What is a personal protective equipment (PPE) ?

During your work, you may need to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to your  employees. This may be a new term for you, so let us clarify it for you! Find out what it is,  what it does, the different categories, the equipment,... 

WHAT DOES PPE MEAN? WHAT IS THE ROLE OF  PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT? 

First of all, the acronym "PPE" stands for "personal protective equipment". 

But more concretely, what is it? 

In French law, a definition can be found in the Labour Code: "The personal protective  equipment to which the obligations of Article L. 233-5 apply are devices or means intended  to be worn or held by a person in order to protect him from one or more risks that may  threaten his safety and health". 

In Belgian law, the well-being at work code defines personal protective equipment (PPE) as  follows: "any device, subject to legal exceptions, intended to be worn or held by the worker  in order to protect him from one or more risks that may threaten his safety or health at work,  as well as any complement or accessory intended for that purpose". 

In short, it is equipment that aims to protect workers from hazards that threaten their safety  or health. 

Personal protective equipment provides protection against noise, intense temperatures,  falls, cuts, contamination, etc. 

The following items are not considered PPE :

• anything that does not specifically protect the safety or health of the worker, 
• those specific to the military, police, road transport, sports or self-defence, 
• portable devices for detecting and reporting hazards and nuisances. 

WHAT ARE THE THREE CATEGORIES OF PPE? 

Personal protective equipment is classified into three categories: from the least severe to  the most severe. 

Category 1

These are PPE with minimal risk to the worker, such as contact with cleaning agents that  are not very harmful or contact with a hot surface not exceeding 50°C. 

A self-certification procedure must be completed to meet the requirements.

Examples of  equipment: gardening gloves, sunglasses,...

Category 2

These are personal protective equipment with a high risk to the worker, such as serious  injuries. 

An EC type-examination certificate issued by a competent body is required for  compliance. 

Examples of equipment: visors, safety helmets, etc. 

Category 3 

This is PPE with a lethal or irreversible risk to the worker.

EC type and  quality certification is required to meet the requirements.

Examples of  equipment: lifejackets, breathing apparatus, etc.

WHAT IS PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT? WHICH  PPE FOR WHICH JOB? 

The following is a non-exhaustive list of PPE: 

• Helmets 
• Hearing protection 
• Spectacles 
• Masks
• Gloves 
• Shoes 
• Fall protection 
• Protective clothing 

Examples by sector: 

• Construction: helmet, protective shoes, gloves, earplugs... 
• Cleaning: non-slip shoes, protective clothing against biological agents, gloves,  dust mask,...
• Food industry: gloves, aprons, coats,... 
• Medical: masks, jackets, gloves, caps, shoe covers, medical suits, visors,...

WHO PROVIDES THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE  EQUIPMENT? 

The employer is obliged to provide his employees with personal protective equipment after a  risk assessment. He is responsible for their safety. 

The employer uses a supplier. In the medical sector, he could rely on us, XML MED. 

Our company is registered by the FAMHP and all our products comply with  European standards. As specialists in single-use personal protective equipment, we  sell products such as 

• Masks: We offer different models of FFP2 and FFP3 protective masks, surgical  masks and anti-fog masks. 
• Gloves: You will find different models of nitrile gloves, vinyl gloves. 
• Aprons: We have a wide range of disposable, protective and sterile aprons  available. 
• Self-tests: We offer several models of antigen tests for professional use and  self-tests. 

XML MED, specialist in disposable protective equipment. 

Ask for our catalogue:

Sources : 

Code for well-being at work 

Officiel Prévention: PPE 

Labour Code:  article R233-83-3