A pinhole is the most important defect in an examination glove, and how a factory tests for it decides real safety: AQL 1.5 sampling leaves a statistical chance of defects, while 100% online electrical testing rejects every glove with a hole. The 1000 ml water-leak test is the reference method.

A pinhole is a tiny hole you cannot see, and it is the most important defect in an examination glove — a single pinhole can break the barrier. How a factory tests for pinholes determines how safe the gloves actually are. Here is the difference between online electrical testing and AQL sampling.

Why Pinholes Matter

A pinhole lets liquids and microorganisms pass through the glove, defeating its purpose. International standards require that no more than a tiny fraction of gloves in a batch have pinholes.

AQL Sampling (Statistical)

Under AQL 1.5, a random sample is drawn from each lot and inspected. The lot is accepted only if defects stay within 1.5%. This is the standard method and is widely accepted, but it leaves a statistical chance that some defective gloves ship.

Online 100% Electrical Testing

Each glove is inflated and passed over an electrical detector on the production line. A glove with even a microscopic pinhole completes a circuit and is rejected automatically. Every single glove is tested, not a sample.

The Water Leak Test (Reference Method)

The reference test in EN 455, ASTM D3578 and ISO 11193 fills a glove with 1000 ml of water and hangs it to detect leaks. It is used to validate the electrical method and for type testing and regulatory submission.

Testing at Pacific Resource Global

Pacific Resource Global, a Biomax Rubber Industries company, runs 100% online electrical pinhole testing on every examination glove line in Selangor, Malaysia, with AQL 1.5 as the sampling baseline. Gloves are produced under ISO 9001 and ISO 13485:2016 quality systems with CE certification (EU PPE 2016/425 Category III).

What to Ask Your Supplier

  • Is pinhole testing 100% online, or sampling only?
  • What AQL does the factory run in production?
  • Can you provide the pinhole test report for the specific lot?

Request Pinhole Test Reports

Contact [email protected] for pinhole test reports, technical data and samples.

Sources and standards

The requirements referenced in this article come from the following public standards and regulations:

Pacific Resource Global manufactures our examination glove range in Malaysia under an ISO 13485:2016 certified quality management system. To discuss specifications for your market, request pricing and samples.