Council Directive of 21 December 1989 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to personal protective equipment (89/686/EEC)

3.10. Protection against dangerous substances and infective agents U.K.

3.10.1. Respiratory protection U.K.

PPE intended for the protection of the respiratory tract must make it possible to supply the user with breathable air when the latter is exposed to a polluted atmosphere and/or an atmosphere having inadequate oxygen concentration.

The breathable air supplied to the user by the PPE must be obtained by appropriate means, for example after filtration of the polluted air through the protective device or appliance or by a piped supply from an unpolluted source.

The constituent materials and other components of these PPE classes must be so chosen or designed and incorporated as to ensure appropriate user respiration and respiratory hygiene for the period of wear concerned under the foreseeable conditions of use.

The leak-tightness of the facepiece and the pressure drop on inspiration and, in the case of the filtering devices, purification capacity must be such as to keep contaminant penetration from a polluted atmosphere low enough not to be prejudicial to the health or hygiene of the user.

The PPE must bear the manufacturer's identification mark and details of the specific characteristics of that type of equipment which, in conjunction with the instructions for use, will enable a trained and qualified user to employ the PPE correctly.

The manufacturer's notes must also in the case of filtering devices, indicate the deadline for the storage of filters as new and kept in their original packaging.

3.10.2. Protection against cutaneous and ocular contact U.K.

PPE intended to prevent the surface contact of all or part of the body with dangerous substances and infective agents must be capable of preventing the penetration or diffusion of such substances through the protective integument under the foreseeable conditions of use for which the PPE is placed on the market.

To this end, the constituent materials and other components of these PPE classes must be so chosen, or designed and incorporated as to ensure, as far as possible, complete leak-tightness, which will allow where necessary prolonged daily use or, failing this, limited leak-tightness necessitating a restriction of the period of wear.

Where, by virtue of their nature and the foreseeable conditions of their use, certain dangerous substances or infective agents possess high penetrative power which limits the duration of the protection provided by the PPE in question, the latter must be subjected to standard tests with a view to their classification on the basis of effeciency. PPE which is considered to be in conformity with the test specifications must bear a mark indicating, in particular, the names or, failing this, the codes of the substances used in the tests and the corresponding standard period of protection. The manufacturer's notes must also contain, in particular, an explanation of the codes (if necessary), a detailed description of the standard tests and all appropriate information for the determination of the maximum permissible period of wear under the different foreseeable conditions of use.