National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 352‑2:2020+A1:2024. It supersedes BS EN 352‑2:2020, which is withdrawn.

The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in the text by tags. Tags indicating changes to CEN text carry the number of the CEN amendment. For example, text altered by CEN amendment A1 is indicated by .

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee PH/7, Hearing protectors.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its committee manager.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication has been prepared in good faith, however no representation, warranty, assurance or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by BSI in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this publication. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed to the full extent permitted by the law.

This publication is provided as is, and is to be used at the recipient’s own risk.

The recipient is advised to consider seeking professional guidance with respect to its use of this publication.

This publication is not intended to constitute a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

This publication has been prepared under a mandate given to the European Standards Organizations by the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association. It is intended to support requirements of the EU legislation detailed in the European Foreword. A European Annex, usually Annex ZA or ZZ, describes how this publication relates to that EU legislation.

For the Great Britain market (England, Scotland and Wales), if UK Government has designated this publication for conformity with UKCA marking (or similar) legislation, it may contain an additional National Annex. Where such a National Annex exists, it shows the correlation between this publication and the relevant UK legislation. If there is no National Annex of this kind, the relevant Annex ZA or ZZ in the body of the European text will indicate the relationship to UK regulation applicable in Great Britain. References to EU legislation may need to be read in accordance with the UK designation and the applicable UK law. Further information on designated standards can be found at www.bsigroup.com/standardsandregulation.

For the Northern Ireland market, UK law will continue to implement relevant EU law subject to periodic confirmation. Therefore Annex ZA/ZZ in the European text, and references to EU legislation, are still valid for this market.

UK Government is responsible for legislation. For information on legislation and policies relating to that legislation, consult the relevant pages of www.gov.uk.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 30 November 2020.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 24 February 2020 and includes Amendment 1 approved by CEN on 5 May 2024.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and United Kingdom.

European foreword

This document (EN 352‑2:2020+A1:2024) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 159 “Hearing protectors”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by December 2024, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by December 2024.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This document supersedes EN 352‑2:2020.

This document includes Amendment 1 approved by CEN on 5 May 2024.

The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in the text by tags .

The technical changes between this document and the previous edition of this European Standard are listed in Annex A.

The content of the changes added with Amendment A1 to EN 352‑2:2020 refers only to banded earplugs.

This document has been prepared under a standardization request given to CEN by the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EU Regulation(s).

For relationship with EU Regulation(s), see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part of this document.

Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.

According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

Introduction

This document sets requirements for personal hearing protection devices in relation to Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment.

The particular requirement in relation to the ability of hearing protectors to reduce noise below limit levels is addressed in the standard by requiring the sound attenuation of the hearing protectors, measured in accordance with EN ISO 4869‑1, to be not less than a specified minimum. Further, by requiring that the measured sound attenuation be declared, the selection of suitable hearing protectors for individual circumstances can be undertaken according to established practice.

EN 352‑2 is part of a family of standards describing product requirements for hearing protectors:

EN352‑1, Hearing protectors — General requirements — Part 1: Earmuffs
EN 352‑2, Hearing protectors — General requirements — Part 2: Earplugs
EN 352‑3, Hearing protectors — General requirements — Part 3: Earmuffs attached to head protection and/or face protection devices
EN 352‑4, Hearing protectors — Safety requirements — Part 4: Level-dependent earmuffs
EN 352‑5, Hearing protectors — Safety requirements — Part 5: Active noise reduction earmuffs
EN 352‑6, Hearing protectors — Safety requirements — Part 6: Earmuffs with safety-related audio input
EN 352‑7, Hearing protectors — Safety requirements — Part 7: Level-dependent earplugs
EN 352‑8, Hearing protectors — Safety requirements — Part 8: Entertainment audio earmuffs
EN 352‑9, Hearing protectors — Safety requirements — Part 9: Earplugs with safety-related audio input
EN 352‑10, Hearing protectors — Safety requirements — Part 10: Entertainment audio earplugs

Test methods for these requirements for all types of hearing protectors are described in the following standards:

EN 13819‑1, Hearing protectors — Testing — Part 1: Physical test methods
EN 13819‑2, Hearing protectors — Testing — Part 2: Acoustic test methods
EN 13819‑3, Hearing protectors — Testing — Part 3: Supplementary acoustic test methods

An associated standard EN 458 covers selection, use, care and maintenance of hearing protection.

The parts of EN 352, other than parts 1, 2 and 3, cover the performance of functions additional to passive hearing protection. Hearing protectors which incorporate one or more of these functions are subject to the requirements and tests of each of the relevant parts of EN 352‑4 to −10, in addition to that of parts 1, 2 or 3, as appropriate.

The requirements of this document are concerned primarily with the physical and acoustic performance of the earplugs. It covers disposable, re-usable, custom moulded and banded earplugs.

In order to assist users to select the correct size(s) of earplugs, a nominal diameter, or range of diameters, of the earplugs is required to be declared (except for custom moulded and semi-aural earplugs).

In the case of banded earplugs, the standard specifies sizing requirements which enable the majority of the user population to be fitted satisfactorily by “medium size range” earplugs. Individuals with other sizes can be accommodated by “small size range” or “large size range” earplugs, which are required to be accompanied by information regarding the range of sizes which they are designed to fit.

The standard also calls for the values of sound attenuation provided by the earplugs (measured in accordance with EN ISO 4869‑1) in order to assist users in selecting the most appropriate model of earplugs for their needs. Minimum values of sound attenuation are also specified.

1 Scope

This document specifies requirements on construction, design, performance, marking and user information for earplugs.

In particular, it specifies requirements regarding the sound attenuation of the earplugs, measured in accordance with EN ISO 4869‑1:2018.

This document applies to earplugs designed for users who are able to follow supplied instructions and understand the related risks, can fit the earplugs correctly and can give feedback on the performance.

Ergonomic aspects are addressed by taking into account, within the requirements, the interaction between the user, the device and where possible the working environment in which the device is likely to be used (see Annex ZA and EN 458).

2 Normative references

3 Terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviations

3.1 Terms and definitions

3.2 Symbols and abbreviations

4 Requirements

4.1 Sizing and adjustability

4.2 Materials and construction

4.3 Performance

5 Marking

6 User information

6.1 General

6.2 Information on the packaging

6.3 Instructions supplied with the earplugs

Bibliography

BS EN 352-2:2020+A1:2024

Hearing protectors. General requirements - Earplugs

Current

Published:

30 Jun 2024