Many glove manufacturers and suppliers in the U.S. market gloves that are claimed to be anti-vibration (AV) gloves. Gloves marketed in the European Union (EU) cannot be marketed as AV gloves unless they have been tested according to test protocols in and meet the minimum performance requirements of ISO 10819 - Mechanical vibration and shock - Hand-arm vibration - Method for the measurement and evaluation of the vibration transmissibility of gloves at the palm of the hand. Many gloves market as AV gloves in the U.S. have not been tested according to nor meet the minimum performance requirements of ISO 10819 to be classified as AV gloves. When purchasing gloves for protection against the  potential health hazards associate with hand-transmitted vibration and shock exposure, care must be taken to ensure they have been tested according to the test protocols in and meet the requirements of ISO 10819 to be classified and sold as AV gloves.

ISO 10819 AV Glove Performance Requirements

The requirements of ISO 10819 for a glove to be classified as an AV glove are:

• The glove must be a full-finger glove. A half-finger glove cannot be classified as an AV glove per the requirements of ISO 10819.

• The vibration reducing material in the glove must cover the full palm area, the three full phalanges of the fingers and the two full phalanges of the thumb.

• The same vibration-reducing material used in the palm section of the glove must also be used in the finger and thumb sections.

• The ISO weighted vibration transmissibility of the glove in the frequency range of 25 - 200 Hz must be less than 1.0.

• The ISO weighted vibration transmissibility of the glove in the frequency range of 200 - 1,250 Hz must be less than 0.6.

The vibration transmissibility is defined as the ISO weighted acceleration value measured at the palm of the hand divided by the associated ISO weighted acceleration value measured on the tool handle clasped by the hand. The vibration-reducing material is placed in the glove between the tool handle and the palm of the hand.

Even though not currently required by ISO 10819, because of potential negative health effects and the potential of a glove to negatively affect the ability of a tool operator to properly control his tool, the thickness of the vibration-reducing material placed in a glove should not be greater than 8 mm.

Most vibration-reducing material placed in a glove, if thick enough, will result in the glove meeting the requirements of ISO 10819 to be classified as an AV glove. Therefore, an AV glove manufacturer may often use a vibration-reducing material in a glove with a thickness greater than that specified above.  A glove with a vibration-reducing material increases the effective diameter of the tool handle clasped by the hand. This in turn increases the grip effort required by the tool operator to maintain the same level of control of the tool as is achieved with a bare hand. This increase grip effort results in reduced finger dexterity and hand control and reduced control when operating the tool. In addition, AV gloves with vibration-reducing material that are too thick are uncomfortable to wear and with prolong use can potentially result in the development of symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome or other related hand disorders.