Monday, 24 October 2011
Thursday, 23 December 2010
What is a PPE standard ?
Standardization produces reference documents to bring solutions to technical and sales problems.
It's a tool to build:
The CEN at European level and ISO at international level are 2 different institutions. In 1991, they reached an agreement in Vienna, revised in 2001.The aim of the agreement was to harmonize both systems under ISO leadership. That's why we have more and more standards which are EN/ISO equivalences .
On the european territory, the "new approach" directives were agreed in 1985, and the harmonized standards now give presumption of conformity to general requirements of the directive.
There are 2 european directives for PPEs:
Article 8 of the directive defines 3 categories of PPEs. Those categories define the documentation which must be linked to the product, and the level of tests to be reached.
Those tests are done by Notified Bodies than can be chosen in a european list of certified laboratories. According to the results of the tests, the NB can deliver a CE Type Examination, can validate the user's manual and the technical file of the product. It will then have a specific marking and will be sold with its user's manual. The end user can also ask for the technical data sheet and the Certificate of Conformity.
For products category III an annual quality control of the production will also be done by a NB (CE marking + 4 numbers).
Marking examples :
It's a tool to build:
- economic growth
- trade, free movement of goods
- transparency
- public policies
On the european territory, the "new approach" directives were agreed in 1985, and the harmonized standards now give presumption of conformity to general requirements of the directive.
There are 2 european directives for PPEs:
- Directive for end users : 89/656 (use of PPEs marked CE)
- Directive for manufacturers : 89/686 (conception and placing on the market of products marked CE)
Article 8 of the directive defines 3 categories of PPEs. Those categories define the documentation which must be linked to the product, and the level of tests to be reached.
- categoryI : minor risks (superficial lesions)
- category II : intermediate risks
- category III : mortal risks or irreversible lesions
Those tests are done by Notified Bodies than can be chosen in a european list of certified laboratories. According to the results of the tests, the NB can deliver a CE Type Examination, can validate the user's manual and the technical file of the product. It will then have a specific marking and will be sold with its user's manual. The end user can also ask for the technical data sheet and the Certificate of Conformity.
For products category III an annual quality control of the production will also be done by a NB (CE marking + 4 numbers).
Marking examples :
Do you want to test your knowledge ?<iframe src="https://spreadsheets1.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dHh6VUNoTENFVktBd1lFWUVfbEswbWc6MQ" width="760" height="1222" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Chargement en cours...</iframe>
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
What is a PPE solution ?
A personal protective equipment must be a solution for the end user.
What is a solution?
We are talking about responsability : the hazards have been identified, the risks have been assessed, prevention and collective protection measures have been taken to reduce or eliminate the risks, and sometimes, a personal equipment will have to be used to protect the worker.
In this situation, the equipment must be adapted to the level of risk (we will talk about the level of performance of the product) in order to be performant enough in case of an occupational accident, or to prevent any occupational disease. The responsability of the employer is to select and provide the worker with the proper protection. Some distributors or manufacturers can help the end users to do so, but the responsability of this choice will be incumbent on the employer. The main difficulty here is to be able to read the information : the level of performance on a specific standard. That will be part of next presentation.
What is a solution?
We are talking about responsability : the hazards have been identified, the risks have been assessed, prevention and collective protection measures have been taken to reduce or eliminate the risks, and sometimes, a personal equipment will have to be used to protect the worker.
In this situation, the equipment must be adapted to the level of risk (we will talk about the level of performance of the product) in order to be performant enough in case of an occupational accident, or to prevent any occupational disease. The responsability of the employer is to select and provide the worker with the proper protection. Some distributors or manufacturers can help the end users to do so, but the responsability of this choice will be incumbent on the employer. The main difficulty here is to be able to read the information : the level of performance on a specific standard. That will be part of next presentation.
So we can say that the performance of the product is one part of the solution. But it is not the only criteria specifically if you want to protect the worker and keep efficiency and productivity at the workplace.
There is no specific international standard about health and safety at work. However, reference tables have been elaborated in order to implement qualitative measures by integrating prevention and safety steps, and involving all levels of management in the company (for instance : ILO-OSH 2001at international level ; OHSAS at european level ; and national reference tables such as BS8800 in UK or MASE in France). An international satndard ISO 26000 about social responsability is in discussion at the moment.
It's important for the employer, or a safety manager, that measures of protection can be implemented at the workplace without decreasing productivity. Furthermore, the insurance that the personal protective equipment will be worn without permanently having to supervise it is also part of the solution.
Therefore, ergonomics, comfort, easy to wear and to use, design, are as important as performance in front of a risk. That's why finding a solution of personal protection is always a question of compromise.
That's why for the distributors as for the end users, it is essential to be able to read the information about the product, the standards as well as technical specifications. The technical specification becomes a sales argument when it answers the criteria listed before.
It's important for the employer, or a safety manager, that measures of protection can be implemented at the workplace without decreasing productivity. Furthermore, the insurance that the personal protective equipment will be worn without permanently having to supervise it is also part of the solution.
Therefore, ergonomics, comfort, easy to wear and to use, design, are as important as performance in front of a risk. That's why finding a solution of personal protection is always a question of compromise.
That's why for the distributors as for the end users, it is essential to be able to read the information about the product, the standards as well as technical specifications. The technical specification becomes a sales argument when it answers the criteria listed before.
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