3.1 UK PPE Regulations
PPE Regulations and Standards
- What it is: The supply of PPE on the market in Great Britain (GB) is governed by the PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425, which has been brought into UK law and is known as the UK PPE Regulations.
- This is enforced by the Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018.
- It sets out the
What it is: The supply of PPE on the market in Great Britain (GB) is governed by the PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425, which has been brought into UK law and is known as the UK PPE Regulations. This is enforced by the Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018. It sets out the essential health and safety requirements that PPE must meet before it can be placed on the market (UK Government, 2018).
What it requires: The regulation classifies PPE into three risk categories. Hearing protection is designated as Category III, the highest risk category, for equipment protecting against harmful noise. This means it is subject to the most stringent conformity assessment procedures, including mandatory ongoing surveillance and quality control by a UK Approved Body.
Why it matters for earplug fit testing: The classification of hearing protection as Category III underscores the serious and irreversible nature of noise-induced hearing loss. It places a high legal burden on manufacturers to ensure their products are effective. For employers, it reinforces the importance of not just providing CE/UKCA marked products, but also verifying they are used correctly and provide real-world protection, a function directly supported by fit testing. Related: [#cnawr-hearing-protection](#cnawr-hearing-protection).