EN 659
Firefighter’s gloves
Protective gloves for firefighting: combined thermal, flame and mechanical protection requirements.
Current edition:
EN 659:2003+A1:2008 (AC:2009)Unchanged since A1:2008/AC:2009; a revision is in progress (prEN 659), no new edition published yet.
At the review date EN 659:2003+A1:2008 (with AC:2009) is harmonised under Regulation (EU) 2016/425 (since 21 April 2018). The EU Official Journal defines the status at any given time.
What does the standard require?
- Mechanical minima per EN 388: abrasion level 3, cut level 2, tear level 3, puncture level 3
- Burning behaviour at EN 407 level 4 (afterflame ≤ 2 s, afterglow ≤ 5 s; seams must not open)
- Convective heat level 3; radiant heat RHTI24 mean ≥ 20 s; contact heat at 250 °C with ≥ 10 s threshold time
- Heat resistance at 180 °C: the lining must not melt, drip or ignite; shrinkage ≤ 5 %
Classes and levels: No classes — a single minimum-performance package for structural firefighting gloves (deliberate chemical handling excluded).
Marking on the product: pictogram, no levels
firefighters’ gloves: combined thermal, flame and mechanical requirements behind a single mark
Laboratory testing
Laboratory testing related to this standard — for development, verification and quality disputes. Which of the standard's tests run in our own laboratory, and which are sourced from a laboratory equipped for them, is stated before the quotation.
Certification (NB 1524)
The standard belongs to BIMEO’s notified-body conformity-assessment scope — EU type-examination is available against it.
Technical content cross-checked against external sources. Last reviewed: 2026-08-14. The authoritative list of harmonised versions is always the EU Official Journal.
A question about testing or certification against EN 659?
Request a quote