PPE Testing Equipment Standards: Complete Guide to ISO, EN and ASTM Requirements

PE testing standards are documented requirements and test methods used to evaluate the performance and protective characteristics of personal protective equipment.

PPE products can be exposed to different hazards, including:

Mechanical impact

Abrasion

Cutting

Puncture

Heat

Flame

Chemical exposure

Water penetration

Electrical hazards

Respiratory hazards

Thermal and moisture conditions

Because different PPE products protect against different hazards, there is no single standard that applies to every type of PPE.

For example, safety footwear, protective gloves, protective clothing, masks, and safety helmets each require different test methods and testing equipment.

GESTER's PPE testing solutions cover these five major categories and support testing requirements associated with ISO, EN, ASTM and other international standards.

Understanding the organization behind a standard is an important first step when planning a PPE testing equipment laboratory.

ISO Standards

ISO standards are developed by the International Organization for Standardization and are intended for international application.

Examples relevant to PPE testing include:

• • ISO 20344 – Test methods for safety footwear
  • ISO 37 – Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic materials — determination of tensile stress-strain properties
  • ISO 13934 – Tensile properties of fabrics
  • ISO 13935 – Seam tensile properties of fabrics and textile articles

For example, ISO 20344 defines laboratory test methods used to evaluate properties of safety footwear, including tests associated with impact, compression and slip resistance.

EN Standards

EN standards are European Standards developed through the European standardization system.

Many PPE standards used in Europe are published as EN ISO standards. In these cases, an ISO standard has been adopted as a European standard, sometimes with European modifications or requirements.

Common PPE-related examples include:

• • EN 388 – Protective gloves against mechanical risks
  • EN 407 – Protective gloves against thermal risks
  • EN 149 – Filtering half masks to protect against particles
  • EN 14683 – Medical face masks
  • EN 469 – Protective clothing for firefighters

The exact version and applicable requirements should always be checked before conducting compliance testing.

ASTM Standards

ASTM International develops voluntary consensus standards covering materials, products, systems and testing methods.

ASTM has a dedicated Committee F23 covering personal protective clothing and equipment. Its scope includes physical, chemical, biological, flame, thermal and other PPE-related requirements.

Examples commonly encountered in PPE testing include:

• • ASTM F2412 – Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection
  • ASTM F2413 – Performance Requirements for Protective Footwear
  • ASTM F2100 – Performance of Materials Used in Medical Face Masks
  • ASTM F1862/F1862M – Resistance of Medical Face Masks to Penetration by Synthetic Bloo

ASTM also provides standards related to PPE conformity assessment, such as ASTM F3050.

The most practical way to understand PPE standards is to organize them according to the product being tested.

1. Safety Footwear Testing Standards

Safety footwear is designed to protect the feet against hazards such as impact, compression, slipping, penetration and other workplace risks.

Common standards include:

ISO 20344 / EN ISO 20344

ISO 20345 / EN ISO 20345

ISO 20346 / EN ISO 20346

ISO 20347 / EN ISO 20347

ASTM F2412

ASTM F2413

ISO 20344 focuses primarily on test methods, while product standards such as ISO 20345 define requirements for safety footwear.

Common Safety Footwear Tests

Depending on the applicable standard, laboratories may need to evaluate:

Impact resistance

Compression resistance

Penetration resistance

Slip resistance

Abrasion resistance

Flexing resistance

Water resistance

Water penetration

Sole properties

Upper material properties

Typical equipment includes:

Footwear Slip Resistance Tester
Used to evaluate the frictional performance of footwear under specified test conditions.

Safety Footwear Impact Tester
Used to assess the protective performance of footwear against defined impact conditions.

Safety Footwear Compression and Puncture Tester
Used to evaluate compression and penetration-related performance.

DIN Abrasion Tester
Used to evaluate abrasion resistance of rubber and elastomeric materials, including footwear sole materials.

GESTER provides a range of footwear testing equipment associated with ISO, EN, ASTM, SATRA, DIN and other test methods.

