Safco Italia S40 Aluminized Heat Resistant Glove, 40 cm Cuff

A fully aluminized five-finger glove for radiant heat

The Safco Italia S40 is a heat resistant five-finger glove in which the palm, back and cuff are all made of aluminized fabric. Two fabrics are offered: Safal Green 340 g (50 % para-aramid, 50 % Panox) insulated with Oxistop 325 g, and Safal Evo 460 g (70 % para-aramid, 30 % Twaron) with a 100 % FR cotton lining.

The reflective outer surface is aimed at radiant heat exposure, and the seams are sewn with Kevlar thread. The glove is one size, with five cuff lengths from 35 to 60 cm.

Technical specifications

S40 compared with the S50

The S40 uses aluminized fabric over the whole glove, while the S50 combines a para-aramid quilted palm with an aluminized back and cuff. The S40 sheet lists a better dexterity level for the Safal Green version (level 5) than the Safal Evo version (level 3), so the lighter fabric is the one to consider for tasks needing finger control.

Choosing a version

• Safal Green with Oxistop: lower fabric weight, higher EN 388 abrasion figure (3) on the sheet.
• Safal Evo: heavier 460 g outer fabric with a cotton FR lining.
• Cuff length: 40 cm is the reference code (80.0301.029 SG+OXI) on this page; other lengths use the codes in the table.

General engineering note (not from the sheet): aluminized fabrics reflect radiant heat but do not remove the need to limit contact time with hot surfaces. Check EN 407 digits against your process. Related items are listed under Hand Protection.

The reference code on this page is the 40 cm cuff in the Safal Green with Oxistop version (80.0301.029). The S40 sheet is useful for buyers who need to compare the two fabrics directly: the Safal Green glove lists a higher dexterity level (5 against 3) and a higher abrasion figure (3 against 2), while the Safal Evo glove lists X entries in EN 388 where a result was not reported. An X means the property was not tested or reported, so it should not be read as zero.

The glove is a one-size product. If your workers have very small or very large hands, request a trial pair before a volume order.

How to read the EN 388 and EN 407 codes

The digit strings follow a fixed order set by each standard. In EN 388 the positions are abrasion resistance, blade cut resistance (coup test), tear resistance, puncture resistance, then a letter for the ISO 13997 cut test and a final letter for impact protection; X means the property was not tested or not applicable. In EN 407 the six positions are limited flame spread, contact heat, convective heat, radiant heat, small splashes of molten metal and large quantities of molten metal. For contact heat, EN 407 links each level to a test temperature at which the heat must take at least 15 seconds to reach the inside of the glove: level 1 at 100 °C, level 2 at 250 °C, level 3 at 350 °C and level 4 at 500 °C.

For the S40, both fabric options share the EN 407 string 4 3 3 4 4 4 for Safal Green and 4 2 3 4 4 4 for Safal Evo, so the radiant heat level is 4 in both cases, while contact heat is level 3 (350 °C test) for Safal Green and level 2 (250 °C test) for Safal Evo. The EN 388 strings show that the Safal Green version has the higher abrasion level (3 against 2), while the Safal Evo version has the higher blade cut level (4 against 3).

Full aluminizing versus an aluminized back

Because the S40 has aluminized fabric on the palm as well as the back and cuff, the reflective surface faces the heat source whichever way the hand is turned, which suits work where the operator holds a tool or hose towards a fire or furnace. General engineering note (not from the sheet): an aluminized palm is smoother than a para-aramid palm, so grip on oily or wet tools should be checked during selection. Where grip and contact heat matter more than radiant heat, the S50 or the S20 may be the better choice.

Care and replacement

General engineering note (not from the sheet): wipe the aluminized surface clean rather than washing it, keep the glove away from sharp edges that cut the film, and replace it when the reflective layer is cracked, darkened by soot that cannot be removed, or worn through at the fingertips. Store spare gloves in their packaging, away from sunlight and solvents.

For a quotation, state the fabric, cuff length and quantity, and whether the gloves are to complete an existing proximity suit set.

Other parts of the heat protection range

The S40 is commonly ordered together with other items of the same range. These include the S50 glove with a para-aramid palm, the S20 contact heat glove, aluminized hoods such as the S111, lined over-boots such as the S151, and complete proximity suit sets. Keeping glove, hood, over-boots and suit in the same aluminized fabric gives a consistent radiant heat level across the ensemble, makes it easier to explain the protection to the crew, and keeps the store of spares simple when one piece of the set is damaged.

Documents and quotation

The manufacturer sheet (English) is attached. Tell us the fabric version and the cuff length and we will confirm the matching code in the quotation. Please also tell us what task the gloves are for, such as furnace tending, hot pipework or fire service use, and the quantity and delivery location, so the quotation can name the correct fabric and cuff code.