PPE Certification
UKCA Marking of PPE
BTTG® is an Approved Body for the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations (Regulation 2016/425 as brought into UK law and amended). Our approval allows BTTG® to conduct type-examination for those PPE items within our scope.
BTTG® was a Notified Body 0338 and 0339 for PPE since 1993, and has issued over 5,000 type-examination Certificates. With the group's history and experience of textile research and testing, we are one of the foremost bodies for the testing and certification of protective clothing and gloves.
Certification Services
BTTG® Certification Services backed by the specialist knowledge of staff from the BTTG® group, work closely with manufacturers to ensure they have the correct technical documentation and all necessary test data to enable them to successfully UKCA their products.
Our expertise in assessing protective clothing means that BTTG® are trusted by manufacturers all around the world to test and certify their products. Our experienced Certification team can assist manufacturers in choosing the correct procedures and test methods for their products, and will provide guidance on aspects of the type-examination such as Technical File content, Labelling, and User Information.
Designated Standards and Technical Specifications
As an Approved Body, BTTG® have the authority to issue UK type-examination certificates for PPE items according to Module B of the UK PPE Regulations, using UK Designated Standards (those accepted by the UK as providing presumption of conformity with the PPE Regulations) as well as Technical Specifications such as ISO, IEC and NFPA standards and other technical documents.
Among the most commonly used standards BTTG® use to certify PPE items are:
Firefighters
- EN 469 - Firefighter’s protective clothing
- EN 1486 - Reflective clothing for specialized fire-fighting
- EN ISO 15384 - Wildland firefighting clothing
- EN 13911 - Firefighter’s hoods
- EN 659 - Firefighter’s gloves
Heat and Flame Protection
- EN ISO 11612 - Protective Clothing against heat and flame
- EN ISO 11611 - Welder’s protective clothing
- EN ISO 14116 - Limited flame spread protective clothing
- BS 7971-10 - Public order (police) protective clothing
- EN 407 - Protective gloves against heat and flame
- EN 12477 - Welder’s protective gloves
- EN ISO 14460 – Protective clothing for racing drivers
- EN 61482-2 - Protective Clothing against electric arc flash
Visibility
- EN ISO 20471 - High Visibility clothing for high risk situations
- EN 17353 - Enhanced visibility equipment for medium risk situations
Chemical Protection
- EN 943-1 and EN 943-2 - "Gas-tight" (Type 1) and "emergency teams" (Type 1 ET) protective suits
- EN 14605 - Liquid-tight (Type 3) or spray-tight (Type 4) protective clothing
- EN ISO 13982 - Protective clothing against solid particulates (Type 5)
- EN 13034 - Limited protective performance against liquid chemicals (Type 6)
- EN 1073-2 - Protective clothing against radioactive contamination
- EN 14126 - Protective clothing against infective agents
- EN ISO 374 - Protective gloves against chemicals and micro-organisms
Mechanical Action
- EN ISO 11393 series - Protective clothing and gloves for users of hand-held chain saws
- EN 510 - Protective clothing for avoidance of entanglement
- EN 388 - Protective gloves against mechanical risks
- EN 14404 – Knee protectors
Foul Weather and Cold Environments
- EN 342 - Clothing for protection against cold
- EN 343 - Clothing for protection against rain
- EN 14058 – Clothing for protection against cool environments
- EN 511 - Protective gloves against cold
Radiation Protection
- EN 421 - Protective gloves against ionizing radiation and radioactive contamination
- EN 61331-1 – X-ray protection
General Requirements
- EN ISO 13688 - Protective clothing
- EN ISO 21420 - Protective gloves
Category III PPE
PPE classified as Category III are items protecting against mortal hazard or serious, irreversible injury. These items must be submitted to an Approved Body for UK Type-Examination (Module B), and must also undergo annual checking by an Approved Body according to either Module C2 or Module D of the PPE Regulations.
As Approved Body 0338, BTTG® is accredited for both Module C2 (annual checking by selection and testing), and also Module D (factory audit).
Module C2
The Module C2 procedure is suitable for manufacturers of Category III PPE who do not have an approved Quality System. The Approved Body must carry out the necessary checks on the PPE by selecting samples once per year, carrying out sufficient testing to show conformity with the original model, with the Regulation and with the relevant standards.
BTTG® Certification services create a multi-year testing schedule for each PPE undergoing Module C2, that covers all relevant tests over the cycle while checking safety-critical properties every year. Selection is made by our experienced staff, or by independent, qualified personnel chosen by BTTG® specifically for the task. Selection can take place at any suitable location, at the production site, head office, or at a distributor or importer’s premises.
Module D
BTTG® are also accredited for Module D (factory audit), suitable for manufacturers of Category III PPE with an approved quality-control system, such as ISO 9000 or similar systems.
More information on our Module D services can be found here.
Contact our Certification team at onestopshop@bttg.co.uk / +44 (0) 161 876 4211.