CEN/TR 15419:2017

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-februar-2018
1DGRPHãþD
SIST-TP CEN/TR 15419:2006
Varovalna obleka - Smernice za izbiro, uporabo, nego in vzdrževanje varovalne
obleke, ki varuje pred kemikalijami
Protective clothing - Guidelines for selection, use, care and maintenance of chemical
protective clothing
Schutzkleidung - Empfehlungen für die Auswahl, die Verwendung, die Pflegung und die
Bereithaltung von Schutzkleidung gegen Chemikalien
Vêtements de protection - Recommendations pour la sélection, l'utilisation, l'entretien
des vêtements de protection chimique
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: CEN/TR 15419:2017
ICS:
13.340.10 Varovalna obleka Protective clothing
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

CEN/TR 15419
TECHNICAL REPORT
RAPPORT TECHNIQUE
November 2017
TECHNISCHER BERICHT
ICS 13.340.10 Supersedes CEN/TR 15419:2006
English Version
Protective clothing - Guidelines for selection, use, care and
maintenance of chemical protective clothing
Habillement de protection - Recommandations pour la Schutzkleidung - Empfehlungen für die Auswahl, die
sélection, l'utilisation, l'entretien et la maintenance des Verwendung, die Pflegung und die Bereithaltung von
vêtements de protection chimique Schutzkleidung gegen Chemikalien

This Technical Report was approved by CEN on 29 October 2017. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 162.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2017 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. CEN/TR 15419:2017 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviations . 6
3.1 Terms and definitions . 6
3.2 Abbreviations . 8
4 Selection . 8
4.1 General . 8
4.2 Assessment of the nature of the hazard . 8
4.3 Assessment of the risk . 9
4.4 Assessment of the need of protection (developing a product specification for CPC) . 10
4.5 Additional considerations . 11
4.6 Garment material selection criteria (definition of CPC material criteria) . 11
4.7 Selection of CPC . 16
5 Use and training for safe use . 20
5.1 General Information . 20
5.2 Information for use . 20
5.3 Training . 21
5.4 Documentation . 23
6 Care . 24
6.1 General . 24
6.2 Decontamination and cleaning . 24
6.3 Storage . 25
7 Maintenance . 26
7.1 General . 26
7.2 Inspection . 26
7.3 Repair and alterations . 29
7.4 Disposal . 29
Annex A (informative) Rationale . 30
Annex B (informative) Risk assessment scheme . 39
B.1 Introduction . 39
B.2 General . 39
B.3 Risk evaluation . 39
Annex C (informative) Example of a label . 45
Bibliography . 47

European foreword
This document (CEN/TR 15419:2017) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 162
“Protective clothing including hand and arm protection and lifejackets”, the secretariat of which is held
by DIN.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes CEN/TR 15419:2006.
Introduction
Although the general SUCAM document developed within CEN/TC 162 provides a lot of useful
information, it was felt that a specific SUCAM document for chemical protective clothing (CPC) was
necessary, in view of the very specific problems linked with the use of CPC (very large variety of risks,
disinfection, etc.).
Workplace hazards should be reduced to the lowest level reasonably achievable. This can be done by
eliminating the risk, by taking engineering measures such as encapsulation of the risk, by system
control and/or by providing safe work place practices, which can include the use of CPC.
This means that the role of CPC in controlling the residual risk should be established in the correct
context. The performance requirements for CPC should be characterized in terms of the nature,
quantity and physical form of the hazardous chemical and the likelihood of contamination.
PPE should be evaluated as a whole, not only by its performance related to protection. Other factors
such as usability and maintenance should also be taken into account to match the equipment and the
intended use. Selection and use are more people-related, whereas care and maintenance are more
product-related.
The risk related to the use of chemicals varies widely with the nature of the hazard and the conditions
and duration of exposure to the chemicals. Therefore, risk and exposure assessment should be done
very carefully in order to avoid overprotection and to ensure full acceptance of the protective clothing,
which is often used in extremely dangerous work environments.
1 Scope
This Technical Report is primarily intended for users, specifiers and others with responsibility for the
procurement and provision of chemical protective clothing. It is also intended to be used by
manufacturers in their dialogue with the users of PPE.
