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ISO 374-4
ISO 374-4
Introduction ISO 374-4 is an international standard that outlines the test method for degradation of protective gloves caused by chemical contact. The degradation of a disposable glove is the alteration of the physical properties of the gloves, such as flaking, swelling, disintegration, or holes, attributed to the continuous contact of a chemical that may alter the property of the glove material and, thus, may harm the protective capability of the gloves. It is a huge standard that is widely used in laboratory, cleanroom, health care, and industrial safety contexts, making it an imperative guideline for manufacturers of safety gloves as well as safety professionals. Presto's precision puncture resistance testing instruments support compliance with ISO 374-4 requirements under controlled laboratory conditions.
Significance
Degradation Test—assesses resistance of a protective glove material to degradation from the liquid chemical by determining the changes in puncture resistance of the glove material due to continuous contact of the exterior surface with the challenge test chemical for 1 hour. The degradation is reported as a percentage that considers the reduction of puncture resistance for the test specimens after having been exposed to those that were not exposed, also known as "degradation rate," and a measure of lower proportional degradation is an improvement in puncture resistance. This enables manufacturers to systematically assess and validate chemical protective performance across glove materials. Scope The degradation test is mandatory for all gloves that claim chemical protection, specifically for each chemical marked and reported in the user instruction, and is applicable to gloves made of natural polymers such as latex and synthetic polymers such as nitrile and neoprene. The standard applies to glove manufacturers, safety equipment suppliers, certification bodies, and health and safety professionals requiring standardized chemical degradation evaluation procedures for product compliance, material qualification, and regulatory verification across personal protective equipment manufacturing and procurement sectors.