Picking the right cut-resistant glove is one of the most consequential PPE decisions on a jobsite. Buy too light and you risk hand injuries that pull workers off the schedule. Buy too heavy and your crew loses dexterity, fights through the day, and starts pulling the gloves off when they shouldn’t. Hand injuries are the second most common workplace injury in the United States, and the right ANSI cut level closes that gap without sacrificing usability.

This guide walks through the three cut levels you’ll choose between 90% of the time — ANSI A2, A4, and A6 — explains when each one is the right call, and shows you which Taylor Safety glove SKUs match common construction, fabrication, and warehouse tasks.

How ANSI Cut Levels Are Measured

Cut-resistant gloves sold in the U.S. are rated under the ANSI/ISEA 105 standard. The test is straightforward: a weighted blade is drawn across the glove material, and engineers measure how many grams of force it takes for the blade to cut through. That gram-force number is mapped to a cut level between A1 and A9. The higher the number, the more force the glove resists.

ANSI/ISEA 105 was last revised in 2024, and the test method (ASTM F2992-15) is the one to look for on the spec sheet. Older EN 388 ratings (e.g., “Level 5”) are not directly interchangeable with ANSI ratings, so if you see only an EN 388 number, ask your supplier for the ANSI A-level equivalent before ordering.

The ANSI Cut Level Chart at a Glance

Here is the full ANSI/ISEA 105 cut level chart, with the gram-force range and the kind of work each level is built for:

ANSI Level	Gram Force to Cut	Typical Work
A1	200 – 499 g	Light assembly, packaging, general material handling
A2	500 – 999 g	Construction cleanup, automotive, light glass handling
A3	1,000 – 1,499 g	HVAC, drywall, metal stamping
A4	1,500 – 2,199 g	Sheet metal, light glass handling, demolition
A5	2,200 – 2,999 g	Steel handling, pulp & paper, heavy demo
A6	3,000 – 3,999 g	Heavy glass, sharp metal edges, recycling
A7	4,000 – 4,999 g	Meat processing, steel stamping
A8	5,000 – 5,999 g	Heavy metal fabrication, sharp die-cut work
A9	6,000 g and above	Extreme cut hazards (blade handling, scrap)

ANSI A2 Gloves: The Entry Point for Real Cut Protection

A2 gloves resist 500 to 999 grams of cut force. They’re the lightest glove that actually counts as cut-resistant under modern jobsite standards, and for a lot of general construction and warehouse work, A2 is plenty.

Choose A2 when

• Workers are handling lumber, cardboard, plastic strapping, or boxed materials.
• The crew is doing automotive maintenance or general assembly work.
• Hand fatigue and dexterity are the biggest concerns — A2 gloves stay flexible all day.
• You need a low-cost, high-volume glove your team will actually wear.

Where A2 gets you in trouble: anything involving sheet metal edges, broken glass, or sharp scrap. If your team is touching those hazards, jump up to A4.

ANSI A4 Gloves: The Construction and Fabrication Sweet Spot

A4 is the cut level most contractors should be specifying for general construction crews today. It blocks 1,500 to 2,199 grams of cut force — about three to four times the protection of a standard work glove — while keeping enough dexterity for tool work, fastener handling, and material moves.

Choose A4 when

• The crew handles sheet metal, ductwork, or HVAC components.
• Work involves light glass handling, window install, or demolition.
• Workers are exposed to mixed hazards on the same shift and you want one glove that covers most of them.
• OSHA inspections are likely, and you need defensible documentation that your PPE program is matched to the hazard.

A4 has become the default “single SKU” answer for facility managers buying gloves in bulk because it sits at the protection-versus-dexterity sweet spot. It’s also the cut level most often specified in spec sheets for commercial general contractors.

ANSI A6 Gloves: When the Hazard Is Real and the Edge Is Sharp

A6 gloves block 3,000 to 3,999 grams of cut force. That’s the level you want when your crew is in regular contact with truly sharp materials — heavy glass, freshly cut steel, scrap metal recycling, or any task where a slip means stitches, not a Band-Aid.

Choose A6 when

• Workers handle plate glass, mirror panels, or large pane installation.
• The shop does heavy metal fabrication, stamping, or sharp-edge deburring.
• The job involves recycling, scrap sorting, or HVAC tear-out with exposed sheet metal edges.
• A previous cut injury has already happened on this task — don’t wait for a second one.

A6 gloves are heavier and slightly less dexterous than A4, but modern HPPE (high-performance polyethylene) and steel-fiber blends have closed that gap considerably. If your team has refused A6 in the past because they were “clunky,” it’s worth trying a current-generation HPPE/steel-blend glove — the feel is dramatically improved over older A5 and A6 designs.

Beyond Cut Level: The Specs That Decide If Workers Will Wear Them

Cut level is the headline number, but four other specs determine whether the glove actually stays on workers’ hands all day. Get any of these wrong and your crew will quietly switch back to whatever they used last year.

