Safety Equipment Standards
EN Standards Library: The Complete Guide to European Personal Protective Equipment Standards
This library brings together detailed guides for the most important European (EN) standards governing personal protective equipment (PPE) and fall protection systems used across construction, industrial and general workplace safety. Each guide below covers the scope, classification system, testing requirements, selection guidance, maintenance advice and frequently asked questions for that specific standard. Use this page as your starting point to navigate to any individual EN standard.
Fall Protection Standards
EN 795:2012
Anchor Devices for Fall Protection
Classifies anchor devices (Class A-E) used as connection points in personal fall protection systems.
EN 361
Full Body Harnesses
Requirements for full body harnesses used as the connection point in fall arrest systems.
EN 362
Connectors for Fall Protection
Classification (Class T, A, B, M, Q, K) of karabiners, snap hooks and screw links.
EN 353
Guided Type Fall Arresters
Requirements for fall arresters that travel along rigid rails (Part 1) or flexible lines (Part 2).
EN 358
Work Positioning and Restraint Belts
Requirements for belts and lanyards used in work positioning and restraint systems.
Head, Hand, Foot, Eye and Hearing Protection Standards
EN 397
Industrial Safety Helmets
Requirements for industrial safety helmets protecting against falling objects and head impact hazards.
EN ISO 20345
Safety Footwear
Classification (SB, S1-S5) for safety footwear with protective toe caps against impact and compression.
EN 388
Protective Gloves Against Mechanical Risks
Marking system for gloves rating abrasion, cut, tear, puncture and impact resistance.
EN 166
Eye Protection
General requirements, optical classes and impact ratings for personal eye protectors.
EN 352
Hearing Protectors
Requirements for earmuffs, earplugs and communication headsets, including SNR and H/M/L ratings.
Respiratory Protection Standards
EN 149
Filtering Half Masks (FFP1/FFP2/FFP3)
Classification and testing of disposable and reusable filtering half mask respirators.
EN 140
Half Masks and Quarter Masks
Requirements for reusable facepieces used with replaceable particle or gas filters.
EN 136
Full Face Masks
High duty full face respiratory and eye protection for demanding environments.
EN 143
Particle Filters
Classification (P1/P2/P3) of replaceable filters used with reusable respirator masks.
Protective Clothing Standards
EN ISO 13688
General Requirements for Protective Clothing
The base standard for ergonomics, sizing and marking underpinning all protective clothing.
EN ISO 20471
High-Visibility Clothing
Classes 1-3 for fluorescent and retroreflective garments used on active work sites.
EN ISO 11612
Heat and Flame Protective Clothing
Letter-coded protection against convective heat, radiant heat and molten metal splash.
EN 13034
Chemical Protective Clothing (Type 6)
Limited protection against light liquid chemical splashes and low-pressure sprays.
EN 14605
Chemical Protective Clothing (Type 3/4)
Liquid-tight and spray-tight protection against higher-risk chemical exposure.
EN 1149
Electrostatic Protective Clothing
Requirements for garments that safely dissipate static charge in explosive atmospheres.
EN 381
Chainsaw Protective Clothing
Design types and speed classes for trousers, gaiters and jackets worn by chainsaw operators.
Additional Hand Protection Standards
EN 374
Chemical and Micro-Organism Resistant Gloves
Permeation and penetration resistance classification for chemical and biological hazards.
EN 407
Thermal Risk Gloves
Six-level rating for burning behaviour, contact heat, radiant heat and molten metal.
EN 511
Cold Protection Gloves
Convective cold, contact cold and water permeability ratings for cold environments.
EN 60903
Insulating Gloves for Electrical Work
Voltage protection classes 00-4 for gloves used in live electrical work.
Additional Footwear Standards
EN ISO 20346
Protective Footwear
100 joule toecap protection, one tier below full safety footwear.
EN ISO 20347
Occupational Footwear
Footwear without toecap protection for low impact-risk workplaces.
Additional Head, Eye and Face Protection Standards
EN 812
Industrial Bump Caps
Limited protection against minor bumps, distinct from full safety helmets.
EN 14052
High-Performance Industrial Helmets
Higher energy and mandatory lateral impact protection beyond standard EN 397.
EN 169
Welding Filters
Shade number classification for passive welding filter lenses.
EN 175
Eye and Face Protection for Welding
Requirements for welding shields, helmets and goggle bodies that hold filter lenses.
Additional Fall Protection Standards
EN 360
Retractable Fall Arresters
Self-retracting lifelines that lock automatically to arrest a fall.
EN 341
Descender Devices for Rescue
Controlled descent devices used in rescue lowering operations.
EN 1497
Rescue Harnesses
Harnesses designed and tested for lifting and lowering during rescue.
EN 12841
Rope Access Adjustment Devices
Type A/B/C devices for professional two-rope access work positioning.
Hearing and Electrical Safety Standards
EN 458
Hearing Protector Selection and Use
Guidance for selecting, fitting and maintaining hearing protectors effectively.
EN 61482
Arc Flash Protective Clothing
Arc rating (ATPV/EBT) and class system for electric arc thermal hazard protection.
Machine and Workplace Safety Standards
ISO 12100
Safety of Machinery: General Principles
Risk assessment framework and hierarchy of controls underpinning PPE selection.
ISO 13849
Safety-Related Parts of Control Systems
Performance Levels (PL a-e) for the reliability of machine safety functions.
Why These Standards Matter
Each EN standard defines minimum performance requirements, test methods and marking conventions so that employers, safety officers and workers can compare products on a like-for-like basis. Understanding the classification codes – such as S1-S5 for footwear, the four-digit EN 388 glove rating, or the Class A-E anchor device system – is essential for selecting equipment that matches the specific hazards of a task, rather than relying on general assumptions about "safety gear."
How to Use This Library
- Identify the type of hazard you are protecting against: falls, impact, cuts, punctures, noise or foreign objects
- Open the relevant standard page to review its classification system and marking codes
- Cross-check related standards, since most PPE systems (like fall arrest) combine several standards together (harness, connector, anchor, lanyard)
- Use the FAQ section on each page for quick answers to common compliance questions
Frequently Asked Questions about EN Standards
What is an EN standard?
An EN standard is a technical specification developed and approved by European standardization bodies (CEN/CENELEC) that defines minimum requirements, testing methods and marking for a product category, including personal protective equipment.
Are EN standards legally required?
In most European countries, PPE sold or used at work must meet the relevant EN standard and carry a CE mark, but always confirm current local regulations with your national authority.
How do I know which EN standard applies to my equipment?
Check the marking or label on the product itself, which should reference the specific EN standard and any classification codes (for example EN 397 or EN ISO 20345 S3).
Do fall protection standards work together as a system?
Yes, a complete fall arrest system typically combines a harness (EN 361), a connector (EN 362), an anchor device (EN 795), and either a lanyard or guided type fall arrester (EN 353), each certified separately but used together.
How often is PPE required to be inspected under these standards?
Most standards recommend at least an annual formal inspection by a competent person, in addition to a visual check before each use, though exact intervals depend on the manufacturer and equipment type.
Where can I find the full text of an EN standard?
The official full text of each EN standard can be purchased through national standards bodies (such as BSI, DIN or AFNOR) or the European Committee for Standardization (CEN).