How back of hand impact gloves work, how to read the EN 388 P mark and ANSI/ISEA 138, and the GRANBERG 5502 as an example.
Crush and strike injuries to the back of the hand are common wherever people handle heavy parts, pallets, pipe or tools. Impact gloves add padded guards where those blows land. This guide explains how they work, how to read the two impact markings you will see on North American spec sheets, why fit and grip matter as much as the guards, and uses the GRANBERG 5502 as the example.
The palm is usually wrapped around a tool or load, so it is protected by what it is holding. The knuckles, the backs of the fingers and the metacarpal bones are exposed. They take the blow when a load swings, a tool slips or a hand is caught between two objects. Impact gloves place molded thermoplastic rubber (TPR) guards over those areas to spread the force of a strike.
EN 388 lists up to six results for mechanical risks. The sixth position is impact. A P there means the glove passed the EN 13594 knuckle impact test. An X or a blank means it was not tested. EN 388 records impact as pass or not tested, without levels.
ANSI/ISEA 138 is the North American impact standard. It measures the force transmitted through the knuckle and finger protection and assigns level 1, 2 or 3, where level 3 transmits the least force. EN 388 and ANSI/ISEA 138 use different methods, so read each on its own terms. Some product records list ANSI/ISEA 138 without a level; in that case ask us before writing a specific level into a specification.
An impact glove only resists cuts to the level its EN 388 cut figures show. If the task also involves sharp edges, look for a glove that combines impact guards with a cut rated liner. The cut resistant glove range explains those ratings.
Guards only work if they stay over the knuckles. A glove that is too large lets the guards slide out of place and makes the hand clumsy. A glove that is too tight restricts the fingers and tires the hand. Measure with the glove sizing guide and try the glove with the actual tools before buying in volume.
Grip matters because many impact injuries start with a slip. A coated palm such as nitrile foam holds better on wet parts than bare fabric. Check the grip conditions listed on the product page against the conditions on site.
The GRANBERG 5502 is a lightweight impact glove with flexible TPR guards over the metacarpals and knuckles, a nylon and spandex liner and a nitrile foam palm coating. Its record lists grip in dry and wet conditions and a tight fit, and it has Sanitized® treatment for odor control.
Its EN 388:2016+A1:2018 marking is 4131XP: abrasion 4, blade cut 1, tear 3, puncture 1, no TDM cut test and impact P. Its record also lists ANSI/ISEA 138-2019 Impact, without a level, and EN 407:2020 X1XXXX, meaning contact heat level 1. With a low cut result it suits tasks where impact is the main hazard and sharp edges are limited, such as warehousing, material handling and general maintenance. Compare other options in the impact glove range.
P in the sixth position means the glove passed the EN 13594 knuckle impact test. EN 388 records impact as pass or not tested.
ANSI/ISEA 138 grades impact protection as level 1, 2 or 3. Level 3 transmits the least force through the knuckle and finger protection.
Its EN 388 marking is 4131XP, which includes a low blade cut result of 1. It suits tasks where impact is the main hazard and sharp edges are limited.
The guards only protect when they sit over the knuckles. A glove that is too large lets them slide out of place.
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