PPE Guide to application of the PPE Directive 89/686/EEC

Version 24 August 2017

The objective of these guidelines is to clarify certain matters and procedures referred to in Directive 89/686/EEC concerning Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). It provides a cross reference from the legal text of the Directive to explanations by EU sectorial experts.

The guidelines should be used in conjunction with the Directive and with the European Commission’s “The ‘Blue Guide’ on the implementation of EU product rules”.

These guidelines are not only for the use of Member States’ competent authorities, but also by the main economic operators concerned, such as manufacturers, their trade associations, bodies in charge of the preparation of standards as well as those entrusted with the conformity assessment procedures.

First and foremost, this document must ensure that, when correctly applied, the Directive leads to the removal of obstacles and difficulties related to the free circulation (free movement) of goods within the European Union (see footnote 2). It should be noted that the statements in these guidelines refer only to the application of Directive 89/686/EEC unless otherwise indicated. All parties concerned should be aware of other requirements, which may also apply (see Article 5 (6) (a)).

The PPE Directive is a “New Approach” Directive laying down Basic Health and Safety Requirements (BHSR) and leaving it to standards, primarily European harmonised standards, to give technical expression of the relevant requirements contained in the Directive.

Directive 89/686/EEC is a total harmonisation Directive, i.e. its provisions replace existing divergent national and European legislation which cover the same subjects as stipulated by Directive 89/686/EEC.

“Use” Directives

The reader will want to be aware that where PPE is intended for use in a place of work, national and Union legislation intended to ensure the safety of employees will usually apply. Whereas “New Approach” Directives set the highest possible requirements given their overall objectives and hence do not allow for additional national provisions within scope, “Use” Directives (89/391/EEC3, 89/656/EEC4) set minimum requirements. In effectthis means that national authorities, following the agreement of other Member States by means of the notification procedure under Directive 98/34/EC, can put in place further requirements relating to “use” and selection so long as these do not constitute a barrier to trade.

Table of contents

DEFINITIONS
1.1 CHAPTER I - SCOPE, PLACING ON THE MARKET AND FREE MOVEMENT 
1.1.1 Article 1
1.1.2 Article 2
1.1.3 Article 3
1.1.4 Article 4
1.1.5 Article 5
1.1.6 Article 6
1.1.7 Article 7
1.2 CHAPTER II - CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES
1.2.1 Article 8
1.2.2 Article 9
1.2.3 Article 10
1.2.4 Article 11
1.2.5 Article 12
1.3 CHAPTER III - CE MARKING 
1.3.1 Article 13
1.4 CHAPTER IV
1.4.1 Article 14.
1.4.2 Article 15
1.4.3 Article 16
1.4.4 Article 17
1.5 ANNEX I
1.6 ANNEX II 
1.7 ANNEX III
1.8 ANNEX IV
1.9 ANNEX V
1.10 ANNEX VI
1.11 APPENDIX: GUIDE FOR THE CATEGORISATION OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) .

European Commission 
Agosto 2017


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