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Domestic Oven Gloves will Need a CE Mark Beginning April 2018

SafeGuardSFebruary 14, 2017

The Recently Published Personal Protective Equipment Regulation 425/2016/EU replaces the current PPE directive with effect from April 21, 2018.

INTRODUCTION

On March 9, 2016 Regulation 425/2016/EU was approved and it was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on March 31, 2016. This regulation will repeal and replace Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Directive 89/686/EEC.

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Directive 89/686/EEC is repealed with effect from April 21, 2018.

  • Items (such as oven gloves and mitts) not previously certified will need to be withdrawn from sale before  April 21, 2018

  • EC type-examination certificates (Article 10) approved 89/686/EEC remain valid until April 21, 2023 unless they expire before that date.

EU TYPE-EXAMINATION CERTIFICATES

EU type-examination certificates will be issued under Module B in Annex V. These will have a validity of five years.

TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION

The requirements of the technical file (Annex III) have been re-specified for oven gloves. This will include:

(a) A complete description of the PPE and of its intended use;

(b) An assessment of the risks against which the PPE is intended to protect;

(c) A list of the essential health and safety requirements that are applicable to the PPE;

(d) Design and manufacturing drawings and schemes of the PPE and of its components, sub-assemblies and circuits;

(e) The descriptions and explanations necessary for the understanding of the drawings and schemes referred to in point (d) and of the operation of the PPE;

(f) The references of the harmonised standards referred to in Article 14 that have been applied for the design and manufacture of the PPE. In the event of partial application of harmonised standards, the documentation shall specify the parts which have been applied;

(g) Where harmonised standards have not been applied or have been only partially applied, descriptions of the other technical specifications that have been applied in order to satisfy the applicable essential health and safety requirements;

(h) The results of the design calculations, inspections and examinations carried out to verify the conformity of the PPE with the applicable essential health and safety requirements;

(i) Reports on the tests carried out to verify the conformity of the PPE with the applicable essential health and safety requirements and, where appropriate, to establish the relevant protection class;

(j) A description of the means used by the manufacturer during the production of the PPE to ensure the conformity of the PPE produced with the design specifications;

(k) A copy of the manufacturer's instructions and information set out in point 1.4 of Annex II;

PPE PRODUCTS INCLUDED

PPE is defined as equipment designed and manufactured to be worn or held by a person for protection against one or more risks to that person's health or safety.

Under 89/686/EEC PPE for private use against heat (e.g. oven gloves and mitts) was excluded. This is now included.

As Category I products are limited to those which protect against contact with hot surfaces not exceeding 50 °C, oven gloves and mitts cannot be included in Category I and must be considered to be Category II. This will require a formal Conformity assessment as below.

CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

Category II

EU type-examination (module B) set out in Annex V, followed by conformity to type based on internal production control (module C) set out in Annex VI.

The protection against contact heat in particular is, of course, a key issue with oven gloves and mitts. Previously they would have had to meet national standards such as BS 6526:1998 as a matter of due diligence. In future, oven gloves will need to be tested against European and ISO Standards. Currently the most appropriate are EN 407 “Protective gloves against thermal risks (heat and/or fire)” and EN 420:2003+A1:2009 “Protective gloves. General requirements and test methods” and the recently harmonised test method standard ISO 12127-1 for Clothing to protect against heat and flame – Determination of contact heat transmission through clothing or constituent materials - Part 1: Contact heat produced by heating cylinder. 

To test a domestic oven glove, whether double ended or single mitt style, the materials and the glove will need to be tested to the ISO standard which is more onerous than the old British Standard. Testing will be performed at 250C instead of 150C before and after multiple washing and the design will need to protect the back of the hand as well as the palm and fingers. This may mean changing the designs of the products from those previously produced to ensure, for example, the pockets on the ends of the double ended glove are deep enough to properly protect the back of the hand. This is especially so when considering that these tend to be a single size and will have to cater for larger hands.

OBLIGATIONS OF MANUFACTURERS

This is a new section, but pulls information from 89/686/EEC into Article 8. Importantly there are additional requirements in the clauses shown below:

  • When deemed appropriate with regard to the risks presented by PPE, manufacturers shall, to protect the health and safety of consumers and other end-users, carry out sample testing of PPE made available on the market, investigate, and, if necessary, keep a register of complaints, of non-conforming PPE and PPE recalls, and shall keep distributors informed of any such monitoring.

  • Manufacturers shall ensure that the PPE which they place on the market bears a type, batch or serial number or other element allowing its identification, or, where the size or nature of the PPE does not allow it, that the required information is provided on the packaging or in a document accompanying the PPE.

  • The manufacturer shall either provide the EU declaration of conformity with the PPE or include in the instructions and information set out in point 1.4 of Annex II the internet address at which the EU declaration of conformity can be accessed.

  • Manufacturers who consider or have reason to believe that PPE which they have placed on the market is not in conformity with this Regulation shall immediately take the corrective measures necessary to bring that PPE into conformity, to withdraw it or to recall it, as appropriate. Furthermore, where the PPE presents a risk, manufacturers shall immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States in which they made the PPE available on the market to that effect, giving details, in particular, of the non-conformity and of any corrective measures taken.

Reference:

SGS Safeguards No. 086/16 [1]

SGS Global Softlines has an extensive network of over 40 laboratories worldwide, with a strong team of committed professionals from multi-disciplinary backgrounds. Our internationally accredited state-of-the-art testing laboratories offer a comprehensive range of physical, chemical and functional testing services for components, materials and finished products. We help your company ensure quality, performance and compliance with international, industrial and regulatory standards worldwide. Discover more at www.sgs.com/softlines.

For enquiries, please contact:

Louann Spirito
Director Technical Support, Softlines
t: +1 973 461 7919

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© SGS Group Management SA - 2017 - All rights reserved - SGS is a registered trademark of SGS Group Management SA. This is a publication of SGS, except for 3rd parties’ contents submitted or licensed for use by SGS. SGS neither endorses nor disapproves said 3rd parties contents. This publication is intended to provide technical information and shall not be considered an exhaustive treatment of any subject treated. It is strictly educational and does not replace any legal requirements or applicable regulations. It is not intended to constitute consulting or professional advice. The information contained herein is provided “as is” and SGS does not warrant that it will be error-free or will meet any particular criteria of performance or quality. Do not quote or refer any information herein without SGS’s prior written consent.
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