Personal Protective Equipment

Placing of personal protective equipment on the EU market cannot do without very thorough laboratory testing that verifies the degree of protection of the respective product or material against the declared risks. ITC offers a wide range of tests according to harmonized standards, which are used as underlying criteria to assess compliance with the requirements of the European Directive 89/686/EEC and of the Government Regulation No. 21/2003 Coll. laying down technical requirements for personal protective equipment.

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HEAD PROTECTION

PPE for head protection

• Safety helmets for sports activities
  • cycling
  • canoeing
  • skate boarding
  • downhill skiing
  • ice hockey
• Industrial protective helmets against falling objects
• Fire-fighting helmets  

Testing

• field of vision test
• strength of the head insert
• head insert fastening efficiency
• impact and rupture resistance
• mechanical deformation resistance
• radiation heat resistance
• flame resistance
• electrical insulation resistance
• artificial weathering resistance (xenon discharge lamp, increased temperature)

EYE PROTECTION

PPE for eye protection

• safety goggles with side arms
• enclosed safety goggles
• eye protection shields and welding face shields
• protective helmets

against :

• mechanical impact
• optical radiation (ultraviolet, infrared, welding)
• molten metals
• liquid (chemicals) drops and sprays
• dust

Testing

• spherical effect, astigmatism, prism effect
• transmission factor
• diffusion of light
• minimum and increased eye-piece strength
• artificial weathering resistance (xenon discharge lamp, increased temperature)
• corrosion and ignition resistance
• resistance to fast moving particles
• liquid spray resistance

BODY PROTECTION

PPE for body protection

• Protective clothing against :
  • mechanical risks
  • excessive soiling
  • thermal risks (welders, fire fighters, persons working in the heat industry)
  • low voltage
  • cold
  • adverse weather conditions
  • chemical risks
• Highly visible warning clothing
• Protective clothing with electrostatic properties

Testing

• size check
• ergonomic properties
• size changes upon maintenance (washing, dry cleaning, tumble drying, ironing)
• strength properties (tensile strength, cutting, perforation)
• wear and tear resistance (abrasion, recurrent bending, recurrent compression and twisting)
• physiological properties (vapour permeability, air permeability)
• fire performance (flame spread, ignition resistance, heat penetration)
• resistance to molten metals
• resistance to liquid penetration (due to water pressure, penetration and permeation of chemicals)
• surface and throughput electrical resistance
• resistance to dielectric breakdown
• heat permeability
• retro-reflection of highly visible materials
• colorimetry
• colour fastness (in abrasion, sweat, water, washing, dry cleaning, UV radiation, etc.)

HAND PROTECTION

PPE for hand protection

• Protective gloves against :
  • mechanical risks
  • thermal risks (welders, fire fighters, persons working in the heat industry)
  • cold
  • chemical risks
• protective gloves with electrostatic properties
• anti-vibration protective gloves
• highly visible protective gloves

Testing

• size check
• ergonomic properties
• grasping ability
• physiological properties (water vapour permeability, water permeability, air permeability)
• resistance to abrasion, cutting, further tear, perforation
• surface and throughput electrical resistance
• vibration resistance
• fire performance (combustion behaviour, penetration of contact, convection and radiation heat)

FOOT AND LEG PROTECTION

PPE for leg and foot protection

• Work footwear
• Safety footwear
• Protective safety footwear
• Firefighters' footwear
• Footwear for protection against chain saw cutting

Testing

• ergonomic properties
• checking of design parameters (upper, outer sole, toe box, inner sole, tongue, shoe liner)
• slip resistance
• water penetration resistance
• cold resistance
• energy absorption
• impact and compression resistance (toe, instep, ankle)
• strength properties (tensile strength, further tear, perforation, layer adhesion, seam strength, etc.)
• wear and tear resistance (abrasion, recurrent bending, cutting)
• physiological properties (water vapour and water permeability)
• contact heat penetration
• heat resistance (contact heat, insulation properties)
• resistance to fuel oils, chemicals, corrosion
• throughput electrical resistance
• fire performance (combustion behaviour, penetration of contact, convection and radiation heat)

PROTECTION DURING SPORTS ACTIVITIES

SPORT PROTECTORS

• for martial arts
• for ice hockey
• for field hockey
• for indoor sports
• for inline skating

Testing

• ergonomic properties
• field of vision test
• fastening efficiency tests
• impact and rupture resistance

RELATED ITC SERVICES

• Conformity assessment by the Authorized Body No. 224 and Notified Body No. 1023 (CE)
• Product certification by accredited Certification Body for products No. 3020
• Granting licenses for the voluntary certification mark „ITC Certified Quality“ - premium voluntary product assessment
• Standardization services and technical information
• Certification of management systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, HACCP, ISO 22000, ISO 13485)
• Technical inspection

CONTACTS

Postal address:
Institute for Testing and Certification, Inc.  
Testing Division for Footwear and Personal Protective Equipment
(footwear, gloves, sports protectors, clothing, goggles, helmets )
trida Tomase Bati 299, Louky, 763 02 Zlin
Czech Republic 

The person responsible for accuracy of data: Ing. Petra Škabrahová, Ph.D.