BS EN 61331-3:2014

What is BS EN 61331-3-Protective clothing, eyewear, and protective patient shields about?  

BS EN 61331 is a European standard on protective devices against diagnostic medical X-radiation that discusses protective clothing, eyewear, and protective patient shields to ensure protection against harmful X-radiation. 

BS EN 61331-3 is the third part of the BS EN 61331 series that applies to protective devices such as protective clothing and eyewear for the protection of persons against X-radiation up to 150 kV, during radiological examinations and interventional procedures.  

BS EN 61331-3 deals with: 

• General requirements on the accompanying documents, on design and on materials used 
• Sizing, particular design features, minimum attenuation properties of materials, marking and standardized forms of statements of compliance with this standard  

BS EN 61331-3 covers protective clothing for the protection of the operator, such as: 

• Protective aprons 
• Thyroid collars 
• Protective gloves 
• Protective mittens 
• Protective eyewear 

And protective devices for the protection of the patient, such as: 

• Protective gonad aprons 
• Scrotum shields 
• Ovary shields 
• Shadow shields 
• Protective aprons for dental use 

The latter group of protective devices is intended to be used during radiological examinations to minimize the effects of irradiation on the reproductive organs, particularly regarding genetic damage.  

Note: Protective devices are not intended by themselves to provide complete protection of persons but are used to reduce the dose to persons where other methods of protection against X-Radiations are insufficient or not applicable. 

Who is BS EN 61331-3-Protective clothing, eyewear, and protective patient shields for? 

BS EN 61331-3 on protective clothing, eyewear, and protective patient shields is useful for: 

• Protective clothing, eyewear, and protective patient shields manufacturers 
• Protective clothing, eyewear, and protective patient shields designers 
• Occupational health and safety departments  
• Quality assurance departments 

Why should you use BS EN 61331-3-Protective clothing, eyewear, and protective patient shields?  

Protective clothing is important in the workplace as it protects users against any health and safety risks at work. Protective eyewear is a protective device made of transparent material to protect the eyes. Shadow shields are a protective device to intercept the radiation beam in the areas of the gonads. 

BS EN 61331-3 provides you with general requirements and marking, design for protective devices for protection to operators and the patients, material for protective aprons and protective collars, inside minimum dimensions for protective gloves and protective mittens and much more. 

The requirements and dimensions provided by BS EN 61331-3 assist you in improving the performance and quality of the protective clothing, eyewear and protective patient shields and ensure protection against the risk of radiation to operators and patients.  

With obedience and compliance to BS EN 61331-3, you can enhance the efficacy of the protective clothing, eyewear and protective patient shields and manufacture a standardized high-quality product.