workwear
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STANDARDS AND MARKING SYSTEM |
EU DIRECTRIVES CLASSIFY PPE IN THREE CATEGORIES
Category I
Covers the lowest level of PPE. The user is assumed to assess
the needs for protection himself, and there is a limited risk of
severe consequences of not using appropriate clothing.
The products under this category are self declared by the
marketer to comply with the standards. Products under this
category are waterproof clothing (EN 343) and protecting clothing
against cold (EN 342).
Category II
Covers products intended to be used in environments with risk
for severe, but no fatal consequences.
The products must be tested and certified by a notified body.
Products under this category are flame retardant clothing (EN
531/533), clothing for high visibility (EN 471) and lifejackets (EN
395, 396 and 399) and buoyancy aids (EN 393).
Category III
Covers products and environments where the user can be
exposed to mortal danger or to dangers that may seriously and
irreversibly harm health.
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EN 340
General requirements of the protective garments, used only in
combination with specific standards such as EN342 etc. General
requirements are for ergonomics, aging, sizing, and marking of
protective clothing, and for information supplied by the
manufacturer.
Marking (on the product itself or printed on a label
fastened to the product)
- name, commercial brand
- designation of the product type
- designation of the size
- number of the appropriate standard
- pictograms and, if necessary,
performance levels
- the "i" marked on a pictogram
indicates the need for the user to
refer to manufacturer instructions
- maintenance labelling
- instructions for use
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PPE Category 1 Standards EN 342, EN 343
EN 342 : Protection Against Cold
Products are tested by measuring the insulation for an ensemble
(jacket, trouser) worn. Air permeability and breathability are also
measured. Figures (1, 2 or 3) are given against X for insulation, Y
for air permeability and Z for breathability; higher figures are best.
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EN 343 : Protection Against Foul Weather
These garments are intended to protect against wether
conditions with combinations of precipitation, rain, fog, humidity
and wind at temperatures down to +5°C. They are tested for waterproofness (X) and breathability (Y); figures (1, 2 or 3) are
given and higher figures are best. |
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X Insulations, actual data (higher figure is best)
Y Air permeability, level 1, 2 or 3
Z Breathability, level 1, 2 or 3
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X Waterproofness, level 1, 2 or 3
Y Breathability, level 1, 2 or 3
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PPE Category 2 Standards EN 531, EN 533, EN 471
EN 531 : Protection Against Heat and Flame
(for the workers of industry exposed to heat)
The standard specifies the performance requirements for
protective clothing for workers from industry against the breif
contacts with a flame and against at least a type of heat. Heat
can be presented in the form of convective heat, of radiant heat,
significant projections of molten metals or a combination of these risks of heat.
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EN 533 : Protection Against Heat and Flame
(Index of resistance of outside shell)
The standard specifies the performance requirements for the
limited flame spread properties of materials and material
assemblies used in protective clothing. The material is classified in
accordance with an index for limitation of flame spread (X) before
and after a standard washing procedure (Y). |
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A Limited flame spread
B Convective heat (level B1-B5)
C Radiant heat (level C1-C4)
D Molten aluminium splash (level D1-D3, X= not tested)
E Molten cast iron splash (level E1-E3, X= not tested)
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X Index of resistance of outside shell flame
Index 1, 2 or 3
Y Number of washes at a given temperatures |
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EN 471 : High Visibility Clothing
The standard specifies requirements for clothing intended to
provide visibility of the user in hazardous situations under any light
conditions by day and under illumination by vehicle headlights in
the dark (24 hours visibility). Effective visibility is to be provided by
a fluorescent fabric and reflective stripes. The visibility is
measured as a combination of the area and positioning of the
reflective materials (X) and the quality of same (Y). |
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X Area reflex/fluorescent fabric, level 1, 2 or 3
Y Reflex type/quality 1 or 2
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PPE CATEGORY 3 STANDARDS
EN 1149, EN 470, EN 469, EN 1486, EN 13034, EN 465, EN 466,
EN 467, EN 943-1
EN 1149 : Antistatic Protective Clothing
The standard specifies the electrostatic requirements and the test
methods for protective clothing dissipating static electricity to
avoid sparks which could cause fires. The current European
standard does not apply for protection against mains voltage.
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EN 1149-1 Electrical surface resistivity (<5E+10
Ohms on at least one of the sides)
EN 1149-2
Measuring electrical vertical resistance
EN 1149-3 Dissipation of electrostatic charge from
the surface of the materials for garments
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EN 465 : Protective Clothing Against Liquid
Chemicals
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The standard specifies the performance requirement
for chemical protection garments with fogs tight joints
between the different parts of the garment.
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EN 466 : Protective Clothing Against Liquid.
Chemicals, connections tight with the
liquids.
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Performance requirements for chemical protective
clothing with liquid-tight connections between
different parts of the clothing (e.g. gloves, boots)
intended to protect their carrier against the liquid
chemicals. |
EN 467 : Protective Clothing Against Liquid and
Solid Chemicals
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The standard specifies the minimal requirements
requested from the garment for a protection against
the chemicals with certain parts of the body (e.g.
aprons, handles, hoods). |
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EN 470 : Welding & Similar Operations
Protective Clothing
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The clothing is intended to protect the user against
small splashes of molten metal (EN 348), short
contact time with flame (EN 532), and ultra violet
radiation, and to be worn continuously for up to 8
hours at ambient temperature.
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EN 943-1: Protective Clothing Against Liquid &
Gaseous Chemicals, including liquid
aerosols and solid particles
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Performance requirements for ventilated and
non-ventilated gas-tight (Type 1) and non-gas-tight
(Type 2) chemical protective suits including
components such as the eyespieces, respiratory apparatuses, gloves and boots. |
EN13034 : Protective Clothing Against Liquid
Chemicals
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Performance requirements for the combinations of
chemical protection of limited use and reusable.
Garment offers a limited protection against the
exposure to the liquid aerosols, the fog and the
light splashes where the type of potential
exposure, for, mist, etc. is defined. |
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EN 1486 : Protective Clothing for Firefighters
Test methods and requirements for reflective clothing for specialised fire fighting.
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Type 1 Hood / shoulder cape / visor and gloves
Type 2 Floor length coat / hood / visor and gloves
Type 3 Suit incorporating boots / hood / visor |
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EN 469 : Protective Clothing for Fire Fighters
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Minimum performance levels are exceeded for flame spread, heat transfer from flame and radiant heat, residual strength and heat resistance. Additional requirements may be met for tensile strength, tear strength, surface wetting, dimensional change, penetration by liquid chemicals, water resistance and breathability. |
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American Standard ARC Rating ATPV
Arc ratings are values that indicate the arc performance of a
material or system of materials and are expressed in calories per
centimeter squared.
This value may be either Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV)
or Breakopen Threshold Energy (EBT), depending on whether or
not sufficient energy was transmittied through the material to
cause a second degree burn in human tissue before the material
broke open. |
Arc Ratings are statistical calculations based on evaluation of a
minimum of 20 data points generated in arc testing.
With advances in test methods and testing methodology, new
data is constantly being generated.
The Arc Ratings ATPV standard concern the Textile Materials for
Wearing apparel for use by electrical workers exposed to
momentary electric arc and related thermal hazards. |
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