Welding gloves have to deal with heat, sparks and spatter, and still let the welder feel the work. EN 12477 is the standard that classes them. This guide explains what it covers, how to read Type A and Type B, and how to choose for the process.
In plain terms, EN 12477 is the welding glove standard. It splits gloves into two classes so a buyer can see whether the glove is built toward heavier protection or toward more dexterity. The type letter is the secondary detail. The short description of the standard is protective gloves for welding.
Heat and flame performance sits on a second marking, EN 407, described as resistance to heat and flame hazards. Mechanical performance sits on EN 388. Read those codes beside the welding type. Neither one replaces the other.
EN 12477 is the standard for welders' gloves.
Welding gloves also carry EN 388 and EN 407 ratings, which show their mechanical and heat performance.
EN 407 prints six digits under the flame pictogram, always in the same order: burning behavior, contact heat, convective heat, radiant heat, small splashes of molten metal, and large quantities of molten metal. Each digit runs from 1 to 4, and an X means that property was not tested rather than that the glove failed. Radiant heat and small splash matter most for arc welding. Contact heat matters most where hot workpieces are handled directly.
Match the type to the process. Type A suits stick welding, heavy MIG work and gouging, where spatter is significant. Type B is the usual choice for TIG, where filler rod control depends on feel. Specifying the heavier class for fine TIG work often ends with the glove coming off, which is a worse result than a Type B glove that stays on.
Grain leather gives more feel and resists spatter sticking. Split leather is thicker and more heat tolerant. The welding gloves on the welding and heat gloves page use Kevlar stitching, which holds where cotton thread chars and parts. A short cuff suits bench work. A longer gauntlet suits overhead work.
The GRANBERG 1690K-A lists EN 12477 Type A, with EN 388 2132X and EN 407 412142. The GRANBERG 1690K also lists EN 12477 Type A, with EN 388 4142X and EN 407 41314X. The GRANBERG 1590 and the GRANBERG 3400 list EN 12477 without a type letter on the record, so do not assign them a type. Every visible glove whose record includes EN 12477 is listed below.
Type A gives higher protection against heat and spatter and suits heavier welding such as MIG and stick work. Type B gives higher dexterity and is typically chosen for TIG welding.
EN 407 shows heat and flame performance beside the EN 12477 type. The six digits cover flame spread, contact heat, convective heat, radiant heat, small molten splash and large molten splash. An X means that property was not tested.
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