PPE CATEGORY

Category I. - personal protective equipment of simple construction, the design of which is based on the fact that the user can assess the level of protection provided against individual progressively performers minimum risks, which can be recognized in a timely and safe manner by the user. EC type-examination is not required. The manufacturer shall carry out a conformity assessment himself and issue an EC declaration of conformity.

Category II. Category III. - personal protective equipment of a complex structure designed to protect against mortal hazards or hazards which may seriously and irreversibly harm health and where the design is based on the fact that their immediate effects cannot be identified by the user in a timely manner. The manufacturer ensures the inspection of manufactured personal protective equipment by the Notified Person. The conformity assessment documents kept by the manufacturer or his authorised representative shall include a set of technical documentation, an EC declaration of conformity and an EC type-examination certificate.

Overview of CE standards

EN ISO 13688 - General requirements (original standard EN 340)

This European standard specifies the general requirements for the design of protective clothing in terms of ergonomics, safety, size marking, ageing, compatibility and marking of protective clothing and the information supplied by the manufacturer with protective clothing. Standard EN 340 / EN ISO 13688 is given only in connection with another CE standard, not separately stated.

EN 1149-5 - Electrostatic properties (antistatics)

Protective clothing dispersing electrostatic charge, used as part of the overall grounded system to prevent incendiary discharges.
Clothing protects the wearer from the risk of explosion.

EN 61340-5-1 - Electrostatics - Part 5-1: Protection of electronic components from electrostatic phenomena - General requirements (ESD)

It applies to the manufacture, processing, assembly, installation, packaging, measures of labels, servicing, testing, inspection, transport or other handling of electrical or electronic parts, assemblies and apparatus sensitive to electrostatic discharge damage greater than or identical to the discharge of 100 V model.

It does not apply to human protection, but to the protection of electronic components that may be damaged by electrostatic discharge.

EN ISO 11611 - Protective clothing for welding and related applications

This type of protective clothing is intended to protect the user against spraying (small amounts of molten metal), short-term contact with flame, radiant heat from an electric arc, and to reduce the possibility of electric shock in short-term accidental contact with electrical conductors energized at electrical voltages of approximately 100 V DC under normal welding conditions. Sweat, contamination or other contaminants may affect the level of protection afforded against short-term accidental contact with electrical conductors under voltage during these electrical voltages.

In addition, personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect the head, hands and feet that provide other standards should be worn for adequate overall protection against the risks to which welders are likely to be exposed.

EN ISO 11612 - Clothing for protection against heat and flame

The technical requirements stated in this international standard apply to garments which could be intended for a wide range of uses where clothing with properties against the limited spread of flame is required and where the user may be exposed to radiant, convection or contact heat or particles of sprayed molten metal.

Class:

A1 and/or A2 — Limited flame spread
B - Convection heat
C - Radiant heat
D - Spraying with molten aluminium
E - Spraying with molten iron
F - Contact heat
W - Water penetration resistance (optional requirements)

EN 13034 - Protective clothing against liquid chemicals — Design requirements for protective clothing against chemicals providing limited protection against liquid chemicals (type 6 and type PB devices [6])

Minimum requirements for the design of protective clothing against chemicals for limited use and limited re-use. The design of protective clothing against chemicals for limited use is intended for use in case of potential exposure to light spraying, liquid aerosols or low pressure, low spray volumes, where an absolute liquid barrier against permeation (permeability) is not required.

Type 6 — covers and protects at least the torso and limbs, e.g. overalls in whole or in two-piece garments, with or without a balaclava, with or without integrated inserts or footwear covers.

Type PB [6] – partial protection of the body of similar limited design, covers and protects only certain parts of the body, e.g. coats, aprons, sleeves, etc.

EN ISO 14116 - Protection against heat and fire — Materials and assemblies of materials with limited flame spread

Functional requirements for the properties of materials, material assemblies and protective clothing designed for the limited spread of flame, in order to reduce the possibility of burning clothing and thus reduce the risk caused by the materials themselves. Additional requirements are also laid down for clothing.

Protective clothing is designed to protect workers against accidental brief contact with small incendiary flames in conditions without significant thermal risk.

Limited flame spread index: 1, 2, 3

Marking: "Material complies with indices 0/0/0 ISO 14116" as appropriate

EN 20471 - (original standard EN 471) — High visibility warning clothing for professional use — Testing methods and requirements

Requirements for clothing that is able to visually signal the presence of the user. This clothing is intended to cause good visibility of the user in dangerous situations, both in any lighting conditions during the day and when illuminated by the front lights of the means of transport in the dark.

It includes qualitative requirements for colour and retro-reflective materials of protective clothing, their arrangement and minimum surface area.

Minimum required areas of conspicuous material in m² (background material, retroreflective material, material with combined properties):

Clothing class 1, 2, 3

Minimum retroflexion coefficient for material with a single property, class 2 (applies to reflective stripes).

Class

3

2

1

Underlying (warning) material

0,8

0,5

0,14

Retroreflective material (reflective stripes)

0,2

0,13

0,1

Material with combined properties

-

-

0,2

Dimensions in m²

EN 510 - Requirements for protective clothing used at risk of being caught by moving parts

This standard lays down the characteristics of protective clothing minimising the risk of the worker being caught or pulled in by moving parts when a person is working near or near dangerous moving parts of machinery or equipment.

 

EN 61482-1-2 – Work under voltage - Clothing protecting against the thermal effect of an electric arc - Part 1-2: Test methods - Method 2: Determination of material and clothing protection class using a concentrated and controlled arc (box test)

This standard sets out the tests, which materials and protective clothing can be assessed based on the use of a concentrated and controlled arc under laboratory conditions (box-test). A practical procedure concerning the test arrangement, test conditions and electrical and design parameters shall be chosen. The low voltage method shall be used for the tests. The tests may be carried out in two selected test classes, selected according to the size of the expected short-circuit current: The standard has uses in electrical engineering and electricity in the method of working under voltage.

 

EN 342 - Protective clothing – Ensembles and garments for protection against cold

This European Standard specifies requirements and test methods for the performance of clothing ensembles (i.e. g two piece suits or coveralls) for protection against the effects of cold environments equal to or below −5°C (see Annex C). These effects comprise not only low air temperatures but also humidity and air velocity.
Requirements and test methods of garments for protection against cool environments are specified in EN 14058.
The protective effects and requirements of footwear, gloves and separate head wear are excluded from the scope of this standard.