ANSI Cut Levels A1–A9, Explained

By the Innovative Gloves & Safety technical team. Published July 2026, last reviewed September 2026.

ANSI/ISEA 105 is the North American standard for classifying hand protection. Its cut-resistance scale runs A1 through A9 and is measured in grams: the cutting load a material holds before a blade slices through. The current edition is ANSI/ISEA 105-2024. It keeps the A1 to A9 cut scale unchanged from the 2016 version, so existing cut charts still apply, and adds the updates that matter for buyers: the scope now covers sleeves and arm protection, a standardized pentagon rating pictogram, clarified abrasion testing, and the removal of the old dexterity and vibration sections.

Cut level is measured on a TDM-100 machine using the ASTM F2992 method. A straight blade draws across the material under a set load, with a fresh blade each pass, and the lab records the grams of load needed to cut through at 20 mm of travel. One number per glove, placed into one of nine bands.

The full A1 to A9 scale

Reading the scale in practice

Match the level to the edge, not to the worst case you can picture. Real cut risk comes from two things: how sharp the edge is and how much force the hand puts on it. A stamped metal blank moving at speed cuts harder than a utility knife used with care.

Over-speccing has a cost. Jumping from A4 to A9 when A4 clears the hazard trades away dexterity and grip feel and raises the price per pair. The right choice is the lowest level that clears your hazard with margin to spare.

A4 vs A6: the most common step-up question

A4 clears most metal fabrication work; step to A6 when the edges get harder or the parts get heavier. A4 is rated at 1,500 to 2,199 grams on the cut test, which covers general fab, HVAC ductwork, and automotive assembly. A6 is rated at 3,000 to 3,999 grams for stamping operations and heavier gauge material.

Step up from A4 to A6 when any of these is true: the material is stamped or sheared and carries a burred edge, parts are heavy enough that a slip puts real force on the edge, or your incident reports show cuts through the current A4. If none of those apply, A4 with the right coating usually wins on comfort, and a glove workers keep on protects better than a tougher one they take off.

A2 vs A4 vs A6: reading the spread

These three levels cover most industrial work, and the jumps between them are large. A2 is a warehouse glove, A4 is a fabrication glove, A6 is a stamping glove. The jump from A2 to A4 triples the minimum cutting load, and A4 to A6 doubles it again.

The practical rule: match the level to the edge your crew touches every shift, not the sharpest thing in the building. If a line handles cardboard and plastic totes all day and touches sheet metal once a week, spec A2 for the line and keep A4 at the metal station, rather than putting everyone in A4. These pairings are starting points, not a spec. Your own hazard assessment under OSHA 1910.132 and 1910.138 sets the level for each task, and the sharpest edge a worker actually touches wins.

A5 vs A7: glass and blade work

A5 covers hard-edge sheet work; A7 is the floor for glass handling and blade changes, not the ceiling. A5 is rated at 2,200 to 2,999 grams, suited to appliance and sheet metal work with harder edges. A7 is rated at 4,000 to 4,999 grams, and plate glass and blade handling programs often run A8 or A9.

The dividing line is the edge itself. When the edge leaves the factory sharp, or the material breaks into fresh cutting edges the way glass does, start at A7 and move up on incident data and edge severity. See the full cut-resistant line for what we run at each level.

What the cut level does not tell you

The A-rating covers straight-blade cutting only. It is not a puncture score, a hypodermic-needle score, or an abrasion score; ANSI/ISEA 105 rates those separately. A glove can read A6 for cut and still be thin against a wire end or a needle, so spec each hazard you actually face.

Coverage matters as well. The cut test is run on the palm material, so a high rating says nothing about an exposed back-of-hand or a knit cuff. If the hazard wraps the hand, confirm the protection does too.

ANSI and EN 388 are not the same scale

Many imported gloves carry an EN 388 code instead, with its own cut measures. The two do not convert cleanly, because they use the same style of straight-blade TDM test but different procedures and units. When a glove lists both, read both; when it lists one, match it to your own reference. Our lines carry ANSI and EN 388 together, and the cert documentation ships with every sample.

Frequently asked questions

Is a higher ANSI cut level always better?
No. Higher levels use heavier yarns that cost more and reduce dexterity, and a glove that workers remove to do fine work protects nothing. The right spec is the lowest level that clears your hazard with margin, set by your own hazard assessment under OSHA 1910.132 and 1910.138. Over-speccing shows up as gloves left on the bench.

What cut level do I need for sheet metal work?
Start at A4 for general sheet metal and HVAC duct, and move to A5 or A6 when gauges get heavier, edges are sheared or burred, or cuts appear in your incident reports. Pair the level with a coating that grips oily blanks, since a slip drives the edge into the hand.

What is the difference between A4 and A5?
One band on the same test. A4 is rated at 1,500 to 2,199 grams of cutting load and A5 at 2,200 to 2,999 grams. In practice A5 buys margin on harder or burred edges for a small step in yarn weight. If your current A4 shows cut-through or close calls, A5 is the next stop.

Are ANSI cut levels the same as EN388 cut ratings?
No. ANSI/ISEA 105 reports grams on the ASTM F2992 test. EN388 uses two cut tests of its own: a coup test scored 1 to 5 and the EN ISO 13997 test scored A to F in newtons. None of these convert directly. Our EN388 guide includes the approximate crosswalk and explains how to read a dual-rated glove by both markings.

Does an A9 glove protect against punctures or needles?
No. The A-rating measures straight-blade cutting only. Puncture is a separate ANSI/ISEA 105 test, and hypodermic needle protection is a separate rating again. A glove can be A9 for cut and still let a wire end or needle through, so spec each hazard on its own line.

Did ANSI/ISEA 105-2024 change the cut levels?
No. The 2024 edition keeps the A1 to A9 bands unchanged from 2016, so existing cut charts still apply. What changed: the scope now covers sleeves and arm protection, a standardized pentagon pictogram was added, abrasion testing was clarified, and the old dexterity and vibration sections were removed.

Tell us the task and the edge you cut against. We will recommend a level, name the line, and send a free sample to test on the floor before you commit.