What's in the mark?
UNDERSTANDING CE STANDARDS
The European Union has identified six levels of protection (Types) to facilitate the choice of chemical protective clothing. To carry the CE marking, chemical protective equipment (category III) must pass one or more of the garment “Type” tests, meet or exceed the minimum requirements for the materials’ physical and chemical properties, and be correctly identified and labeled. In addition, the products must be manufactured to a consistent quality, and the manufacturer must either hold a quality certificate such as ISO 9000, or be subject to regular inspections by the notified laboratory.
Protection performance levels may differ even if products are certified with the same Type. The test results reveal the differences.
The CE marking means that chemical protective clothing meets certain minimum requirements. However, it does not mean that chemical suits of the same Type offer the same level of protection performance. This is why it is essential to look at the results of the tests carried out on the material used to make the garment.
Chemical protective clothing certified to a specific “Type” can have very different performance properties in terms of protection, durability and comfort. The indicated “Type” simply means that the suit has passed one or more of the whole suit liquid tests and meets the minimum performance requirements for the constituent mechanical and barrier tests.
EN ISO 14126:2003
Protective clothing. Performance requirements and tests methods for protective clothing against infective agents.
This standard is used to demonstrate the performance of protective garments against infective agents. This is not a ‘stand-alone’ standard and needs to be combined with standards for Type 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6 protective garments, as listed in Clause 4.3, Table 5. Types 1, 2 and 5 protective garments are required to be of the ‘full body’ type. Type 3, 4 and 6 protective garment standards include partial body ‘PB’ garments covering only a part of the body.
EN 1073-2:2002
Protective clothing against radioactive contamination - Part 2: Requirements and test methods for non-ventilated protective clothing against particulate radioactive contamination.
This specifies the requirements and test methods for non-ventilated protective clothing protecting the wearer against particulate radioactive contamination. Such clothing is intended to protect only the body, arms and legs of the wearer, but it may be used with accessories which provide protection to additional areas of the wearer (e.g. boots, gloves, RPE). Protection to these other areas is specified in other European Standards.
This European Standard does not apply for the protection against ionizing radiation and the protection of patients against contamination with radioactive substances by diagnostic and/or therapeutic measures.
EN ISO 14605:2005+A1:2009
Protective clothing against liquid chemicals - performance requirements for clothing with liquid-tight (Type 3) or spray-tight (Type 4) connections, including items providing protection to parts of the body only (Types PB [3] and PB [4])
This document specifies the minimum requirements for the following types of limited use and reusable chemical protective clothing:
– Full-body protective clothing with liquid-tight connections between different parts of the clothing (Type 3: liquid-tight clothing) and, if applicable, with liquid-tight connections to component parts, such as hoods, gloves, boots, visors or respiratory protective equipment, which may be specified in other European Standards.
Examples of such clothing are one-piece coveralls or two-piece suits, with or without hood or visors, with or without boot-socks or over-boots, with or without gloves;
– Full-body protective clothing with spray-tight connections between different parts of the clothing (Type 4: spray-tight clothing) and, if applicable, spray-tight connections to component parts, such as hoods, gloves, boots, visors or respiratory protective equipment, which may be specified in other European Standards.
Examples of such clothing are one-piece coveralls or two-piece suits, with or without hood or visors, with or without boot-socks or over-boots, with or without gloves;
EN ISO 14605:2005+A1:2009
Protective clothing against liquid chemicals. Performance requirements for clothing with liquid-tight (Type 3) or spray-tight (Type 4) connections, including items providing protection to parts of the body only (Types PB [3] and PB [4])
This specifies the minimum requirements for the following types of limited use and reusable chemical protective clothing: – Full-body protective clothing with liquid-tight connections between different parts of the clothing (Type 3: liquid-tight clothing) and, if applicable, with liquid-tight connections to component parts, such as hoods, gloves, boots, visors or respiratory protective equipment, which may be specified in other European Standards. Examples of such clothing are one-piece coveralls or two-piece suits, with or without hood or visors, with or without boot-socks or over-boots, with or without gloves; – Full-body protective clothing with spray-tight connections between different parts of the clothing (Type 4: spray-tight clothing) and, if applicable, spray-tight connections to component parts, such as hoods, gloves, boots, visors or respiratory protective equipment, which may be specified in other European Standards. Examples of such clothing are one-piece coveralls or two-piece suits, with or without hood or visors, with or without boot-socks or over-boots, with or without gloves.
