Comprehensive List of PPE Standards

EN, BS, IS (India), and ANSI (USA)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is regulated by different standards across

various regions to ensure safety, durability, and performance consistency. Below
is a detailed breakdown of key PPE categories along with their respective
standards under EN (Europe), BS (United Kingdom), IS (India), and ANSI (USA).

IS – Indian Standard (Issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards, BIS)

European Standards (EN)
EN – European Norm (Issued by the European Committee for Standardization, CEN)
British Standards (BS)
BS – British Standard (Issued by the British Standards Institution, BSI)
Indian Standards (IS)
American Standards (ANSI, ISEA, ASTM, ASSE)
ANSI – American National Standards Institute
ISEA – International Safety Equipment Association
ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials
ASSE – American Society of Safety Engineers

1. Head Protection (Safety Helmets, Hard Hats)

Standard Description
EN 397 Industrial safety helmets – Covers impact resistance, penetration
(Europe) resistance, flame resistance, and chin strap requirements.
BS EN 397
British equivalent of EN 397, used for industrial head protection.
(UK)
IS 2925:1984 Safety helmets for industrial use – Specifies materials, impact
(India) resistance, and strength tests.
Industrial head protection – Classifies helmets into Type I (top
ANSI/ISEA
impact) and Type II (lateral impact), and electrical insulation
Z89.1 (USA)
classes G (General), E (Electrical), and C (Conductive).

2. Eye and Face Protection (Safety Glasses,

Goggles, Face Shields)
 Standard Description
Personal eye protection – Defines optical clarity, impact
EN 166 (Europe)
resistance, and resistance to liquids and radiation.
BS EN 166 (UK) British adoption of EN 166 for eye and face protection.
IS 5983:1980 Specifies safety requirements for industrial eye protectors,
(India) including lenses and frame strength.
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 Covers impact resistance, UV protection, and chemical splash
(USA) resistance for safety glasses and face shields.

3. Hearing Protection (Ear Plugs, Ear Muffs)

Standard Description
EN 352-1 (Europe) Hearing protectors – Covers ear muffs' performance criteria.
BS EN 352-1 (UK) British adoption of EN 352-1 for hearing protection devices.
IS 6229:1980 (India) Guide for evaluating the effectiveness of hearing protectors.
ANSI/ASA S12.6 Methods for measuring the noise reduction effectiveness of
(USA) hearing protectors.

4. Respiratory Protection (Masks, Respirators,

SCBA)
Standard Description
Filtering half masks against particles – Defines FFP1, FFP2,
EN 149 (Europe)
and FFP3 classifications.
BS EN 149 (UK) British adoption of EN 149 for respiratory protection.
IS 9473:2002
Filtering half masks for protection against airborne particles.
(India)
ANSI/ASSE Z88.2 Practices for respiratory protection – Covers respirators, air
(USA) supply systems, and usage guidelines.

5. Hand Protection (Safety Gloves)

 Standard Description
Protective gloves against mechanical risks – Includes
EN 388 (Europe)
abrasion, cut, tear, and puncture resistance.
BS EN 388 (UK) British adoption of EN 388 for industrial gloves.
IS 6994 (Part
Specification for industrial safety gloves.
1):1973 (India)
ANSI/ISEA 105 Hand protection classification – Covers cut resistance, impact
(USA) protection, and dexterity.

6. Foot Protection (Safety Shoes, Boots)

Standard Description
EN ISO 20345 Specifies safety footwear requirements, including impact
(Europe) resistance, slip resistance, and electrical insulation.
BS EN ISO 20345
British adoption of EN ISO 20345 for safety footwear.
(UK)
IS 15298 (Part
Specifies safety footwear requirements in India.
2):2011 (India)
Personal protection – Protective footwear (now replaced by
ANSI Z41 (USA)
ASTM F2413).

7. Protective Clothing (Coveralls, Jackets, High-

Visibility Clothing, FR Clothing)
Standard Description
EN ISO 13688 General requirements for protective clothing – Specifies
(Europe) design, sizing, and labeling.
BS EN ISO 13688
British adoption of EN ISO 13688 for protective clothing.
(UK)
IS 15748:2007
Specifies protective clothing requirements.
(India)
ANSI/ISEA 101 Limited-use and disposable coveralls – Specifies size and
(USA) labeling requirements.
8. Fall Protection (Harnesses, Lanyards, Anchorage
Systems)
Standard Description
EN 361 (Europe) Specifies full-body harnesses used in fall arrest systems.
BS EN 361 (UK) British adoption of EN 361 for fall protection.
IS 3521:1999 (India) Specifies industrial safety belts and harnesses.
ANSI/ASSE Z359.1 Specifies personal fall arrest systems, including harnesses,
(USA) connectors, and anchorage points.

EN (Europe) and BS (UK) are closely aligned, as British Standards often adopt EN
regulations.

IS (India) has its own standards, influenced by global benchmarks but adapted for
local industries.
ANSI (USA) follows a distinct approach with ISEA and ASSE regulations, and
many older ANSI standards are now merged with ASTM standards.

Testing Procedures and Certification

Processes for PPE Standards
Each Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standard follows strict testing
procedures and certification requirements to ensure safety, durability, and
compliance. Below is a detailed breakdown of how different PPE items are tested
and certified under EN (Europe), BS (UK), IS (India), and ANSI (USA).

