CEN/TC 79/SC 1 - Terminology, definitions, classification and selection

This European Standard provides guidance on the best practice for establishing and implementing a suitable respiratory protective device programme. It is published to provide a Europe-wide baseline for the selection, use, care and maintenance of respiratory protective devices. It provides guidelines for preparing national guidance in this area. The guidance contained in this European Standard is not intended to be exhaustive, but highlights important aspects to which attention should be given. The recommendations in this European Standard will help to comply with national legislation on this subject where it exists, or with European legislation.
Respiratory protective devices used exclusively in diving and at increased or reduced atmospheric pressures are not covered by this guidance.

This European Standard is applicable to respiratory protective devices. It contains a list of terms which are commonly used in the field of respiratory protection. These terms are listed in the three official CEN languages English, French and German and appear in the respective alphabetical order.  The object of this European Standard is to harmonize the terms used in the field of respiratory protective devices and to support their application in the three official CEN languages.  The definitions are given in EN 132:1998

This European Standard specifies a harmonized nomenclature for typical components of respiratory protective devices. It does not specify which or how many components are used and where they are located in the apparatus.  The illustrations used are given as examples only for the identification of the different parts and the corresponding terms for facilitating the application. The definitions and terms used are given in EN 132 and EN 135.  The terms are given in the three official CEN languages.

This European Standard is applicable to respiratory protective devices except diving apparatus for which the definitions are given in EN 250. This European Standard defines commonly used terms and pictograms of this area.  The object of this European Standard is to achieve a uniform interpretation of these terms and pictograms in order to prevent ambiguous use of them.  EN 135 contains a survey of these terms in the three official languages English, French and German.

This European Standard classifies respiratory protective devices (RPD) according to their basic design, i.e. a general logical grouping of the RPD.
This European standard is intended to serve as a basic introductory reference for users and for the preparation and revision of European Standards on respiratory protective devices.

This European Standard specifies requirements for the quality of compressed air supplied for use with the following types of equipment:  a) Respiratory protective devices - Self-contained open-circuit compressed air breathing apparatus and open-circuit compressed air underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA);  b) Respiratory protective devices - Compressed air line breathing apparatus and compressed airline breathing apparatus for use under water;  c) Respiratory protective devices for escape - Self-contained open-circuit compressed air breathing apparatus including full face mask or mouthpiece assembly or hoods.  The standard also  applies to synthetic air. Account is taken of the use of air at normal ambient pressures and increased pressures. Maximum allowable concentrations of impurity for compressed air are quoted as values calculated at normal atmospheric pressure.  This European Standard does not apply to compressed air used for medical purposes, for underwater breathing apparatus specially designed to be used for diving in water and other fluids when the hydrostatic pressure exceeds 6 bar absolute or for breathing apparatus designed for use at high altitudes.

These guidelines are intended to provide guidance for the selection and use of respiratory protective devices. The guidelines may be used wholly or in part by European countries in preparing recommendations for the use of RPD's in the workplace. If special needs exist in countries then these should be added to the national documents and CEN TC 79 should be advised about the workplace.