In the European Union, the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulation covers products to wear or hold that protect people against risks related to their safety and health. Some of the most common use of PPE is protection at workplace, in extreme sports, during rescuing operations, etc.
Guidance documents and checklists for PPE compliance
Manufacturers of PPE can consult different guidance documents to verify the compliance of their products:
- The European Commission published Guide to application of Regulation EU 2016/425 on personal protective equipment, updated in 2023. Together with an overview of the different economic operators’ obligations, manufacturers can find this document helpful for product classification and selection of conformity assessment routes.
- The PPE Regulation classifies the risks associated with PPE into three categories, from the lowest (category 1) to the highest (category 3). Based on the risk category, manufacturer must assess whether the involvement of a third party conformity assessment body – the notified body – is mandatory or not. The European Commission issued a Q&A document, Conformity assessment procedures for protective equipment, dedicated to this topic.
- The European standardization organization CEN and CENELEN provides two useful documents to verify the application of harmonised standards to personal protective equipment:
- Checklist for the verification of the compliance of the mandated European standards with Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment.
- Document on approach for dealing with hazardous substances in standards for PPE
EAR to verify compliance with the PPE Regulation
Personal protective equipment is subject to strict requirements. Considering the complex requirements, manufacturers of PPE are highly advised to appoint an authorised representative (EAR). Among other things, the EAR verifies that the manufacturer applied the relevant provisions and the proper conformity assessment route for that category risk.
Our PPE Library of Documents includes relevant public documents and guidelines for PPE compliance.
Do you have questions on PPE compliance? Contact us here and we will get back to you!
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