2. Protective Glove Testing Standards

Protective gloves must provide appropriate protection while maintaining sufficient flexibility and usability.

Depending on the application, glove testing can cover mechanical, thermal, chemical and other protective properties.

Common standards include:

EN 388

EN 407

EN 21420

EN 12477

ASTM glove-related standards

ISO material and performance test methods where applicable

EN 388: Mechanical Protection

EN 388 is widely used for evaluating protective gloves against mechanical risks.

Testing can involve properties such as:

Abrasion resistance

Cut resistance

Tear resistance

Puncture resistance

Impact protection, where applicable

A laboratory may therefore need several different glove testing machines rather than one universal tester.

For example:

TDM Cut Resistance Tester
Used for evaluating glove cut resistance according to the applicable test method.

Glove Abrasion Tester
Used to evaluate resistance to repeated mechanical abrasion.

Glove Tear and Puncture Testing Equipment
Used to evaluate the material's resistance to specified mechanical forces.

EN 407: Thermal Risks

EN 407 addresses protective gloves against thermal risks.

Depending on the glove type, testing may involve:

Burning behavior

Contact heat

Convective heat

Radiant heat

Molten metal splashes

GESTER provides glove testing equipment including contact heat testing equipment and other instruments designed for protective glove evaluation.

3. Protective Clothing Testing Standards

Protective clothing covers a wide range of products, including industrial workwear, firefighter clothing, chemical protective clothing, high-visibility clothing and thermal protective garments.

Common standards include:

EN 469

EN 1149

EN 13034

EN 14126

ISO textile test methods

ASTM protective clothing standards

ASTM Committee F23 also covers protective clothing and equipment involving physical, chemical, biological, flame, thermal and other hazards.

Common Protective Clothing Tests

Depending on the standard, laboratories may evaluate:

Tensile strength

Tear resistance

Abrasion resistance

Seam strength

Water penetration

Water vapor permeability

Air permeability

Thermal resistance

Flame resistance

Heat transfer

Blood penetration

Chemical protection

Electrostatic properties

Related Testing Equipment

Universal Tensile Testing Machine
Used for evaluating tensile and related mechanical properties.

Martindale Abrasion and Pilling Tester
Used for assessing abrasion and pilling performance of textile materials.

Hydrostatic Head Tester
Used to evaluate resistance to water penetration.

Sweating Guarded Hotplate
Used to evaluate thermal resistance and water vapor resistance of textile materials.

Air Permeability Tester
Used to measure the air permeability of textile fabrics.

Blood Penetration Resistance Tester
Used for evaluating resistance to penetration by synthetic blood under defined test conditions.

These instruments can form part of a broader protective clothing testing laboratory.

4. Mask and Respiratory Protection Testing Standards

Masks and respiratory protective products have significantly different testing requirements depending on their intended use.

For example, medical face masks and filtering facepiece respirators should not automatically be treated as the same product category.

Common standards include:

EN 149

EN 14683

ASTM F2100

ASTM F1862/F1862M

NIOSH 42 CFR Part 84

ASTM standards include specific test methods for medical face mask materials and resistance to synthetic blood penetration.

Common Mask Testing Parameters

Testing may include:

Bacterial filtration efficiency

Particulate filtration efficiency

Breathing resistance

Pressure difference

Respiratory leakage

Synthetic blood penetration

Flame resistance

Airflow characteristics

Mask Testing Equipment

GESTER's mask testing range includes equipment for:

Bacterial filtration efficiency

Particulate filtration efficiency

Respiratory breathing resistance

Gas exchange pressure difference

Air leakproofness

Synthetic blood penetration

Flame resistance

The correct equipment configuration should always be selected according to the exact mask standard and test method.

5. Safety Helmet Testing Standards

Safety helmets are designed to protect the head against specific workplace hazards.

Depending on the product and market, testing may include requirements for:

Impact resistance

Penetration resistance

Retention system performance

Chin strap performance

Flame resistance

Lateral deformation

High-temperature conditioning

Electrical properties

Common European standards include:

EN 397

EN 12492

Other markets may use ASTM, ANSI, ISO or national standards.