EN ISO 13982-1:2004+A1:2010
Protective clothing for use against solid particulates - Part 1: Performance requirements for chemical protective clothing providing protection to the full body against airborne solid particulates (type 5 clothing) - Amendment 1 (ISO 13982-1:2004/Amd 1:2010)
ISO 13982-1:2004 specifies the minimum requirements for chemical protective clothing resistant to penetration by airborne solid particles (Type 5). These garments are full-body protective clothing, i.e. covering trunk, arms and legs, such as one-piece coveralls or two piece suits, with or without hood or visors, with or without foot protection. Requirements for component parts, such as hoods, gloves, boots, visors or respiratory protective equipment might be specified in other International and European Standards.
ISO 13982-1:2004 is applicable only to airborne solid particulates. It is not applicable to other forms of challenge by solid chemicals, e.g. penetration of chemical dust through materials by rubbing or flexing, which may form the object of separate standards.
EN ISO 13034:2005+A1:2009
Protective clothing against liquid chemicals. Performance requirements for chemical protective clothing offering limited protective performance against liquid chemicals (Type 6 and Type PB [6] equipment).
This document specifies the minimum requirements for limited use and re-useable limited performance chemical protective clothing. Limited performance chemical protective clothing is intended for use in cases of a potential exposure to a light spray, liquid aerosols or low pressure, low volume splashes, against which a complete liquid permeation barrier (at the molecular level) is not required. This document covers both chemical protective suits (Type 6) and partial body protection (Type PB [6]). Chemical protective suits (Type 6) cover and protect at least the trunk and the limbs, e.g. one-piece coveralls or two piece suits, with or without hood, boot-socks or boot-covers. This document specifies minimum requirements for the connections between different parts of Type 6 suits by the use of a reduced whole suit spray test using a variant of EN 468, as described in 5.2. Partial body protection of similar limited performance (Type PB [6]) covers and protects only specific parts of the body, e.g. coats, aprons, sleeves etc. They should not be tested to the whole suit test (5.2).
EN 13034:2005+A1:2009
Protective clothing against liquid chemicals - Performance requirements for chemical protective clothing offering limited protective performance against liquid chemicals (Type 6 and Type PB [6] equipment)
This document specifies the minimum requirements for limited use and re-useable limited performance chemical protective clothing. Limited performance chemical protective clothing is intended for use in cases of a potential exposure to a light spray, liquid aerosols or low pressure, low volume splashes, against which a complete liquid permeation barrier (at the molecular level) is not required. This document covers both chemical protective suits (Type 6) and partial body protection (Type PB [6]). Chemical protective suits (Type 6) cover and protect at least the trunk and the limbs, e.g. one-piece coveralls or two piece suits, with or without hood, boot-socks or boot-covers. This document specifies minimum requirements for the connections between different parts of Type 6 suits by the use of a reduced whole suit spray test using a variant of EN 468, as described in 5.2. Partial body protection of similar limited performance (Type PB [6]) covers and protects only specific parts of the body, e.g. coats, aprons, sleeves etc. They should not be tested to the whole suit test (5.2).
EN 14116:2015
Protective clothing — Protection against flame — Limited flame spread materials, material assemblies and clothing
ISO 14116:2015 specifies the performance requirements for the limited flame spread properties of all materials, all material assemblies, and protective clothing in order to reduce the possibility of the clothing burning when in occasional and brief contact with small flames and thereby constituting a hazard. Additional requirements for clothing are also specified, including design requirements, mechanical requirements, marking, and information supplied by the manufacturer.
When protection against heat hazards is necessary, in addition to protection against flame, this International Standard is not appropriate. International Standards such as ISO 11612 are to be used instead.
EN 1149:5-2008
Protective clothing. Electrostatic properties. Material performance and design requirements
BS EN 1149-5 is part of a series of standards for test methods and requirements for electrostatic properties of protective clothing.
BS EN 1149-5 specifies material and design requirements for electrostatic dissipative protective clothing. It covers clothing used as part of a total earthed system, to avoid incendiary discharges.
The requirements may not be sufficient in oxygen enriched flammable atmospheres. This standard does not apply to protection against mains voltages.