EN 420 was the general standard for protective gloves from 1994 to 2020. It covered innocuousness, ergonomics, sizing, marking and user information — everything except protection from a specific risk.
What changed
| EN 420 | EN ISO 21420 |
|---|---|
| Dexterity declared on a 1–5 scale | Meeting the minimum requirement is enough |
| Chromium (VI) below 3 mg/kg for leather | The same, plus limits on DMFa, PAHs and azo dyes |
| pH 3.5–9.5 | pH 3.5–9.5 with tighter control |
A practical note: gloves certified to EN 420 whose CE certificates have not yet expired may still be sold legally. New certification is only issued against EN ISO 21420, so that is the marking to look for when buying.
Superseded by EN ISO 21420.
