Technical Untangled - ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 Abrasion Explained

What is the ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 Abrasion Test? 

ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 is the American National Standard for Hand and Arm Protection. It is widely used in North America to classify the performance of hand protection against a range of mechanical hazards, including abrasion, cut, puncture, and heat. 

Abrasion resistance refers to a material’s ability to withstand surface wear caused by friction. In glove applications, this is critical for tasks involving repeated contact with rough surfaces, tools, or materials that can degrade the glove over time.  

The Taber Abrasion Test Method 

The ANSI/ISEA 105 abrasion test uses a Taber Abraser to assess a material’s resistance to wear. The term “Taber abrasion” refers to this widely adopted testing method, named after the equipment developed by Taber Industries, which has become the industry standard for measuring abrasion resistance in North America. 

The test involves mounting a circular sample of the glove material onto a rotating platform. Two abrasive wheels are applied under a specified load, typically 500g or 1000g, and as the platform rotates, friction is generated to simulate real-world wear conditions. 

H-18 vitrified wheels are used to produce a severe abrasive action and are commonly applied when evaluating resilient and flexible materials such as rubber, coated fabrics, woven textiles, and flexible plastic sheets. 

Testing follows procedures defined in ASTM D3884 for coated and flexible materials, and ASTM D3885 for woven textile fabrics. 

 The abrasion endpoint is defined as the point at which a visible hole forms through the material, or when a specified number of cycles is reached without breakthrough. The result is recorded as the number of cycles completed prior to failure. 

 Hand and arm protection is assigned an abrasion resistance level from 0 to 6 as follows: 

The test is carried out on five samples, providing repeatable, consistent, and controlled results. This enables direct comparison between materials while offering a more realistic simulation of wear, as the method better represents multi-directional abrasion compared to other techniques which rely on a fixed abrasive surface and a more uniform, directional wear pattern. 

 Choosing the Right Abrasion Level for the Job 

 The abrasion score indicates how long a glove is likely to last when exposed to abrasive surfaces. 

Lower levels (0–1) are suited to light tasks such as packaging, inspection, and assembly, where contact with rough materials is minimal. 

Mid-range levels (2–3) are appropriate for general handling, construction, maintenance, and logistics tasks involving more frequent abrasion, such as pallet handling. 

Higher levels (4–6) are designed for heavy-duty environments with continuous wear from rough or sharp materials, including metal handling, concrete work, waste management, and oil and gas applications. In these cases, a higher abrasion rating can extend glove life and reduce replacement frequency. 

Selecting the correct level is key, as over-specifying may reduce dexterity, while under-specifying can lead to premature failure. 

Showcasing the New 55-2311 Comfort+ Cut Level A2 Glove

 The 55-2311 Comfort+ demonstrates how advanced material engineering can deliver high performance without compromising comfort. This lightweight, cut level A2 glove achieves an incredible ANSI/ISEA 105 abrasion level 5 rating, making it suitable for demanding applications where durability is essential. 

 This performance is driven by optimisation of the coating formulation to enhance abrasion resistance while maintaining flexibility and dexterity. 

As abrasion remains one of the most common causes of glove failure in the workplace, understanding ANSI/ISEA 105 abrasion levels is essential when selecting the right protection. 

The Taber abrasion method provides a consistent and realistic way of measuring durability, allowing users to make more informed decisions based on the demands of their application. 

By combining an appropriate abrasion rating with other key performance factors such as cut resistance, grip, and comfort, end users can ensure they are selecting gloves that not only protect effectively but also deliver long-term performance and value. 

Find out more about the new 55-2311 coming soon.