Coating

Coatings deliver grip and abrasion resistance, and the right one depends on what your team is touching:

• Nitrile (smooth or foam): best all-around grip on dry to lightly oily surfaces. The default coating for construction and general industry.
• Polyurethane (PU): thin, breathable, excellent for fine motor work and electronics assembly. Slips on heavily oily parts.
• Latex (crinkle finish): outstanding grip on wet and rough surfaces — great for masonry, concrete, and outdoor work.

Liner Material

Underneath the coating, the liner is what delivers cut resistance. HPPE blended with glass fiber, steel, or basalt is the most common modern construction. Kevlar (aramid) is still used for higher-heat applications. Steel-fiber liners cut better but transfer more cold in winter — something to flag if you’re buying for an Idaho or Northern Mountain crew.

Touchscreen Compatibility

If foremen or warehouse staff are scanning tickets, taking photos, or using handheld scanners, specify touchscreen-compatible fingertips. The lack of this single feature is the single most common reason gloves get pulled off and lost on the job.

Sizing and Fit

OSHA’s January 2025 PPE fit rule for construction now explicitly requires that gloves — along with all PPE — properly fit each individual worker. That means stocking a real size range (XS through XXL), not just S/M/L. A glove that’s too big bunches at the fingertips and gets cut through faster than its rated level.

Quick Reference: Which Cut Level for Which Job?

Use this table as a starting point when speccing gloves for a crew or department. When in doubt, size up one cut level — the marginal cost is small compared to a single hand injury claim.

Task / Industry	Recommended Cut Level	Why
General construction cleanup	ANSI A2	Light hazards, dexterity matters
Framing, lumber handling	ANSI A2 or A3	Splinters and edges, not blades
HVAC sheet metal work	ANSI A4	Cut edges on ductwork are sharp
Drywall hanging	ANSI A3 or A4	Razor knives + screw handling
Window install, light glazing	ANSI A4	Edge exposure with manageable risk
Heavy glass panels / plate	ANSI A6	Real laceration risk
Metal fabrication, deburring	ANSI A6	Sharp burrs and tooling
Demolition with mixed debris	ANSI A5 or A6	Unknown sharp hazards
Warehouse / receiving	ANSI A2 or A3	Boxes, strapping, occasional metal banding
Recycling and scrap sorting	ANSI A6 or A7	Sharp metal everywhere

Five Mistakes That Drain Your PPE Budget

After a decade of stocking gloves for contractors, these are the missteps we see most often — and they all cost money:

• Buying one cut level for the whole company. Office staff and metal fabricators don’t need the same glove. Standardize by task, not by company-wide SKU.
• Skipping touchscreen fingertips. Workers will pull the gloves off to use their phones, then forget to put them back on.
• Ignoring the coating. The right cut level with the wrong coating is a glove that gets lost on day one.
• Only stocking M and L. The 2025 OSHA fit rule means you need real range — XS through XXL — on the shelf.
• Treating ANSI A5 as “close enough” for A6 hazards. The 1,000-gram gap matters when the blade slips.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between ANSI A2 and A4 cut-resistant gloves?

ANSI A2 gloves resist 500 to 999 grams of cutting force and are built for general construction, automotive, and packaging work. ANSI A4 gloves resist 1,500 to 2,199 grams — roughly three to four times more protection — and are the standard for sheet metal, demolition, light glass handling, and most commercial construction tasks.

Is ANSI A4 enough for construction work?

For most general construction tasks, yes. A4 covers HVAC sheet metal, drywall hanging, light glass handling, and mixed-hazard demolition. Step up to A5 or A6 when workers are handling plate glass, doing heavy metal fabrication, or working in recycling and scrap sorting.

Are ANSI cut levels the same as EN 388 cut levels?

No. ANSI/ISEA 105 uses the ASTM F2992-15 test method with a weighted blade pulled across the material once. EN 388 (European standard) uses a different test that doesn’t translate directly. Always look for the ANSI A-level rating when buying for U.S. OSHA compliance — EN 388 ratings alone are not sufficient documentation.

How often should cut-resistant gloves be replaced?

There’s no set hour limit — inspect them. Replace gloves when you see fraying, holes, exposed liner fibers, stiffness from chemical exposure, or noticeable thinning at the fingertips. A glove with a compromised liner doesn’t deliver its rated cut level anymore.

Does OSHA’s 2025 PPE fit rule apply to gloves?

Yes. The January 2025 update to 29 CFR 1926.95 explicitly requires construction employers to make sure PPE — including gloves — properly fits each individual worker. Stocking only M and L is no longer defensible if a worker outside that range is injured.

Stock the Right Cut Level for Your Crew

Taylor Safety Supplies carries ANSI A2, A4, and A6 cut-resistant gloves in the coatings, liners, and sizes that actually match jobsite conditions. Shop the full glove selection in our Hand Protection Category, or call the team to spec a glove program for your crew. We ship from U.S. warehouses and back every SKU with the spec documentation your safety manager needs.