This Technical Report is intended to clarify the inter-relationship of the set of standards, developed by
CEN/TC 162 WG 3, and to explain the main ideas behind these standards. This set of standards has been
developed in support of the European legislation on PPE and is currently used as a major technical tool
for the assessment and certification of CPC before it is put on the European market.
These guidelines are intended to assist users and specifiers in selecting the correct type of CPC for the
task to be performed, and to help them ensure it is used according to the manufacturer's instructions to
provide adequate protection during its entire lifetime. Lifetime and effectiveness of protective clothing
depend largely on care and maintenance. When cleaning, disinfection and end-of-life disposal are
considered the environmental impact should also be taken into account.
This Technical Report does not address chemical nuisance factors without potential impact on a
person's health and safety, e.g. smell.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
CEN ISO/TR 11610, Protective clothing - Vocabulary (ISO/TR 11610)
EN 420, Protective gloves - General requirements and test methods
EN 863, Protective clothing - Mechanical properties - Test method: Puncture resistance
EN 13034, 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)
EN 13274-4, Respiratory protective devices - Methods of test - Part 4: Flame tests
EN 14325:2004, Protective clothing against chemicals - Test methods and performance classification of
chemical protective clothing materials, seams, joins and assemblages
EN 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])
EN 16523-1, Determination of material resistance to permeation by chemicals - Part 1: Permeation by
liquid chemical under conditions of continuous contact
EN ISO 6530, Protective clothing - Protection against liquid chemicals - Test method for resistance of
materials to penetration by liquids (ISO 6530:2005)
EN ISO 7854, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics - Determination of resistance to damage by flexing
(ISO 7854)
EN ISO 9073-4, Textiles - Test methods for nonwovens - Part 4: Determination of tear resistance (ISO
9073-4)
EN ISO 13688, Protective clothing - General requirements (ISO 13688)
EN ISO 13982-2, Protective clothing for use against solid particulates - Part 2: Test method of
determination of inward leakage of aerosols of fine particles into suits (ISO 13982-2)
EN ISO 13938-1, Textiles - Bursting properties of fabrics - Part 1: Hydraulic method for determination of
bursting strength and bursting distension (ISO 13938-1)
EN ISO 13934-1, Textiles - Tensile properties of fabrics - Part 1: Determination of maximum force and
elongation at maximum force using the strip method (ISO 13934-1)
EN ISO 17491-3, Protective clothing - Test methods for clothing providing protection against chemicals -
Part 3: Determination of resistance to penetration by a jet of liquid (jet test) (ISO 17491-3)
EN ISO 17491-4, Protective clothing - Test methods for clothing providing protection against chemicals -
Part 4: Determination of resistance to penetration by a spray of liquid (spray test) (ISO 17491-4)
ISO 6529, Protective clothing - Protection against chemicals - Determination of resistance of protective
clothing materials to permeation by liquids and gases
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviations
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in CEN ISO/TR 11610 and the
following apply.
3.1.1
ageing
change of one or more initial properties of the materials during the passage of time
3.1.2
air-impermeable materials
materials through which gases cannot pass except by a diffusion process on a molecular level
3.1.3
air-permeable materials
materials with pores or apertures that allow the transmission of gases
3.1.4
breakthrough time
time elapsed between the initial application of a chemical to the outer surface of a material and its
subsequent presence on the other (inner) side of the material, measured by the test method described
in the relevant standard
3.1.5
care
provisions for cleaning, decontamination and storage of the protective clothing
3.1.6
chemical hazard
potential of a chemical to cause harm or damage to a person's health or to the human body
3.1.7
chemical protective clothing (CPC)
combination of garments worn to provide protection to the skin against exposure to or contact with
chemicals
3.1.8
exposure
mass flow of chemical against and through the protective garment. Exposure to chemicals depends on
the type and duration of work and the dermal effects of chemicals.
