Personal Protective Equipment Testing
Ensure that your products provide adequate protection against hazards and risks
Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes clothing and other articles intended to protect the wearer from injury or other health-related risk. PPE is essential to protect the safety of workers in many different occupations, and in settings as diverse as industrial, construction and building maintenance activities to hospitals and public safety operations. Increasingly, certain types of PPE may also be used in non-occupational and recreational activities, such as routine home maintenance and sports. Most major markets around the world, including the European Union (EU) and the US require manufacturers of PPE to test their products to demonstrate compliance with applicable workplace safety regulations. In addition, testing for compliance with voluntary industry standards may also be a de facto requirement for PPE used in specific applications.
The testing required of PPE is as varied as an equipment’s intended use and the potential risk to the user. Some specific types of testing include:
- Biological resistance testing – including penetration testing, as well as antimicrobial and antibacterial testing
- Chemical resistance testing – including chemical penetration and permeation testing
- Protective ensemble testing – such as testing for chemical, vapor or liquid splash resistance of full body protection systems and clothing ensembles
- Impact protection testing – for sports helmets and occupational headwear, as well as body armour
- Protective hand and footwear testing – for gloves and shoes used in hazardous work environments
- Fall arrest equipment testing – for positioning belts and body harnesses used in construction and maintenance
In potentially dangerous workplace environments, workers rely on PPE to protect against foreseeable health and safety risks, and on the assurances of PPE manufacturers that their equipment will perform as promised. Testing of PPE sold or used in the EU is required under the terms of the EU’s PPE Directive and the EU’s forthcoming PPE Regulation. PPE used in the US in the federally regulated workplace must also meet the requirements of product-specific American National Standards for compliance with regulations of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In addition to serving as the basis for compliance with applicable regulations, PPE testing and certification provides users with assurances that their equipment will provide adequate protection against injury or illness.
TÜV SÜD is an EU Notified Body authorised to evaluate products for compliance with the EU’s PPE Directive and the PPE Regulation. We are also a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) under US OSHA regulations. A global leader in testing and certification, TÜV SÜD’s team of multidisciplinary experts are familiar with most types of PPE. Our standing as an independent and impartial third-party assessor instills confidence in the quality and safety of your products. And our global network of testing laboratories provides testing support regardless of where your PPE is manufactured or distributed.
We can support PPE suppliers and manufacturers with the full range of testing and evaluation services applicable to all categories of PPE products, as required by the EU, the US and other major markets. Specific testing capabilities include:
- Chemical and biological hazards testing
- Hand and footwear testing
- Impact protection testing
- Fall arrest equipment testing
In addition, TÜV SÜD can conduct specialised testing for extreme conditions, as well as other testing specified as a condition of procurement.
TÜV SÜD is a leading provider of comprehensive testing and certification services for all types of PPE. Our global network of technical experts, combined with our state-of-the-art testing laboratories, assure a single source solution for meeting all applicable requirements, standards and voluntary schemes. And TÜV SÜD technical professionals are actively involved in international advisory boards and standards development activities, ensuring the most up-to-date knowledge of current and changing requirements.
Represented in over 800 locations worldwide, TÜV SÜD has an unsurpassed track record of meeting and exceeding the requirements and expectations of our client companies. The TÜV SÜD brand and our distinctive blue octagon mark are instantly recognised around the globe as symbols of quality and safety, and will increase customer confidence in your brand.
The testing required of PPE is as varied as an equipment’s intended use and the potential risk to the user. Some specific types of testing include:
- Biological resistance testing – including penetration testing, as well as antimicrobial and antibacterial testing
- Chemical resistance testing – including chemical penetration and permeation testing
- Protective ensemble testing – such as testing for chemical, vapor or liquid splash resistance of full body protection systems and clothing ensembles
- Impact protection testing – for sports helmets and occupational headwear, as well as body armour
- Protective hand and footwear testing – for gloves and shoes used in hazardous work environments
- Fall arrest equipment testing – for positioning belts and body harnesses used in construction and maintenance
In potentially dangerous workplace environments, workers rely on PPE to protect against foreseeable health and safety risks, and on the assurances of PPE manufacturers that their equipment will perform as promised. Testing of PPE sold or used in the EU is required under the terms of the EU’s PPE Directive and the EU’s forthcoming PPE Regulation. PPE used in the US in the federally regulated workplace must also meet the requirements of product-specific American National Standards for compliance with regulations of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In addition to serving as the basis for compliance with applicable regulations, PPE testing and certification provides users with assurances that their equipment will provide adequate protection against injury or illness.
TÜV SÜD is an EU Notified Body authorised to evaluate products for compliance with the EU’s PPE Directive and the PPE Regulation. We are also a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) under US OSHA regulations. A global leader in testing and certification, TÜV SÜD’s team of multidisciplinary experts are familiar with most types of PPE. Our standing as an independent and impartial third-party assessor instills confidence in the quality and safety of your products. And our global network of testing laboratories provides testing support regardless of where your PPE is manufactured or distributed.
We can support PPE suppliers and manufacturers with the full range of testing and evaluation services applicable to all categories of PPE products, as required by the EU, the US and other major markets. Specific testing capabilities include:
- Chemical and biological hazards testing
- Hand and footwear testing
- Impact protection testing
- Fall arrest equipment testing
In addition, TÜV SÜD can conduct specialised testing for extreme conditions, as well as other testing specified as a condition of procurement.
TÜV SÜD is a leading provider of comprehensive testing and certification services for all types of PPE. Our global network of technical experts, combined with our state-of-the-art testing laboratories, assure a single source solution for meeting all applicable requirements, standards and voluntary schemes. And TÜV SÜD technical professionals are actively involved in international advisory boards and standards development activities, ensuring the most up-to-date knowledge of current and changing requirements.
Represented in over 800 locations worldwide, TÜV SÜD has an unsurpassed track record of meeting and exceeding the requirements and expectations of our client companies. The TÜV SÜD brand and our distinctive blue octagon mark are instantly recognised around the globe as symbols of quality and safety, and will increase customer confidence in your brand.
Your benefits at a glance
- Manage risks - with our expertise in checking and testing for defects before products reach the market. This mitigates threats of recalls, brand reputation damage, injuries and potential fatalities.
- Gain a competitive edge - by demonstrating the high level of quality and safety of your PPE products with our internationally recognised certification marks.
- Benefit from an expert partnership - with TÜV SÜD, a leading Notified Body for PPE in the EU.
- Achieve transparency - through a widely recognised certification mark that serves as an ideal basis for approval by authorities and trade supervisory boards.
- Demonstrate social responsibility - by manufacturing the best possible safety products and facilitating safety compliance in the workplace.