EN 13819-1:2020/FprA1

Hearing protectors - Testing - Part 1: Physical test methods

This document EN 13819-1 specifies physical test methods for hearing protectors. The purpose of these tests is to enable assessment of the performance of the hearing protector as specified in the appropriate product standard.

Gehörschützer - Prüfung - Teil 1: Physikalische Prüfverfahren

Protecteurs individuels contre le bruit - Essais - Partie 1 : Méthodes d'essai physiques

Varovala sluha - Preskušanje - 1. del: Fizikalne preskusne metode - Dopolnilo A1

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 02-Jun-2024
• ICS: 13.340.20 - Head protective equipment
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 159 - Hearing protectors
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 159/WG 6 - Hearing protectors - General requirements and test methods
• Current Stage: 5060 - Closure of Vote - Formal Approval
• Start Date: 04-Apr-2024
• Due Date: 26-Feb-2024
• Completion Date: 04-Apr-2024
• Directive: 2016/425 - Regulation (EU) 2016/425 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on personal protective equipment and repealing Council Directive 89/686/EEC
• Ref Project: SIST EN 13819-1:2021/kprA1:2024 - Hearing protectors - Testing - Part 1: Physical test methods

Relations

• Merged Into: EN 13819-1:2020+A1:2024 - Hearing protectors - Testing - Part 1: Physical test methods
• Effective Date: 17-Apr-2024
• Amends: EN 13819-1:2020 - Hearing protectors - Testing - Part 1: Physical test methods
• Effective Date: 28-Dec-2022

Overview

EN 13819-1:2020/FprA1 is a CEN draft amendment to the European standard that specifies physical test methods for hearing protectors. The amendment focuses on clarifications and updates to test procedures used to assess the physical performance of earmuffs and earplugs, with particular attention to banded earplugs. It is intended to enable reproducible, comparable laboratory evaluation of products against the applicable product standard.

Key Topics

• Scope and purpose: Defines physical test methods for hearing protectors to support performance assessment and conformity demonstration.
• Amendment focus: The A1 changes relate primarily to banded earplugs and include updates to dimensions, fixture arrangements and test permutations.
• Normative references: The amendment updates referenced documents (for example replacing EN 352-2:2020 with EN 352-2:2020+A1:202X) so laboratories and manufacturers can align on the correct supporting standards.
• Earmuffs: Minor procedural clarifications such as a revised NOTE describing how to measure test width when non-planar cushion adaptors are used on the test headform.
• Earplugs / banded earplugs:
  • The term "headband earplugs" is replaced throughout with "banded earplugs" to reflect modern product terminology.
  • Figures and fixture keys are updated; additional notes clarify mandatory and variable dimensions for test fixtures.
  • New or revised test dimension tables address both behind-the-head and under-the-chin band arrangements and map size ranges (S/M/L) to test blocks.
  • Notes highlight practical testing tips such as marking hole heights and accommodating long eartips.

Applications

This standard and its amendment are directly applicable to:

• Manufacturers who need to demonstrate that earmuffs, earplugs and banded earplugs meet product-standard performance claims.
• Test laboratories performing repeatable physical measurements (fit, fixture interaction, dimensional checks) as part of product assessment.
• Regulatory and compliance teams that require harmonised test methods for conformity assessment and CE/UK marking processes.

Practical benefits include more consistent test setups, clearer fixture definitions for banded earplugs, and improved traceability of lab results used in product certification.

Related Standards

• EN 352 series (hearing protectors) - normative references updated in the amendment (e.g. EN 352-2:2020+A1).
• Other parts of EN 13819 (testing series) - additional parts address complementary test methods and requirements for specific product types.

For implementers, ensure you reference the approved final amendment text when it is published and apply the updated fixture dimensions and notes to maintain consistent test outcomes and regulatory compliance.

Keywords: hearing protectors, physical test methods, earmuffs, earplugs, banded earplugs, EN 13819-1, EN 352-2, test headform, lab testing, compliance.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST EN 13819-1:2021/oprA1:2023
01-julij-2023
Varovala sluha - Preskušanje - 1. del: Fizikalne preskusne metode - Dopolnilo A1
Hearing protectors - Testing - Part 1: Physical test methods
Gehörschützer - Prüfung - Teil 1: Physikalische Prüfverfahren
Protecteurs individuels contre le bruit - Essais - Partie 1 : Méthodes d'essai physiques
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 13819-1:2020/prA1
ICS:
13.340.20 Varovalna oprema za glavo Head protective equipment
SIST EN 13819-1:2021/oprA1:2023 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

SIST EN 13819-1:2021/oprA1:2023

SIST EN 13819-1:2021/oprA1:2023

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 13819-1:2020
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
prA1
May 2023
ICS 13.340.20
English Version
Hearing protectors - Testing - Part 1: Physical test
methods
Protecteurs individuels contre le bruit - Essais - Partie Gehörschützer - Prüfung - Teil 1: Physikalische
1 : Méthodes d'essai physiques Prüfverfahren
This draft amendment is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 159.

This draft amendment A1, if approved, will modify the European Standard EN 13819-1:2020. If this draft becomes an
amendment, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for
inclusion of this amendment into the relevant national standard without any alteration.

This draft amendment was established by CEN 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.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2023 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 13819-1:2020/prA1:2023 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

SIST EN 13819-1:2021/oprA1:2023
EN 13819-3:2019/prA1:2023 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
1 Modification to “European foreword” . 4
2 Modification to Clause 2, “Normative references” . 4
3 Modification to Clause 4, “Earmuffs” . 4
4 Modifications to Clause 5, “Earplugs” . 4
SIST EN 13819-1:2021/oprA1:2023
EN 13819-1:2020/prA1:2023 (E)
European foreword
This document (EN 13819-1:202
...