3.1.9
limited use CPC
CPC for limited duration of use, i.e. to be worn until hygienic cleaning becomes necessary or chemical
contamination has occurred and disposal is required. This includes protective clothing for single use
and for limited re-use according to the information supplied by the manufacturer
3.1.10
maintenance
Provisions for inspection, cleaning, decontamination and repair with the aim of retaining the protective
properties and preventing excessive deterioration of the clothing/refurbishment and ultimate removal
from service
3.1.11
rapid deterioration
unexpected loss of the essential requirements listed in the PPE directive
3.1.12
re-usable CPC
CPC made from materials that allow repeated cleaning after exposure to chemicals such that it remains
suitable for subsequent use
3.1.13
risk
likelihood of a harmful effect occurring as a consequence of a hazard
3.1.14
risk assessment
quantification of the risk relating to one or several hazards (including the process of determining these)
3.1.15
selection
process of determining the type of protective equipment (garments) that is necessary for the required
protection
3.1.16
use
application of protective clothing including its limitations
3.2 Abbreviations
For the purposes of this document the following abbreviations apply.
CPC chemical protective clothing
PPE personal protective equipment
SUCAM selection, use, care and maintenance
4 Selection
4.1 General
Selection is a step by step procedure starting with risk assessment for a given work situation.
Risk assessment should take into account the use of preventive measures other than the use of CPC and
related PPE. If the chemical risk cannot be adequately reduced by these preventive measures, CPC and
related PPE should be specified to protect against the residual risk.
To ensure the correct choice and use of CPC by the user, the protective performance of the CPC, its
correct use and the limitations to its use should be made clear.
The following steps should be considered:
— Assessment of the nature of the hazard;
— Assessment of risk;
— Assessment of need of protection;
— Additional considerations;
— Definition of CPC material criteria;
— Selection of CPC;
— Conditions of use;
— Workplace legislation, including REACH.
4.2 Assessment of the nature of the hazard
To assess the nature of the hazard, "safety data sheets"(SDS), including “extended safety data sheets”
(eSDS), and other relevant literature should be used. The eSDS, summarising the REACH use exposure
scenarios, should provide safe use conditions including potential use of PPE in the description of
operational conditions and risk management measures that are mandated to ensure safe use during
production or use of chemicals. The following considerations should be taken into account in assessing
the hazardous nature of the chemical:
a) The access route of the chemical to the body: an assessment of the adverse health effects from
chemical contact is the most important factor in the determination of the right CPC, with an
emphasis on the local effects on the skin (e.g., effects of skin contact such as chemical burns,
corrosion, staining, irritation, etc.), and the systemic effects of chemicals that might permeate the
skin and enter the blood stream
1) by skin damage: corrosive chemicals destroy the unprotected skin and flesh by direct attack.
Other chemicals such as petrol, paint, solvents and cleaning fluids will dissolve the skin's
natural oils, leaving the skin dry and liable to form painful cracks or to develop dermatitis
and/or sensitization. Such damage to the skin, together with any existent cuts and grazes,
provides entry points for foreign substances and thus increases the risk of harm to the body,
2) by absorption through the skin: chemicals can pass through the skin and be carried in the
bloodstream resulting in injury to other parts of the body that are remote from the initial point
of contact. Rapid absorption by the skin is a very important issue to consider. Poisoning due to
phenol and related compounds can be quoted as an example where skin exposure and
subsequent absorption is of particular concern. A large contact surface area on the skin
provides a significant route of chemical entry,
3) by other access routes, e.g. the eyes or the respiratory or digestive tract;
b) The body's tolerance and rate of elimination of a foreign substance varies from person to person,
and can also vary within the same individual at different times or under different circumstances;
c) The harmful effects will depend roughly on the amount of substance in contact with the skin or
absorbed by it. Hence they will be related to the mass of substance to which the body has been
exposed, the area of contact, the in-use concentration, and to the frequency and duration of
exposure;
d) Exposure to high doses of a chemical, e.g. by a jet of liquid or a copious splash, should be an
immediate major concern, besides the risk of exposure through inadvertent ingestion and
inhalation;
e) The pattern of skin exposures to substances will vary across the spectra of frequency, duration and
concentration. Long term adverse health effects can be linked with low level exposures (small
amounts of substances) on a regular basis. Because acute and chronic exposures can result in very
different adverse effects on human health, both need to be considered in the overall risk
assessment;
f) Mixtures (multi-components of chemicals) can increase the risk from exposure, e.g. the rate of
absorption through the skin can be higher if a chemical is used in conjunction with some solvents.
The effects of mixtures (whether or not they include solvents) can be greater than those of their
constituent parts.
4.3 Assessment of the risk
Risk assessment should be carried out by suitably qualified personnel and should take into account the
REACH exposure scenarios that provide safe use conditions. The knowledge and experience of the PPE
users should be taken into account.
