CE and UKCA Marking for Personal Protective Equipment

Your industry, our focus

Personal protective equipment (PPE) plays a vital role in safeguarding the wearers’ health and safety in dangerous or high-risk working environments. However, the PPE industry can be a complex, competitive landscape and this presents challenges as companies seek to access new markets.

Our expert in the PPE team has rich knowledge in PPE compliance, ensuring seamless CE Marking and UKCA mark application procedures for every manufacturer, importer and exporter. Our team can provide guidance and advice on technical file compilation among other issues that customers may face.

Placing PPE in the EU

To ensure PPE products sold on the European market perform as they are expected to, the European Union has established Regulation (EU) 2016/425 that enforces stringent requirements on PPE products. It classifies PPE into three categories:

Category I - requiring self-declaration by manufacturers only
Category II - requiring certification by a Notified Body in Europe
Category III - requiring certification and on-going monitoring by a Notified Body in Europe

To secure CE Marking for Category II and Category III PPE, manufacturers, exporters and importers are required to conduct required product testing at accredited laboratories, and submit CE Marking requests to a Notified Body. The Notified Body will review technical files provided by the applicants and evaluate whether the products meet regulatory requirements.

For Category III PPE, suppliers need to additionally arrange for an annual review by a Notified Body through factory audit or sample testing.

Notified Body in the EU

Eurofins Textile & Footwear Testing Spain is accredited as a Notified Body (2865) to issue CE type-certification for Category II and III PPE. Our certification covers three major PPE product types:

General body protection equipment (protective clothing)
Equipment that provides non-slip protection for feet and legs (safety shoes)
Hand and arm protection equipment (protective gloves)

The scope of certification covers the below risks:

Substances and mixtures dangerous to health
Harmful biological agents
Chemical agents
Mechanical risks
Protection under extreme atmospheric conditions
Protection against heat or fire, cold, static electricity, cuts caused by hand-operated chain saws, and electric shock
Protection for motorcyclists and firefighters
Protection when used in welding and allied processes and used in potentially explosive atmospheres
Visual signaling of the user's presence (high visibility)

Placing PPE in the UK

Following Brexit, the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking came into force on 1 January 2021 and is required for certain products placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). It covers most products that previously required the CE marking. From 1 January 2023, only PPE products with UKCA marking will be accepted in Great Britain. If you currently hold a CE marking certificate issued by a EU27 notified body, you will need to get a new UKCA certificate for PPE issued by a UK approved body.

Businesses need to meet the requirements of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2016/425 as brought into UK law and amended) and the Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018. To secure the UKCA mark, manufacturers will have to submit a technical file containing the same information as for CE marking, aside from the product marking, user instructions and a modified declaration of conformity.

Approved Body in the UK

Eurofins E&E CML Limited is a UK Approved Body (2503) for three major types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

Protective clothing
Safety shoes
Protective gloves

Bennetts High-Performance Award Certification Partner

Eurofins MTS Consumer Product Testing UK, part of the Eurofins Softlines & Leather network of laboratories, is recognised for certification by the Bennetts High-Performance Awards.

As an approved Certification Body, we are ready to provide certification for this prestigious award for both Platinum and Diamond levels. The highest Platinum and Diamond awards are reserved for clothing proven to exceed EN17092 Level AAA standards, which requires further assessment by an independent Certification Body.

Why Eurofins Softlines & Leather?

Manufacturers, suppliers and buyers of these types of PPE can leverage Eurofins’ network of companies to ensure compliant and smooth market access to both EU and GB markets with CE Marking and UKCA Marking.

Our expert PPE team has rich knowledge in PPE compliance, ensuring seamless CE Marking and UKCA mark application procedures for every manufacturer, importer and exporter. Our team can provide guidance and advice on technical file compilation among other issues that customers may face.