The American National Standards Institute or ANSI revised its cut level system for cut resistant gloves and protective clothing in 2016. In 2011, the system coincided with levels 0 - 5, with 0 protecting against less than 200 grams of weight needed to cut through material and 5 protecting against greater than or equal to 3,500 grams of weight, all of this being based on blade travel of 20 mm. The 2016 system now coincides with levels A0 - A9, with A0 protecting against less than 200 grams of weight needed to cut through material and A9 protecting against greater than or equal to 6,000 grams of weight, again all of this being based on blade travel of 20 mm. In 2011, weight of the blade could be measured using a Cut Protection Performance Tester (CPPT) or a Tomodynamometer Test Machine (TDM), but under the 2016 cut level revision, only the TDM is allowed to be used to measure blade weight.
Overview of ANSI Cut Standards
A0 - As noted above, the A0 level is rated to protect against less than 200 grams of weight, which is insignificant protection in most work environments.
A1 - Material with this rating can protect the user against 200 to 499 grams of blade weight, which is ideal of shippers and packers, maintenance technicians, and material handlers.
A2 - Material with this rating can protect the user against 500 to 999 grams of blade weight. Workers in the automotive assembly industry, those manufacturing appliances, maintenance workers, construction workers, material and metal handlers are recommended this level of material protection.
A3 - Material with this rating can protect the user against 1,000 to 1,499 grams of blade weight. This level is also recommended to those manufacturing appliances, those in the automotive assembly industry, construction workers, material and metal handlers, and maintenance workers for additional protection.
A4 - Material with this rating can protect the user against 1,500 to 2,199 grams of blade weight. Metal stampers and those in metal production, glass handlers, those machining metal, construction and maintenance workers, appliance and automotive workers, and those in the paper production industry are recommended this level of material protection.
A5 - Material with this rating can protect the user against 2,200 to 2,999 grams of blade weight. Those manufacturing appliances, automobiles, glass, and metal are recommended this level for additional protection. A5 is also another recommendation for those working in construction, in the paper production industry, and anyone stamping or handling metal or handling glass.
A6 - Material with this rating can protect the user against 3,000 to 3,999 grams of blade weight. A6 offers additional protection to those recommended previous levels.
A7 - Material with this rating can protect the user against 4,000 to 4,999 grams of blade weight. This level is ideal for workers assembling or moving large objects with sharp edges that may also be difficult to grasp.
A8 - Material with this rating can protect the user against 5,000 to 5,999 grams of blade weight. This level adds additional protection tho those assembling or moving large objects with sharp edges that may also be difficult to grasp.
A9 - Material with this rating can protect the user against 6,000 or more grams of blade weight. Again, this level adds additional protection to those assembling or moving large objects with sharp edges that may also be difficult to grasp. Be sure you are using the new ANSI cut standards, which can be identified with an "A" in front of each of the nine levels.