A risk assessment procedure includes:
— identification of the activities that require the use of CPC;
— a list of the hazards present;
— a quantification of the risks that would result from exposure to the hazards at the foreseeable level
and duration;
— whether CPC is needed or whether the problem can be solved by other measures; considerations of
the protection provided by other control measures;
— determination of the level and extent of protection required from the CPC (in absolute or relative
terms);
— the environment where the protection has to be worn;
— additional risks inherent to the use of PPE (ergonomic considerations, heat stress, etc.).
A number of risk assessment models may be used to determine the level of risk associated with the
activities. Annex A gives an example of a risk assessment scheme.
Furthermore the following factors should be considered:
— permeation takes place without visible evidence;
— even the best CPC will not perform properly if torn, cut, damaged, degraded or contaminated;
— a barrier may protect against one chemical properly, but perform poorly against another or a
mixture of chemicals;
— higher temperatures usually decrease the breakthrough time, whereas lower temperatures
increase the time;
— degradation may be the most important factor in chemical resistance for many chemicals (acids,
etc.);
— generally, thicker barrier material increases the time to break through, but reduces glove tactility
and dexterity;
— once a chemical has been absorbed by the barrier material, it continues to permeate through the
material after chemical exposure has ceased.
4.4 Assessment of the need of protection (developing a product specification for CPC)
The determination of a product specification for CPC should not focus exclusively on chemical risk.
Other types of risk (accumulation of electrostatic charges, biological risks, flammability, thermal risks,
mechanical risks, etc.) should also be considered.
A step-by-step procedure should be followed (from the German BBA guidelines for pesticides – see
Annex A):
— quantify the risk (see risk assessment);
— determine if all steps have been taken to reduce the risk, i.e. if the residual risk is such that the use
of CPC is justified;
— determine which parts of the body require protection;
— conditions of use (wear and tear of the CPC during use);
— identify the relevant product standard(s) (and/or test methods) for the type of PPE needed for this
work situation;
— determine the level(s) of protection required (for the relevant parts of the body) in relative or
absolute terms for each item of protective clothing;
— determine ease of undressing contaminated clothing after wear and potential for cross-
contamination if reused.
— determine the residual risk after introduction of the PPE.
4.5 Additional considerations
4.5.1 General
All other elements that influence the overall performance and the total cost of ownership of limited-use
and reusable protective clothing, need to be considered.
4.5.2 Quality assurance offered by the supplier
— Service pre- and after-sales;
— quality assurance measures put in place by the supplier (e.g. certified quality management system
in accordance with EN ISO 9001);
— if relevant, quality assurance guarantees offered by the rental company.
4.5.3 Logistics
— available sizes, delivery time for standard and special sizes;
— delivery from stock held by the supplier;
— provision of corporate identity clothing (without affecting performance);
— arrangements for collection of soiled items and delivery of clean items;
— stock within the organisation;
— internal distribution to the end-users.
4.6 Garment material selection criteria (definition of CPC material criteria)
4.6.1 General
The performance of CPC in a specific work situation is largely determined by the performance of the
materials used for its construction, and the way they are assembled into a protective garment.
A large variety of material product families is used for the production of CPC materials, e.g. woven and
knitted textiles, nonwovens, nonwoven laminates, coated fabrics, films, and rubber. Moreover, each of
these groups comes in an infinite variety of combinations, modifications or variations. Hence a generic
material performance indication is not sufficient to characterize a specific material.
It should not be assumed that the use of a specific polymer material will provide the level of chemical
protection required. Neither should weight or thickness of a fabric be assumed to relate automatically
to its ability to protect. The specifier should always seek written confirmation from the manufacturer
that the material used in the garment has been tested against the specific hazardous chemical
encountered in the work situation, and that the level of protection measured is sufficient for the task.
The applied test procedure should be clearly referenced. References to the appropriate test method
standards and conventional performance levels can be found in EN 14325. The various tests are only
carried out on new garments – so you do not necessarily know how that barrier will perform once the
garment has been worn for a few hours (or, in some cases, even less). Protective garments must
perform from the moment they are put on to the moment they are taken off.
