Prüf- und Zertifizierungsstelle des Fachbereiches Persönliche Schutzausrüstungen (Testing and Certification Body of the Expert Committee on Personal Protective Equipment)

General information

In Europe, manufacturers of personal protective equipment are obliged to obtain the CE Marking for their products prior to marketing them. With that marking, the manufacturer confirms that the item fulfils the basic requirements of the PPE Directive (89/686/EEC). For many PPE products, doing so requires an EC type-examination. This comprises testing and certification of the item based on the requirements of the PPE Directive (89/686/EEC) and, as appropriate, European standards, by a so-called "notified body." The "Prüf- und Zertifizierungsstelle des Fachbereiches PSA" is such a notified body and has Identification N° 0299. Since, for certain PPE, product monitoring is required in addition to EC type-examination, the "Prüf- und Zertifizierungsstelle des Fachbereiches PSA" is also active in the field of devising and certifying quality management systems. The "Prüf- und Zertifizierungsstelle des Fachbereiches PSA" in the "Zentrum für Sicherheitstechnik" ("Centre for Safety Technology") tests and certifies personal protective equipment (PPE) for protection against falls from a height, head protection, protection against drowning, protective clothing and gloves, protection against knife cuts, protectors, protective footwear, protective respiratory equipment, and face protection as well as safety nets. The tests on which certification is based are carried out at the testing laboratories in Haan, Hohenpeissenberg and Mainz, organizationally part of the "Prüf- und Zertifizierungsstelle des Fachbereiches PSA". Close contacts also exist with testing institutions throughout Europe. Tensile testing machine for testing static-mechanical strength of PPE against falls from a height Organizationally, the "Prüf- und Zertifizierungsstelle des Fachbereiches PSA" is part of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV Test) testing and certification system. The "Prüf- und Zertifizierungsstelle des Fachbereiches PSA" carries out EC type examinations and grants type-examination certificates for the CE Marking as well as the GS Mark and the ET Mark of the "Berufsgenossenschaften," German institutions for statutory accident insurance and prevention. Furthermore, the "Prüf- und Zertifizierungsstelle des Fachbereiches PSA" is currently the only body within the European Union to be accredited under "GOSSTANDART", the Russian certification system, to implement type examinations in the PPE field based on Russian standards. The certificates from testing and certification bodies notified in Europe for the scope of the European directive 89/686/EEC are generally accepted as a basis for marketing PPE throughout Europe. Their equality is supported by an exchange of information and experience between the notified bodies on questions of conformity assessment and testing methods. The "European Co-ordination of Notified Bodies for PPE" consists of the horizontal committee with an advisory committee and an ad-hoc group as well as vertical groups. Members of the "Prüf- und Zertifizierungsstelle" are involved in both the horizontal committee as well as several vertical groups in the European exchange of experience between notified bodies for PPE. For further information, please follow this link. top