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Needlestick gloves vs puncture resistant

Updated: 21 October 2026

You are choosing gloves because a syringe might be in the waste, or because an EN 388 line looks high and you have decided it must cover needles. Needlestick gloves vs puncture resistant is the difference between two probes. One is a blunt, nail-like stylus on a palm sample. The other is a hypodermic. The newton numbers sit on different scales, and a strong blunt result does not certify the needle. The eight pairs are on the [puncture resistant gloves comparison](/hub/protective-clothing/puncture-resistant-gloves). We used amazon.co.uk listings and public UK guidance. We did not run a lab test. A purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are choosing gloves because a syringe might be in the waste, or because an EN 388 line looks high and you have decided it must cover needles.

Our top picks

Intra-FIT Intra-FIT impact needle gloves, size L

Best overall

Intra-FIT Intra-FIT impact needle gloves, size L
4.9/10about £30.99
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Intra-FIT Intra-FIT needle gloves, size M

Rank 2

Intra-FIT Intra-FIT needle gloves, size M
8.2/10about £28.99
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Intra-FIT Intra-FIT gusset-noted needle gloves, size L

Alternative

Intra-FIT Intra-FIT gusset-noted needle gloves, size L
7.6/10about £34.99
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On this page
  1. 1.Two probes, two scales
  2. 2.Why a modest EN 388 score can still name a needle level
  3. 3.Where the fabric stops
  4. 4.What you must not conclude

Two probes, two scales

If your only points are roses and brambles, use thorn proof gardening gloves. Stay here if the object is a needle. EN 388 puncture uses a rounded probe, not a syringe. UK seller tables put the bands above 20 N, 60 N, 100 N, and 150 N. SATRA puts that result in the fourth character, from a palm specimen. Level 4, from about 150 N, is the wrong model for a needle. ASTM F2878 is the method UK trade sellers use for hypodermics, because there is no European standard for that hazard in hand protection. Tilsatec’s account describes a 25-gauge needle, with level 5 at about 10 N. Ten newtons and 150 newtons are different probes.

Why a modest EN 388 score can still name a needle level

Intra-FIT’s size M pair at £28.99 shows EN 388 2X22F and ASTM F2878-10 level 3. In 2X22F the puncture digit is 2. The listing also claims ASTM level 3 on the palm, including the thumb and index-finger crotch. Both lines can be true because the probes differ. The £34.99 palm code is 4X32F. The 4 is abrasion and puncture is 2. ASTM on that page is 8.15 N on the palm and 10.03 N on the fingers. Those newtons are not EN 388 level 4 or 5. Do not borrow the lined leather, which has no needle test, for sharps. Who should skip each ASIN is on best puncture resistant gloves.
Intra-FIT Intra-FIT impact needle gloves, size L

Testsieger

Intra-FIT Intra-FIT impact needle gloves, size L
4.9/10about £30.99
View offer

Where the fabric stops

A needle level on a palm sample protects that kind of sample. The £34.99 listing states that the finger gussets are not needle-resistant. The point can meet the crotch between the fingers rather than the pad that carried 10.03 N. The £28.99 listing includes the thumb and index crotch and does not describe sidewall layers. If you need gussets and sidewalls, none of the three Intra-FIT pages gives you that map. Size and care, including the US size label on the £30.99 pair, are on the puncture resistant gloves buying guide.

What you must not conclude

Home reviews are not a pass rate. A kitchen push is not ASTM F2878. A leather glove with 26,151 reviews and no code is not an unlabelled needle glove. There is no European needle digit you can buy today. If you already know needles are on a site, the glove comes after the assessment, the retrieval tool, and the container. A thorn-proof cowhide does not meet a written needle hazard. A dirty needlestick is a medical question.

Common questions

Does puncture resistant mean needlestick resistant?
No. When puncture resistant refers to EN 388, it means a blunt probe on a palm sample, levels 1 to 4, up to about 150 N at level 4. Needlestick resistance, on the listings that claim it, refers to ASTM F2878. ISO 23388’s sample text says a puncture pass may still be unsuitable for needles. In this set only three Intra-FIT pairs print the ASTM line.
Why is EN 388 level 4 about 150 N and ASTM level 5 about 10 N?
The probes differ. EN 388’s puncture probe is large and rounded, and UK seller bands start at 20, 60, 100, and 150 N. ASTM F2878, as Tilsatec describes it, uses a 25-gauge needle, and level 5 is about 10 N. A small force on a fine needle and a large force on a blunt probe are not the same event. You cannot convert one figure into the other level.
What do 2X22F and ASTM level 3 mean together?
On the £28.99 pair they are two claims. In 2X22F the fourth character is 2, so blunt puncture is level 2, and F is the cut letter. ASTM F2878-10 level 3 is the needle claim for the palm, including the thumb and index crotch. The tests differ, so both lines can sit on one page. The ASTM 3 does not change the EN digit from 2.
Why do the finger gussets matter?
A grip often presents the side of the finger, not the pad. The £34.99 listing prints 10.03 N on the fingers and states that the gussets are not needle-resistant. If the point meets that crotch, you are outside the claim. The £28.99 pair includes the thumb and index crotch and still does not describe full sidewalls. Sidewall layers exist on some trade gloves that are not in this set.
What should you do if you already know there are needles on site?
Use a retrieval tool and a sharps container, and name puncture in the assessment if this is work. The PPE at Work Regulations 1992, extended to limb (b) workers on 6 April 2022, require suitable PPE at no charge when the assessment still needs it. Choose a listing that prints ASTM F2878 and read its coverage map, including any gusset exclusion. A leather glove with no code is the wrong control, however many stars it has.

Related pages

How to use puncture resistant gloves

Puncture-resistant gloves

The best puncture resistant gloves for one UK hazard

A puncture resistant gloves buying guide for the UK

Thorn proof gardening gloves and what still gets through

Sources

Public UK sources for puncture, PPE duties, and marking. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in this set, shelf date 19 October 2026. Retrieved 21 October 2026.

  1. HSE — Selecting protective gloves (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. HSE — PPE overview (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. HSE — PPE regulations 2022 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. HSE — Product safety and supply of PPE (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. GOV.UK — PPE enforcement regulations 2018 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. uvex UK — Understanding puncture-resistant safety gloves (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. Traffi — EN 388 revision guide (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. SafetyGloves.co.uk — Puncture versus needlestick resistance (retrieved 21 October 2026)