EU – New Information Requirement for EU PPE Certification of Penetration-Resistant Footwear Technical Files

Vol. 834 | 19 Jun 2015

‘Recommended for Use’ Guidance from the Notified Bodies for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Vertical Group 10 dated 5^th February 2015, states that by the 1st July 2015 at the latest, Notified Bodies should require that manufacturer’s User Information includes the following points:

• “The penetration resistance of this footwear has been measured in the laboratory using a truncated nail of diameter 4.5 mm and a force of 1100 Newton. Higher forces or nails of smaller diameter will increase the risk of penetration occurring. In such circumstances alternative preventative measures should be considered.
• Two generic types of penetration resistant insert are currently available in PPE footwear. These are metal types and those from non-metal materials. Both types meet the minimum requirements for penetration resistance of the standard marked on this footwear but each has different additional advantages or disadvantages including the following:
• Metal is less affected by the shape of the sharp object / hazard (i.e. diameter, geometry, sharpness) but, due to shoemaking limitations, does not cover the entire lower area of the shoe.
• Non-metal may be lighter, more flexible and provide greater coverage area when compared with metal but the penetration resistance may vary more depending on the shape of the sharp object / hazard (i.e. diameter, geometry, sharpness).

For more information about the type of penetration resistant insert provided in your footwear please contact the manufacturer or supplier detailed on these instructions.

Note: Other solutions could be considered instead of the suggestion in the final paragraph. For example, a self-adhesive label could be attached to each pair of footwear detailing which type of insert is fitted to that particular product.”

For all safety and occupational footwear applications submitted to Intertek from July 1st 2015 for EC Type Examination whereby penetration protection is being claimed, the above text will be required in the example of User Information supplied within the technical documentation in order for your application to be processed successfully.

A copy of Intertek’s most recent technical file template is available upon request.

 

For more information, please contact:

Marc Gaten
Email: marc.gaten@intertek.com
Tel: +44 (0)116 296 1595