A safety standards converter translates the marks, not the compliance — US, EU and Canadian PPE certifications measure with different tests — these tabs map EN 388 to ANSI cut levels, FFP classes to N95/P100, CSA to ANSI hard-hat types, SNR to NRR and eyewear marks so a foreign listing reads correctly. The rated inventory lives on cut-resistant gloves and respiratory protection.
What does the safety standards converter translate?
Short answer: six equivalence sets — cut gloves (EN 388 TDM letter A-F vs ANSI/ISEA 105 A1-A9), filtering facepieces (FFP2 vs N95), hard hats (CSA Z94.1 vs ANSI Z89.1), hi-vis (EN ISO 20471 vs ANSI 107), eyewear (EN 166 vs Z87.1) and hearing (SNR to NRR) — equivalences are approximate; a compliance program needs the domestic mark.
Editor's pick — Ansell HyFlex 11-518
Sold worldwide under both marking systems — the same knit scored by two different blade tests, which is the exact confusion this converter exists to solve. Read the full listing.VIEW THE LISTING → CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON →
As an Amazon Associate, WC Safety earns from qualifying purchases. This has no bearing on which products appear here or in what order.
Convert safety-equipment ratings between the US (ANSI/ISEA, NIOSH), Canadian (CSA), and European (EN / EN ISO) systems. Pick a category — cut gloves, respirators, hard hats, hi-vis, eye, or hearing. Every mapping is a functional equivalence for selection, not a legal substitution: buy to the standard your jurisdiction enforces.
How to use these conversions
Spec the test, not the badge. A purchase line that reads "EN 388 TDM level D or ANSI/ISEA 105 A4" names the same protection twice and lets buyers source from either market — and dual-certified products remove the guesswork entirely. The deep-dive references behind each mapping: CSA Z94.1 vs ANSI Z89.1 hard hats, N95 vs FFP2 vs FFP3 respirators, and EN 388 vs ANSI/ISEA 105 cut levels.
The one rule that overrides every conversion: functional equivalence is not legal equivalence. US OSHA-covered workplaces need US-certified equipment (ANSI/ISEA, NIOSH); Canadian sites expect CSA marks; EU/UK sites need CE and EN certification. These tables help you read listings across markets — they don't let you substitute one certification for another in a compliance program.
General guidance compiled from the published ANSI/ISEA, NIOSH, CSA, and EN standards — not a compliance determination. Verify certification requirements with a qualified safety professional. WC Safety participates in the Amazon Associates Program; product links may earn us a commission.
Quick reference: the two most-searched conversions
The interactive tabs sit above; these static rows cover the ffp2 vs n95 and en 388 to ansi questions most readers arrive with.
| EN 388 TDM letter | ANSI/ISEA 105 |
|---|---|
| A (2-4 N) | ~A1 |
| B (5-9 N) | ~A2 |
| C (10-14 N) | ~A3 |
| D (15-21 N) | ~A4 |
| E (22-29 N) | ~A5 |
| F (30+ N) | ~A6; A7-A9 exceed the EN scale |
| EU class | US near-equivalent |
|---|---|
| FFP1 | no direct NIOSH class |
| FFP2 (≥94%) | N95 (≥95%) |
| FFP3 (≥99%) | N99 / P100 territory |
Our methodology
Mappings restate the published equivalence conventions between EN, ANSI/ISEA and CSA test methods (EN 388 TDM vs ASTM F2992 cut, EN 149 vs 42 CFR 84 filtration, SNR vs NRR attenuation statistics); where a level has no true counterpart the tables say so instead of inventing one, and the hearing derate is a screening midpoint, not a program calculation. Authoritative duties live at OSHA regulations and exposure science at NIOSH. We hold no safety certification, and this tool is not a substitute for professional judgment.
Why trust this page
WC Safety is an independent review site with no products of its own — nothing here is stocked, warehoused or shipped by us. Purchase links go to Amazon and earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. This free tool is informational — it supports, and never replaces, a written program, a hazard assessment, or evaluation by a qualified safety professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FFP2 the same as N95?
Functionally close — FFP2 filters ≥94% under EN 149, N95 ≥95% under NIOSH testing — but neither certification substitutes for the other; US workplaces under 1910.134 need the NIOSH mark.
How do I convert EN 388 to ANSI cut levels?
Read the TDM letter (the final letter on the EN 388 mark) and map A-F against ANSI A1-A6; above F the EN scale simply ends, so ANSI A7-A9 gloves have no EN letter to quote — the converter states that rather than inventing one.
How do you convert SNR to NRR?
There is no exact formula — NRR typically reads 3 to 7 dB below the same protector’s SNR. The tool shows that range plus an OSHA-style derated field estimate; dosimetry and fit decide the rest.
Are CSA hard hats legal on US sites?
The employer must provide Z89.1-compliant protection; many helmets carry both CSA Z94.1 and ANSI Z89.1 marks — check the shell label for the dual print rather than assuming.
Does CE marking mean OSHA acceptance?
No — CE marks EU conformity. OSHA references US consensus standards, so imported PPE needs the ANSI/NIOSH mark for a US program even when the CE-rated spec is comparable.
Which conversions here are exact?
None — every pair uses different test rigs, speeds or statistics. The tables are for reading foreign listings; buy to the mark your jurisdiction requires.
Researched and written by Steven Eaton, editor of WC Safety. Steven holds no safety certification and does not test products; this page compares what manufacturers publish, with the gaps in that record marked. Last reviewed July 2026.