, connectors and labels call for a thinner glove.
• Do workers use phones or scanners? Touchscreen fingertips keep gloves on hands.
• Is there heat? Check the EN 407 rating, and remember contact heat is not flame protection.
• Does your safety plan or a customer contract name a minimum cut level? Meet it.

Before buying in volume, have a few workers wear two candidate levels on the real task for a full shift.

Frequently asked questions

What cut level do I need for handling glass?

For bottles and light glass handling, start at A4. ISEA places that work in its A4 to A5 group, and Kiwi ties glass handling to A4. Glass and window manufacturing sits in ISEA's A6 to A9 group, which calls for a higher-rated glove.

Is an A1 cut level enough for warehouse work?

For cartons, film and general picking, often yes. ISEA lists warehouse work and packaging in its A1 to A3 group. If workers cut steel strapping, handle sheet metal or open crates with sharp edges, move to A4.

Are cut-resistant gloves cut-proof?

No. A cut level shows how much force a straight blade needs to cut through the material in a lab test. Cut-resistant gloves reduce the risk of cuts, and they are not for powered or serrated blades.

Can you wash cut-resistant gloves?

Kiwi gloves are hand wash only, in cold water with mild detergent, then air dried away from heat and sun. Don't machine wash, bleach, wring or tumble dry them. Replace gloves saturated with oils, fuels or chemicals, because washing does not restore performance after contamination.

Buying cut-resistant gloves by the case

Gloves go fast on a busy site, and a crew rarely needs a single size or a single cut level. Request a quote with the sizes, levels and quantities you need, and we'll price the order. Dealers and distributors can open a wholesale account through sales@kiwiworkwear.com.

We write these guides to help buyers compare gloves, not to give legal advice. The final call on cut level belongs to your hazard assessment and any local or contract requirements.