BS EN 943-1:2015+A1:2019

What is BS EN 943‑1 about?  

BS EN 943 is a European standard on protective clothing that standardizes process to ensure of optimal performance. 

BS EN 943‑1 is the first part of a multi-series that provides performance requirements for Type 1 chemical protective suits. Adopting these requirements for the manufacture for protective clothing can be an effective means to mitigate hazards and risks.  

BS EN 943-1 specifies the minimum requirements, test methods, marking and information supplied by the manufacturer for ventilated and non-ventilated gas-tight chemical protective suits.  

BS EN 943‑1 specifies full body personal protective ensembles to be worn for protection against solid, liquid, and gaseous chemicals, including liquid and solid aerosols. 

The seams, joins and assemblages attaching the accessories are included within the scope of BS EN 943-1. 

Note: BS EN 943‑1 does not establish minimum criteria for protection for non-chemical hazards, e.g., radiological, fire, heat, explosive hazards, infective agents. Chemicals such as violently air sensitive reagents, unstable explosives and cryogenic liquids have not been considered since protection against these additional hazards is beyond the scope of this standard. 

Who is BS EN 943‑1 for? 

BS EN 943‑1 on protective clothing is relevant to: 

• Manufacturers of protective suits 
• Safety and quality testing department 
• Laboratories 
• Industries that operate in close contact with hazardous chemical substances 

Why should you use BS EN 943‑1?  

Individuals working in close contact of dangerous solid, liquid, and gaseous chemicals require optimal protection against hazards and injuries.  

If you are a manufacturer of chemical protective suits, BS EN 943-1 is vital for you to ensure products are of high-quality and offer optimal protection against risks when dealing with chemical substances.  

With BS EN 943-1, materials of construction and components can be tested for resistance to chemical permeation, ignition, flex cracking and abrasion. These test results will assist you in selecting the right materials for the protective suits so as to avoid product failure. 

BS EN 943-1 helps to ensure trust in the reliability of these protective suits by demonstrating their safety and effectiveness, and ultimately the protection of the emergency teams who use them. 

What has changed since the last update? 

BS EN 943‑1 supersedes EN 943-1:2015. The significant technical changes include: 

• Protective suits type 2 has been deleted from this standard. They are not gas tight. This standard describes gas tight suits 
• Requirement for the whole suit revised 
• Proposal for sealing material included 
• Size of specimen has been specified 
• Optical chart added 
• Includes pull test for over gloves and requirement for valves