Standards

Need information about a standard? Click on the standard of your choice to find out more.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) – STANDARDS

In general, the entire body can and must be protected during professional activities.

Depending on the country, legislation may require the wearing of PPE for certain activities, particularly at work:

wearing a helmet, hard hat or visor on construction sites and in certain factories;
wearing safety shoes on construction sites and in certain industries;
- wearing protective clothing, possibly gloves, goggles and a mask:

¤ against chemical or biological splashes;
¤ against heat and fire hazards;
¤ against the risk of injury (abrasion, bulletproof vest);
¤ high visibility to avoid being hit by a vehicle or handling equipment

hearing protection against noise;
respiratory protection: self-contained breathing apparatus or filtering respirators (FFP protective masks);
harnesses and lifelines (ropes): protection against falls from height;
...

To be effective, PPE must be worn. This means that it must be well tolerated by users and not interfere with the performance of the task.

In order for users to protect themselves as effectively as possible, they must be made aware of the importance of wearing protective equipment through training on how to wear it and on the risks they face during their work.

Definition of PPE given by the French Labour Code (according to Appendix 8 of Article R. 233-83-3 of the Labour Code*): ‘Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a device or means intended to be worn or held by a person in order to protect them against one or more risks that may threaten their health and safety.’

One regulation – European standards

A new regulation has been defined with the aim of organising the rules concerning the safety and health of workers (it replaces Directive 89/686/EEC):

European PPE Regulation No. 2016/425 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016: This regulation establishes requirements applicable to the design and manufacture of personal protective equipment (PPE) intended to be made available on the market, with a view to ensuring the protection of the health and safety of users and establishing rules on the free movement of PPE within the Union.

For manufacturers of clothing PPE, there are specific specifications for designing this PPE: standards.

The classification of PPE

There are three categories of PPE:

Category 1: minor risks: these are simple products designed to protect against risks whose effects have no impact on the user's health or are easily reversible. Marking: This equipment must carry the CE marking.
Category 2: significant risks: This equipment protects against intermediate risks that could cause irreversible injury. Marking: These products must carry the CE marking and the year of manufacture.
Category 3: fatal risks or risks involving irreversible injury: The third category of PPE concerns equipment that protects against risks involving irreversible injury or death.

Molinel's expertise at the service of protecting professionals

Because worker safety is a major concern, Molinel develops clothing designed to provide the best possible protection for workers. Ergonomics, durability, materials, standards: nothing is left to chance in order to offer the most suitable clothing for the risks that workers may encounter.