PPE standards quick reference for oil & gas sites
Select the body area or hazard and the table shows the European standard that applies, the markings to look for, and what to verify on the certificate before you buy.
This is the reference our own sourcing team uses when a client asks us to supply PPE alongside valves and instrumentation.
The six checks we apply to any supplier are set out in how to verify a PPE certificate before you buy.
| Body area / hazard | Standard | Markings and levels | What to verify before you buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | EN 397 | Industrial safety helmet; options for -30°C, 440 V electrical insulation, molten metal splash (MM), lateral deformation (LD) | Certificate must name the exact model and colour; face shields or ear muffs fitted to the helmet need the combination tested |
| Head — work at height | EN 12492 | Climbing helmet with chinstrap and front/rear ventilation | EN 397 and EN 12492 are not interchangeable; where a site has both ground and height work, specify separately |
| Eye & face | EN 166 | Basic requirements; lenses also EN 170 (UV), EN 172 (sun glare), EN 169 (welding filters) | Check the impact rating marked on the lens (S/F/B/T); ensure the welding filter shade matches the task |
| Respiratory | EN 149 / EN 143 / EN 14387 | FFP1/FFP2/FFP3 particulates; gas and vapour filters to EN 14387 (types A/B/E/K) | H2S service needs the correct filter type plus a fit test — a certificate does not substitute for fit testing |
| Hearing | EN 352-1/2/3 | Ear muffs and ear plugs with an SNR value | SNR is a nominal figure; assess against the HML data and the actual noise spectrum on site |
| Hands | EN 388 | Mechanical risk four-digit code (abrasion / cut / tear / puncture); the 2016 revision adds an ISO 13997 cut level A–F | The letter (A–F) predicts real cut performance better than the digits; oil & gas sites often add EN 407 heat requirements |
| Hands — heat | EN 407 | Six properties: burning, contact heat, convective heat, radiant heat, small and large molten metal splash | Level 4 is the highest; ordinary EN 388 gloves are not a substitute for welding or hot-line work |
| Hands — chemical | EN 374 | Letters for the chemical families covered plus a permeation breakthrough level (1–6) | Check the manufacturer permeation data against the actual chemical; "chemical resistant" on its own means nothing |
| Footwear | EN ISO 20345 | S1 / S2 / S3 (S3 adds penetration resistance and cleated outsole); HRO heat-resistant outsole, CI cold insulation, ESD | S3 is not automatically the right choice: for static-controlled areas specify ESD / EN 61340; for cold store work check CI |
| Body — high visibility | EN ISO 20471 | Class 1 / 2 / 3 (Class 3 has the largest visible area) | Gulf projects often require Class 3 and flame retardant at the same time — high visibility alone is not enough |
| Body — flame & heat | EN ISO 11612 | A1/A2 (flame spread), B (convective), C (radiant), E (molten iron splash), F (contact heat) | Match the letter combination to the hazard; do not accept "flame retardant" as a description |
| Body — welding | EN ISO 11611 | Class 1 / 2 welding protection clothing | Not interchangeable with EN ISO 11612; welding garments must be specified separately |
| Body — antistatic | EN 1149-5 | Antistatic clothing with a defined surface resistance | Must be combined with antistatic footwear and earthing measures; the garment alone does not remove the risk |
| Body — arc flash | EN 61482-2 | APC 1 / APC 2 arc rating (ELIM or ATPV) | Mandatory for electrical work; the ATPV value must match the calculated incident energy on site |
| Body — cold & rain | EN 14058 / EN 343 | Low-temperature clothing (-5°C and below); waterproof rating 1–3 | Relevant in the Gulf too: northern sites and high-altitude locations have low-temperature requirements |
| Fall protection | EN 361 (+ EN 355 / 354 / 360 / 795) | Full body harness; with energy absorber, lanyard, retractable device and anchor according to the system | The system is certified as a whole; individual certificates do not prove compatibility, and service life plus periodic inspection must be recorded |
| Ex-rated equipment | ATEX / IECEx | Zone 1 / Zone 2, gas group IIA/IIB/IIC, temperature class T1–T6 | A Zone 2 device cannot be used in Zone 1; verify the certificate number in the IECEx database |
Three things that get missed most often on PPE orders:
1. The certificate must match the article number. A factory's "CE declaration" is usually a generic document; ask for the EU type-examination certificate number and the notified body number — both can be checked in the EU NANDO database in under a minute.
2. Batch consistency. Is the delivery from the same production line and material as the certified sample? A third-party test report (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek) must reference that batch or a period covering it.
3. Destination country entry rules. Saudi Arabia requires SASO / SABER registration, the UAE requires ESMA registration for regulated products, and the EU requires the right PPE category under 2016/425 (Category II / III).
Missing any of these means the container is held at customs or the consignment is rejected by site HSE — the loss is far larger than any unit price saving.
1. The certificate must match the article number. A factory's "CE declaration" is usually a generic document; ask for the EU type-examination certificate number and the notified body number — both can be checked in the EU NANDO database in under a minute.
2. Batch consistency. Is the delivery from the same production line and material as the certified sample? A third-party test report (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek) must reference that batch or a period covering it.
3. Destination country entry rules. Saudi Arabia requires SASO / SABER registration, the UAE requires ESMA registration for regulated products, and the EU requires the right PPE category under 2016/425 (Category II / III).
Missing any of these means the container is held at customs or the consignment is rejected by site HSE — the loss is far larger than any unit price saving.
This table is a procurement reference, not a substitute for the product certificate or the site HSE assessment. For a single delivered price on a complete PPE list — or PPE together with valves and instrumentation — send the list to websale@sawye.com, or see one-stop supply for oil & gas sites.