Safety Helmet Testing Equipment

A laboratory may require:

Helmet Impact Tester

Helmet Penetration Tester

Chin Strap Retention Tester

Fixed Stability Tester

Lateral Deformation Tester

Flame Retardant Tester

Temperature Pretreatment Equipment

GESTER provides dedicated safety helmet testing equipment for evaluating different helmet performance characteristics.

The biggest mistake when selecting PPE testing equipment is choosing the machine first and checking the standard afterward.

The recommended process is the opposite.

Step 1: Identify the PPE Product

First determine exactly what you are testing:

Step 2: Identify the Target Market

Determine where the product will be sold or certified.

For example:

European market

United States market

International market

Specific national market

The target market can determine which standards and conformity requirements apply.

Step 3: Identify the Applicable Standard

Do not rely only on the product category.

The same PPE product may be subject to different standards depending on its intended use and protection level.

Step 4: Break the Standard Into Test Methods

Read the applicable standard and create a list of individual tests.

For example:

Safety Footwear → EN ISO 20345 → Impact + Compression + Slip + Other Required Tests

Or:

Protective Gloves → EN 388 → Abrasion + Cut + Tear + Puncture

This approach makes it much easier to determine the required testing equipment.

Step 5: Match Equipment to the Test Method

Once the test methods are identified, select equipment based on:

Test principle

Specimen requirements

Test range

Accuracy

Fixture configuration

Automatic or manual operation

Data acquisition

Applicable standards

Step 6: Consider Laboratory Management

For professional laboratories, equipment selection should also consider:

Calibration

Maintenance

Spare parts

Technical support

Operator training

Installation

Data management

Standards provide a common technical framework for evaluating PPE.

Without standardized testing procedures, manufacturers and laboratories could use different test conditions, equipment configurations and evaluation methods, making results difficult to compare.

A well-defined standard helps establish:

Consistent Test Methods

The test procedure, conditions and evaluation criteria are clearly defined.

Comparable Results

Testing laboratories can produce results based on a common methodology.

Quality Control

Manufacturers can use standardized tests to monitor raw materials, production batches and finished PPE.

Product Development

Engineers can compare materials and product designs against defined performance requirements.

Market Compliance

Testing according to the appropriate standard can support product certification and conformity assessment where required.

ASTM specifically describes conformity assessment as a means of providing confidence that PPE conforms to stated specifications.

GESTER focuses on testing equipment for five major PPE categories:

Safety Footwear Testing Equipment

Equipment for evaluating footwear properties such as slip resistance, impact, compression, abrasion, flexing and water resistance.

Glove Testing Equipment

Equipment for mechanical and thermal performance testing, including abrasion, cut, puncture, tear and contact heat testing.

Protective Clothing Testing Equipment

Equipment for evaluating textile and protective clothing properties such as tensile strength, abrasion, thermal resistance, water resistance, breathability and penetration resistance.

Mask Testing Equipment

Equipment for filtration, breathing resistance, pressure difference, leakage, synthetic blood penetration and other mask performance tests.

Safety Helmet Testing Equipment

Equipment for impact, penetration, retention, flame, stability and deformation testing.

GESTER states that it has nearly 30 years of experience in PPE testing equipment and provides integrated laboratory testing solutions for safety footwear, gloves, protective clothing, masks and safety helmets.

Understanding PPE testing standards is essential when developing products, establishing a testing laboratory or selecting testing equipment.

ISO, EN and ASTM standards provide different frameworks for evaluating PPE performance. However, the correct standard depends on the PPE category, intended application, target market and specific protection requirements.

For manufacturers, quality control laboratories, certification organizations and research institutions, selecting equipment based on the actual test standard helps create a more reliable and efficient PPE testing laboratory.

Explore GESTER PPE Testing Equipment for safety footwear, gloves, protective clothing, masks and safety helmets, and build a testing solution around your specific standards and test requirements.