The European standards for chemical protective clothing use the approach of "performance profiles" for
material assessment. For a series of relevant parameters (chemical, mechanical, burning behaviour) test
methods are established and performance classes are defined. This creates a common base for
discussion between users and manufacturers. The manufacturers have a tool to express the
performance profile of their product and the user should try to define his "needs profile" with the same
parameters, based on the interpretation of his risk assessment.
4.6.2 Chemical barrier properties
4.6.2.1 Resistance to permeation by chemicals
These tests intend to assess the barrier properties of materials against the ingress of chemicals, several
factors need to be taken into account including the state of the substance as well as its concentration,
temperature and pressure. Chemical permeation test method standards are ISO 6529 (clothing
materials) and EN 16523-1 (gloves).
Principle of test: The test cell is divided in two compartments by the protective material, which acts as a
barrier. One of the compartments is filled with a determined quantity of chemical. The concentration of
that chemical on the other side of the barrier is monitored and the breakthrough time is established.
The time established is the normalised breakthrough time, i.e. the time to reach a permeation rate of
1,0 µg/(cm ⋅ min). But normalized breakthrough time alone cannot be the only parameter for assessing
the barrier properties. A second parameter – cumulative permeated mass – is of particular importance
for more hazardous chemicals as it is entirely possible that a significant amount of a chemical
permeates through chemical protective clothing and accumulates to a possibly harmful amount before
that the permeation rate has reached the value of 1,0 µg/(cm ⋅ min), i.e. before that the time has
reached the normalized breakthrough time.
Performance classes: from 1 to 6 based on normalized breakthrough times. Class 1 corresponds to a
normalized breakthrough time of at least 10 minutes, whereas class 6 represents a normalized
breakthrough time of more than 8 hours.
Comments:
— Breakthrough times should be considered as an indication of the resistance of materials to diffusive
permeation, not as real use times. Real use times depend on a lot of other factors, e.g. temperature,
movements, pressure etc.
— The test methods of ISO 6529 are only applicable to gases and liquids. Some solids, such as phenol,
permeate barrier materials as well.
— Although class 6 performance is to be preferred, fabrics that only achieve class 2 or 3 may still give
adequate protection. For the selection of the adequate protection class one shall also consider
whether surface contamination can be washed off the garment promptly and that no gross chemical
degradation will be apparent.
— Permeation data should be made available by the manufacturer for the chemicals encountered in
the actual work situation. If the chemical hazard is not known in advance, for example in
emergency situations, a test-battery of chemicals may be used. Such a battery includes examples of
many different types of chemicals and includes some of those that are most likely to permeate
fabrics. An example is given in EN 943-2.
A chemical protective clothing material shall provide at least Class 1 protection against several, but at
least against one chemical as desired by the manufacturer. The standards for Type 1, 2, 3 and 4
chemical protective clothing do not specify, which shall be the one chemical, against which the material
is offering at least Class 1 protection.
Clothing materials for suits for emergency teams (e.g. Type 1-ET) have to provide a set of minimum
performance classes of resistance to permeation against a chemical test battery specified in the
Type 1-ET standard.
4.6.2.2 Resistance to penetration by chemicals
At present, there exists no recognized standard test method for resistance of chemical protective
clothing materials against particulate chemicals, which would be required for quantifying the protective
performance of materials for Type 5 clothing.
The test method standard for the resistance of materials against penetration by liquids, specified for
Type 6 clothing, is EN ISO 6530.
Principle of test: A small quantity of liquid is dispensed onto the surface of the protective clothing
material, which is laid in an inclined gutter at an angle of 45°. The liquid is allowed to run off and the
quantity that penetrates the material is measured. Results are expressed as repellency and penetration
indexes (in %).
Performance classes: From 1 to 3 for both repellency and penetration. The highest class marks the best
performance, i.e. the highest repellency (> 95 %) and the lowest penetration (< 1 %).
Comments:
— The test is less accurate for volatile liquids, which partly evaporate during the test.
— The test is only applicable to liquid chemicals. Protection against solid chemical particles and dusts
is evaluated according to EN ISO 13982-2, which is not a material test but a whole suit test.
— The ability of a garment as a whole to protect against liquids is tested according to EN ISO 17491-4
(Spray-Test) and EN ISO 17491-3 (Jet-Test).
— Liquid repellency is often caused by the presence of a repellent finish on the outer surface of the
material. The durability/ageing of this finish is of utmost importance. The manufacturer should
provide data on the durability (cleaning) and potentially the re-application of the finish.
