1 Scope
This document specifies the European Standards to which products have to
conform in order to support the claims for microbicidal activity which are
referred to in this document.
This document also specifies terms and definitions which are used in European
Standards.
It is applicable to products for which activity is claimed against the following
microorganisms: vegetative bacteria (including mycobacteria and
Legionella), bacterial spores, yeasts, fungal spores and
viruses (including bacteriophages).
It is intended to:
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a) enable manufacturers of products to select the
appropriate standards to be used in order to provide data which support
their claims for a specific product;
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b) enable users of the product to assess the
information provided by the manufacturer in relation to the use for which
they intend to use the product;
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c) assist regulatory authorities in assessing claims made by the manufacturer or
by the person responsible for placing the product on the market.
It is applicable to products to be used in the area of human medicine, the
veterinary area and in food, industrial, domestic and institutional areas.
In the area of human medicine (Working Group 1, i.e. WG 1), it is applicable to
chemical
disinfectants and antiseptics to be used in areas and
situations where disinfection or antisepsis is medically indicated. Such
indications occur in patient care
-
— in hospitals, in community medical facilities, dental institutions and
medical laboratories for analyses and research,
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— in clinics of schools, of kindergartens and of nursing homes,
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— and may also occur in the workplace and in the home. It may also include
services such as in laundries and kitchens supplying products
directly for the patient.
In the veterinary area (WG 2) it is applicable to chemical disinfectants and
antiseptics to be used in the areas of breeding, husbandry,
veterinary care facilities, production, transport and disposal of animals and
veterinary laboratories for analyses and research. It is not applicable to
chemical
disinfectants used in the food chain following death and entry
to the processing industry.
In food, industrial, domestic and institutional areas (WG 3) it is applicable to
chemical
disinfectants and antiseptics to be used in processing,
distribution and retailing of food of animal or vegetable origin. It is also
applicable to products for all public areas where disinfection is not
medically indicated (homes, catering, schools, nurseries, transports, hotels,
offices etc.) and products used in packaging, biotechnology, laboratories (except
laboratories for veterinary and medical analyses and research), pharmaceutical,
cosmetic etc. industries.
This document is also applicable to active substances and products under
development for which no area of application has yet been specified.
This document will be periodically updated to reflect the current published versions
of each standard developed in CEN/TC 216. Independent of this update newly published
standards are to be used, even if they are not yet mentioned in EN 14885.
This document does not refer to methods for testing the toxicological and
ecotoxicological properties of products or active
substances.