Norms and Standards relevant to Forest Work Wear

The forestry industry offers many challenges to the worker.  Injuries are common – bruises, sprains and strains, cuts, lacerations and fractures are among the most common of injuries in the forestry industry. Accidents can occur such as branches falling and accidents involving forestry equipment and machinery. Chain saws can be hazardous to work around, and the cold weather that is often a working condition for forestry can be a hazard if you do not have safety equipment. All Safety Gear has the line of safety equipment that is need to have the best possible protection.

The clothing complies with the essential health and safety according to EU regulation 89/686. It should be noted on the right measure a fact, that no product can't guarantee 100% protection against injuries and accidents in consistent compliance with the manufacturer's instructions, however, eliminates the risk to the minimum possible limit, while it is necessary to comply with applicable safety and health protection at work.

The base standard norm of personal protective equipment providing protection against risks arising from the use of chainsaw is norm EN 381, which imposes requirements on different parts of protective clothing as follows:

EN 381-5

Personal protective equipment for users of hand chainsaw- requirements for leg protectors. This section specifies equipment for leg protectors for users of handheld chainsaws. It specifies the types A, B and C. The difference between the types is by area coverage- protective fabers. The protective faber is a special kind of fabric, which can clog the cutting mechanism chainsaw hand and blocked the movement of the chain. This norm defines three different design classes of protective equipment for legs, according to the degree of the protection that is been applied: 

a)  Front protection

      b) Front and lateral protection

      c) Total Protection

In principle, Design A and B are destined to be used in normal work of professional foresters previously well trained and informed about the field.

Design C are destined to be used by novice person who don’t usually work with chainsaw, or in exceptional situations.

Personal protective Equipment (PPE) for hand-held chainsaw users shall be in according to the European law EN 381 and shall have a logo that shows EN 381 and a chainsaw. It is to be noted that in many countries like Italy, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Sweden etc. wear personal protective equipment is mandatory for professional foresters. The norm is divided into plus shares, each of which has been dedicated to a part of the body.

·         EN 381-1:1994   : Personal Protective Equipment for hand-held chainsaw

·         EN 381-5:2001   : Personal Protective Equipment to protect legs

·         EN 381-7:2001   : Requirements relating to chainsaw protective gloves

·         EN 381-9: 1999   : Requirements relating to chainsaw protective leggings

·         EN 381-11: 2004 : Requirements relating to upper body

The law prescribes also 4 classes corresponding to the chainsaw speed with which have been performed tests. All classes are not used necessarily for each part of the norm.

·         Class 0 : 16 m/s

·         Class 1 : 20 m/s

·         Class 2 : 24 m/s

·         Class 3 : 28 m/s

EN (V) 342

Personal Protection against cold

This standard specifies requirements for personal protective equipment when carrying out the work in the cold at a temperature lower than -5 ° C. Its label, the following parameters:

·         Measured thermal insulation of the underwear

·         Air permeability (3 levels)

·         Water vapour permeability (3 layers)

EN 471

Personal protective clothing with high visibility.

There are three classes of protective clothing with high visibility.

They are divided according to these parameters:

X: Visible surface of the material and forming a reflective clothing (3 degrees).

Y: Visible quality material (2 layers)

To indicate the reflective material used two classes. It also uses the combined use of material- reflective and visible together.

	Class 1	Class 2	Class 3
Background material (fluorescent)	0-14 m2	0-50 m2	0-80 m2
Reflective Material (bands)	0-10 m2	0-13 m2	0-20 m2
The combination of the two materials	0-20 m2	-	-

EN (V) 343

Personal protective clothing to rain and bad weather.

This European Standard norm specifies requirements for protective clothing in the rain, wind and the temperatures lower than -5 ° C.

Garments are labelled on the basis of two parameters:

X: Waterproof – waterproof (3 degrees)

Y: Permeability (3 levels)

X: Waterproof expressed in mm water column

	Class 1	Class 2	Class 3
Before handling	>800 mm	-	-
Before handling and suturing	>800 mm	>800 mm	>1300 mm
After each manipulation	-	>800 mm	>1300 mm
Manipulation: Washing, tumble drying, scraping, poured with oil, fuel, drawing

Y: Permeability

	Class 1	Class 2	Class 3
Resistance to water vapour	Ret>150	20	Ret_20

*Ret: Resistance value (unit m² Pa/W)

EN 510

Personal protective clothing for use where there is risk of entanglement with moving parts.

EN 340

General standards for clothes