PPE Regulation update expected to be approved this year

The business standards company BSI has a good post explaining how an updated version of the PPE Regulation is expected to be approved before the end of 2015.

The existing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Directive 89/686/EEC is now over 26 years old and clearly needs overhauling. The proposed changes have been approved in draft form by the European Commission and Parliament. All we need to happen now is for the European Council to agree it.

The key changes, as listed by BSI are as follows:

• PPE Directive will be replaced by a Regulation
• A number of types of protection will move from category II (intermediate) to category III (complex)
• There will be a requirement to supply a declaration of conformity with every item of PPE that is placed on the market
• A five year certificate of validity is being suggested bringing the Regulation in line with similar European requirements such as the Medical Devices Directive

For more information please visit the BSI website.