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Insulating glove testing and inspection

Q: How often do insulating gloves need to be tested?

At most every six months. A glove may not be put into use if the last electrical test was more than 6 months ago. Before each use the wearer also performs a visual check.

Q: How do you test insulating gloves?

By combining a visual and mechanical inspection with a dielectric test: the standardised proof voltage is applied while the leakage current is measured (IEC 60903).

Q: Which classes of insulating gloves are there?

Six classes: 00 (500 V), 0 (1,000 V), 1 (7,500 V), 2 (17,000 V), 3 (26,500 V) and 4 (36,000 V), to NEN-EN-IEC 60903.

Q: Which gloves require an electrical test?

For classes 00 and 0 a visual check suffices; for classes 1 to 4 a dielectric test with proof voltage is required.

Q: Do you test with AC or DC?

We test in line with NEN-EN-IEC 60903; the standard allows both an AC and a DC test. By default we test with DC. Does your client or auditor specifically require an AC certificate? Indicate this with your request and we will align it in advance.

Q: What if my gloves are contaminated with oil or grease?

Report contamination with oil, grease or solvent in advance. The standard then requires cleaning or removal from service first; testing without cleaning gives an unreliable result.

Have your electrical insulating gloves tested and inspected to NEN-EN-IEC 60903. IONIO carries out the visual inspection and the dielectric test, and you get a test report with a validity date for every pair. For electricians, installers, grid operators and industry.

Request testing

Why have insulating gloves tested?

Insulating gloves (also called dielectric or high-voltage gloves) are often the last layer of protection between a worker and a live part. One invisible pinhole, micro-crack or patch of chemical damage takes that protection away, without the wearer noticing. So you have them tested and inspected regularly, to NEN-EN-IEC 60903.

Safety. You know the glove’s dielectric strength is still within the standard.
Duty of care. Health & safety law and NEN 3140 require your PPE to be inspected regularly and demonstrably in order.
Proof. A test report shows auditors, clients and insurers that your gloves have been tested.

Testing and inspection: visual check and dielectric test

At IONIO, testing comes in two steps, to NEN-EN-IEC 60903:

Visual and mechanical inspection. We check every pair for cuts, punctures, pinholes, ozone cracking, discolouration and chemical damage.
Dielectric test. We apply the standardised proof voltage and measure the leakage current to verify dielectric strength. Required for classes 1 to 4.

Want the technical detail, like test voltages, AC versus DC and the equipment? It’s in our article Testing insulating gloves (IEC 60903).

The six classes of insulating gloves (IEC 60903)

NEN-EN-IEC 60903 splits electrical insulating gloves into six classes, based on the maximum working voltage. During testing we apply a proof voltage higher than the working voltage for each class, so there’s enough safety margin.

Class	Max. working voltage (AC)	Proof voltage AC (1 min)	Proof voltage DC (1 min)
Class 00	500 V	2,500 V	4,000 V
Class 0	1,000 V	5,000 V	10,000 V
Class 1	7,500 V	10,000 V	20,000 V
Class 2	17,000 V	20,000 V	30,000 V
Class 3	26,500 V	30,000 V	40,000 V
Class 4	36,000 V	40,000 V	60,000 V

How often do insulating gloves need to be tested?

A glove can’t be used if its last electrical test was more than six months ago. In practice that means testing at least every six months while gloves are in rotation. And before each use, the wearer does a quick visual check.

How testing works at IONIO

Submit. Send your gloves in or drop them off, and fill in the request form with the number of pairs and the class(es).
Visual and mechanical inspection. Checking for cuts, pinholes, ozone cracking, discolouration and chemical damage.
Dielectric test. For classes 1 to 4 we apply the proof voltage and measure the leakage current.
Report and marking. You get the result per pair, the test date and the next test date. Rejected gloves are clearly marked.

Who we serve: insulating glove testing

We test insulating gloves for anyone working on or near live parts:

Electricians and electrical installers
Grid operators and energy-infrastructure contractors
Industry, maintenance and machine building
Rail, traction and charging infrastructure
Training centres and safety services

Why IONIO for testing your insulating gloves

Independent testing to NEN-EN-IEC 60903, with calibrated equipment.
A test report per pair with a validity date, ready to show at audits.
All classes (00 to 4) and all brands.
Short turnaround times.

Frequently asked questions about insulating glove testing

How often do insulating gloves need to be tested?

How do you test insulating gloves?

Which classes of insulating gloves are there?

Which gloves require an electrical test?

Do you test with AC or DC?

What if my gloves are contaminated with oil or grease?

Good to know

Turnaround: usually 5–10 working days after we receive them (excl. transport). We test in-house, so your gloves don’t get shipped abroad, and you get a traceable certificate.

Price: on request, excl. VAT. Transport is charged separately; for smaller batches we’ll sort it out together.

Contaminated gloves: let us know in advance if there’s oil, grease or solvent on them. The standard then requires cleaning or removal from service first.

Testing interval: at most 6 months under IEC 60903. Your manufacturer or internal policy may set a shorter term; keep your own justification for that.

Liability: we certify the glove’s condition at the moment of testing. Use, storage and re-testing afterwards are your responsibility.