1. Head Protection (Safety Helmets, Hard Hats)

Testing Procedures

• Impact Resistance Test: A 5 kg striker is dropped from 1m height to test

the helmet’s shock absorption.
• Penetration Test: A sharp-pointed striker is dropped from a specified
height to check resistance to penetration.
• Flammability Test: Helmets are exposed to a flame for 5 seconds to ensure
they don’t burn excessively.
 • Chin Strap Retention Test: The chin strap must withstand a force of at
least 150 N.

Certification Requirements

• EN 397 / BS EN 397 (Europe & UK) – Helmets must pass all tests and be
CE-certified.
• IS 2925:1984 (India) – Helmets must meet BIS certification standards.
• ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 (USA) – Hard hats must be tested and labeled with Type (I
or II) and Class (G, E, or C).

2. Eye and Face Protection (Safety Glasses, Goggles, Face Shields)

Testing Procedures

• Impact Resistance Test: A 6mm steel ball is fired at 45m/s to check for lens
durability.
• Optical Clarity Test: Lenses are tested to ensure clear vision without
distortion.
• UV Protection Test: Lenses are tested against UV light transmission.
• Chemical Splash Resistance Test: Lenses are exposed to acids and alkalis
to test resistance.

Certification Requirements

• EN 166 / BS EN 166 (Europe & UK) – CE certification required.

• IS 5983:1980 (India) – BIS certification for industrial eye protection.
• ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 (USA) – Impact-rated lenses must have Z87+ marking.

3. Hearing Protection (Ear Plugs, Ear Muffs)

Testing Procedures

• Noise Reduction Test: Measured using the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)
in a soundproof lab.
• Comfort and Fit Test: Ensures that earplugs fit well without discomfort.
• Durability Test: Ear muffs are exposed to temperature changes and
humidity.
Certification Requirements

• EN 352 / BS EN 352 (Europe & UK) – CE marking required.

• IS 6229:1980 (India) – BIS certification needed.
• ANSI/ASA S12.6 (USA) – Ear protection must have an NRR rating.

4. Respiratory Protection (Masks, Respirators, SCBA)

Testing Procedures

• Particle Filtration Test: Measures how well a mask filters particles (P1, P2,
P3 / N95, N99, N100).
• Breathing Resistance Test: Ensures ease of inhalation and exhalation.
• Fit Test: Conducted to check if the mask forms a proper seal around the face.

Certification Requirements

• EN 149 / BS EN 149 (Europe & UK) – Respirators must be CE-certified and

classified as FFP1, FFP2, or FFP3.
• IS 9473:2002 (India) – BIS certification required.
• ANSI/ASSE Z88.2 (USA) – NIOSH certification for respirators (N95, N99,
P100).

5. Hand Protection (Safety Gloves)

Testing Procedures

• Abrasion Test: Gloves are rubbed against sandpaper to test durability.

• Cut Resistance Test: A rotating blade moves against the glove to measure
cut resistance.
• Tear and Puncture Test: Measures resistance to tearing and puncture.
• Chemical Permeation Test: Gloves are exposed to chemicals to check
absorption.

Certification Requirements

• EN 388 / BS EN 388 (Europe & UK) – CE certification needed.

• IS 6994 (India) – BIS approval required.
 • ANSI/ISEA 105 (USA) – Gloves are rated on a scale A1 to A9 based on cut
resistance.

6. Foot Protection (Safety Shoes, Boots)

Testing Procedures

• Impact Resistance Test: A 20 kg weight is dropped on the shoe to test toe

protection.
• Compression Test: Measures resistance under 15 kN pressure.
• Slip Resistance Test: Shoes are tested on wet and oily surfaces.
• Electrical Insulation Test: Measures resistance to electric shocks.

Certification Requirements

• EN ISO 20345 / BS EN ISO 20345 (Europe & UK) – Safety shoes must have
S1, S2, or S3 classification.
• IS 15298:2011 (India) – BIS certification required.
• ANSI Z41 (USA) – Now replaced by ASTM F2413, which requires impact and
compression resistance.

7. Protective Clothing (Coveralls, Jackets, High-Visibility Clothing, FR

Clothing)

Testing Procedures

• Tensile Strength Test: Measures fabric resistance to tearing.

• Flame Resistance Test: FR clothing is exposed to flames for a specified
duration.
• Waterproofing Test: Checks resistance to water penetration.
• Visibility Test: High-visibility clothing is tested under different lighting
conditions.

Certification Requirements

• EN ISO 13688 / BS EN ISO 13688 (Europe & UK) – CE marking required.

• IS 15748:2007 (India) – BIS approval required.
• ANSI/ISEA 101 (USA) – Must meet minimum size and labeling requirements.
8. Fall Protection (Harnesses, Lanyards, Anchorage Systems)

Testing Procedures

• Dynamic Drop Test: A 100 kg dummy is dropped from a height to check

harness durability.
• Static Load Test: Harness must withstand 15 kN force for 3 minutes.
• Webbing Strength Test: Measures strap durability under tension.

Certification Requirements

• EN 361 / BS EN 361 (Europe & UK) – CE-certified harnesses required.

• IS 3521:1999 (India) – BIS certification needed.
• ANSI/ASSE Z359.1 (USA) – Fall protection equipment must meet strength
and durability standards.

✔ EN and BS standards require CE certification, meaning manufacturers must

prove compliance before selling in Europe.
✔ IS standards require BIS certification, ensuring compliance with Indian safety
norms.
✔ ANSI and ASTM standards in the USA require independent lab testing before
PPE can be used.
✔ Testing includes impact, durability, chemical resistance, fire resistance, and
ergonomics depending on the PPE category.