The personal protective equipment Directive sets essential requirements for pieces of equipment or items intended to be worn by a person or carried by them to protect against hazards that are a danger to health and/or safety.
The essential requirements are composed of general requirements applicable to all protective equipment and which relate to the principles of design, innocuity of the protective equipment, comfort and appropriateness and the manufacturer's instructions for use.
Protective equipment may be unattached products, but can also form part of a greater entity.
The following fall outside the scope of the Directive:
- protective equipment for military applications;
- protective equipment for self-defence;
- protective equipment for use by consumers to protect against: moisture, water, heat, certain weather conditions;
- protective equipment intended for rescue activities on board ships or aircraft.
The personal protective equipment Directive came into force on 1st July 1992 and became a legal obligation on 1st July 1995.