A chemical protective clothing material for Type 6 chemical protective clothing shall provide at least a
class 2 protection against at least one of the 4 chemicals of the test battery specified in subclause 4.13 of
EN 14325:2004.
4.6.2.3 Materials resistant to permeation by at least one liquid chemical and to penetration by at
least the same or another liquid chemical
For many chemical protective suits the manufacturers are claiming chemical Type 6 protection as well
as Type 4 protection.
For example, a Type 6 suit is classified for penetration against the liquid chemicals 30 % sulphuric acid
and 10 % sodium hydroxide. However this does not mean, that in order to be able to be certified also as
Type 4 suit, this suit has to achieve permeation Class 1 for at least either sulphuric acid or sodium
hydroxide.
The compliance with the "at least permeation Class 1 for one chemical" requirement for a Type 4 suit
can well be achieved for a chemical, indicated by the manufacturer, other than 30 % sulphuric acid and
10 % sodium hydroxide.
In general, conformance of a suit to EN 14605 as a Type 3 or a Type 3 and Type 4 suit requires an at
least Class 1 permeation resistance rating against any at least one chemical of the manufacturer's
choice and therefore not necessarily to any of those four chemicals of the test battery on which the
conformance of the suit to EN 13034 as a Type 6 is based on.
4.6.3 Mechanical properties
4.6.3.1 General
The following parameters were selected to represent the mechanical behaviour of the clothing material:
— abrasion resistance: to simulate wear by rubbing against abrasive surfaces, e.g. walls;
— flex cracking resistance: to simulate the deterioration of the material by folding and flexing in-use.
Flexing will lead to breaking and fraying of fibres and yarns in the fabric structure or to formation
of cracks in coatings;
— tear resistance: to simulate the material's ability to withstand propagation of a tear;
— bursting strength: to simulate the material's ability to withstand biaxial deformation;
— tensile strength: as a measure for the material's overall strength;
— puncture resistance: to simulate the resistance of the material against sharp pointed objects, which
may cause perforations.
4.6.3.2 Abrasion resistance
Test method standard: EN ISO 12947-2.
Principle of test: A test specimen is rubbed with a cyclic movement against an abrasive paper under a
defined pressure. The rubbing cycles are such that the whole surface of the specimen is exposed
(1 cycle = 16 rubs, see definition in EN 14325). The material is assessed at set intervals for specimen
breakdown or the visually observed deterioration in a specimen after a specified number of cycles of
exposure. The test is stopped when there is material breakdown (e.g. hole formation). The number of
cycles to obtain that breakdown is used to express the abrasion resistance.
Performance classes: From 1 to 6, based on the number of abrasive cycles, class 6 being the best
performance.
Comments: This test provides a ranking of materials, but cannot be used to predict the durability of a
material in real working conditions.
4.6.3.3 Pre-treatment and effect on performance
The intention for pre-treatment whether this is by cleaning or by abrasion.
The various tests are only carried out on new garments – so you do not necessarily know how that
barrier will perform once the garment has been worn for a few hours (or, in some cases, even less).
Protective garments must perform from the moment they are put on to the moment they are taken off.
Comments:
— This test, together followed by a liquid barrier test such as permeation, will provide an indication of
chemical protection during wear.
4.6.3.4 Flex-cracking resistance
Test method standard: EN ISO 7854 method B.
Principle of test: A test specimen is clamped in an apparatus that makes a longitudinal (compression)
movement. The material is assessed at set intervals for holes or perforations. The test is stopped when
the material is perforated (hole formation). The number of cycles to obtain that perforation is used to
express the flex cracking resistance.
Performance classes: From 1 to 6, based on the number of flexing cycles, class 6 being the best
performance.
Comments:
— This test provides a ranking of materials, but cannot be used to predict the durability of a material
in real working conditions.
— Most materials are susceptible to low temperatures. When using CPC in cold regions or when
working with cryogenic liquids, a flex cracking test at low temperature (−30 °C) should be made.
4.6.3.5 Trapezoidal tear resistance
Test method standard: EN ISO 9073-4.
Principle of test: An incision is made in a trapezoidally shaped test specimen. Two sides of the specimen
are clamped in the jaws of a tensile machine. The specimen is pulled apart, creating a tear along the
incision line. The force to make the specimen tear is recorded.
