EN 343 STANDARD
WEATHER PROTECTION
Standard EN 343 defines the requirements, specifications and test methods for protective clothing against rain and other weather conditions such as fog, snow and ground humidity above -5°C (23°F).
Standard EN 343 specifies 2 levels of protection:
Waterproofing (Resistance to water penetration)
This value is defined from 1 to 4 (where 4 is the best-performing). The water column indicates the pressure the clothing must be able to withstand: the higher the water column, the more resistant the clothing is to water pressure.
Standard EN 343 specifies 4 performance classes. In terms of waterproofness:
What are your waterproofness requirements?
(Resistance required depending on the working position)
Context :
2m water column
20 000 pa
2m water column
20 000 pa
5m water column
50 000 pa
10m water column
100 000
pa
Standard EN 343 defines 2 levels of protection:
Breathability (Resistance to water vapour)
This value is defined from 1 to 4 (where 4 is the best-performing). The water vapour resistance (RET) of all the clothing’s combined layers must comply: the lower the RET, the more breathable the clothing.
Standard EN 343 specifies 4 performance classes in terms of breathability:
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
Ret (m²K/W)
> 40m².Pa/W
25m².Pa/W < Ret < 40m².Pa/W
15m².Pa/W < Ret < 25m².Pa/W
< 15m².Pa/W
It is important for the clothing to be breathable as well as waterproof, to avoid discomfort.
The standard recommends a maximum duration of continuous wear for a complete set (Jacket + Trousers), depending on the PPE class:
Class 1 Ret > 40
Class 2 25 < Ret < 40
Class 3 15 < Ret < 25
Class 4 Ret < 15
25° C
60 min
105 min
250 min
-
20° C
75 min
250 min
-
-
15° C
100 min
-
-
-
10° C
240 min
-
-
-
5° C
-
-
-
-
Our teams will be happy to work with you to define the level of protection you need. Codupal has developed a number of solutions to help you work through your risk assessment so that together we can define the type of clothing you need.
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