Performance classes: From 1 to 6, based on the tearing force, class 6 being the best performance.
Comments:
— This test provides a ranking of materials, but cannot be used to predict the durability of a material
in real working conditions.
— The test was originally conceived for nonwovens, but may also be applied to other fabrics.
4.6.3.6 Bursting strength
.
Test method standard: EN ISO 13938-1, with a test ring of 50 cm
Principle of test: A test specimen is clamped between two rings and submitted to an increasing pressure
until it bursts. The bursting force is recorded.
Performance classes: From 1 to 6, based on the perforation force, class 6 being the best performance.
Comments:
— This test provides a ranking of materials, but cannot be used to predict the durability of a material
in real working conditions.
— The test result will depend on the surface of the clamping ring. Tests made with rings of different
diameters cannot be compared.
4.6.3.7 Tensile strength
Test method standard: EN ISO 13934-1.
Principle of test: A 50 mm wide strip of fabric is clamped between the jaws of a tensile machine and
pulled apart. The breaking force is recorded.
Performance classes: From 1 to 6, based on the tensile strength, class 6 being the best performance.
Comments:
— This test provides a ranking of materials, but cannot be used to predict the durability of a material
in real working conditions.
— This test is not applicable to all types of material structure. For knitted materials bursting strength
is a more representative parameter.
4.6.3.8 Puncture resistance
Test method standard: EN 863.
Principle of test: A steel point is pushed onto the surface of the material. The force to perforate the
material is recorded.
Performance classes: From 1 to 6, based on the perforation force, class 6 being the best performance.
Comment:
— This test provides a ranking of materials, but cannot be used to predict the durability of a material
in real working conditions.
4.6.4 Resistance to ignition
Test method standard: EN 13274-4, method 3.
Principle of test: A flame is passed on the surface of the material. The material should not ignite or form
holes.
Performance classes: From 1 to 3, based on the application time of the flame, class 3 being the best
performance.
4.7 Selection of CPC
4.7.1 Obligations of manufacturers
European legislation imposes legal obligations on manufacturers:
— PPE may only be put on the EU market when the product complies with the applicable basic health
and safety requirements and when the correct procedure has been followed. The CE-marking is the
visual sign of this conformity. These requirements are laid down in European Directive
89/686/EEC;
— Part of the manufacturer's obligation is to supply an informative note to the user. This note should
be written in a precise and comprehensible style, in the official language(s) of the Member State of
destination. European Directive 89/686/EEC and the relevant product standards contain precise
provisions on the content of these informative notes (see also 3.7);
— other requirements, as e.g. laid down in the European Directive 96/74/EEC on textile names,
should also be observed.
4.7.2 Defining the level of protection required for each activity from the protective clothing
The selection of CPC should be based on the types of garments defined in the various product
standards:
— Type 1: gas-tight suits (EN 943-1 and EN 943-2);
— Type 1a: gas-tight suit with breathing apparatus worn under the suit;
— Type 1b: gas-tight suit with breathing apparatus worn outside the suit;
— Type 1c: gas-tight suit with internal overpressure (ventilated suit);
— Type 2: non-gas-tight ventilated suits (EN 943-1);
— Type 3: protection against a jet of liquid (EN 14605);
— Type 4: protection against a liquid spray (EN 14605);
— Type 5: protection against dust and solid particles (EN ISO 13982-1);
— Type 6: protection against small splashes (low level protection) (EN 13034).
The flowchart shown in Figure 1 gives an overview of the selection process following the RPD schemes
called out in ISO/TS 16975-1. Once the correct protection level for RPD is defined follow the ADE or SU
procedures for full body or skin protection.
Each Type is defined by a specific whole suit test, which is simulating the intensity of the exposure to a
chemical hazard to which a worker may risk to be exposed.
Additionally the user should check if the entire body needs to be protected or if it will be sufficient to
protect only parts. This partial body protection (Types 3, 4 and 6 [PB]) is addressed in EN 14605 and
EN 13034.
If the garments need to be stored for a longer time, information should be provided about their shelf-
life.
Figure 1 — Selection flow chart according ISO/TS 16975-1
4.7.3 Collecting information on available protective clothing
The user should explore the market to determine which products are available a
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