LThe European Directive 2003/10/EC on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers (to the risks arising from physical agents (noise) arising or likely to arise from exposure) to noise and in particular the risk to hearing has entered into force on 15 February 2006.
This new directive reduces the limit of harmful sounds with 5 dB and contains the following limits for a daily noise exposure level timeweighted average of the noise exposure levels for a nominal eight-hour working day covering all noises present at work, including impulsive noise :
- Where noise exposure exceeds 80 dB, the employer shall make individual hearing protectors available to workers
- Where noise exposure matches or exceeds 85 dB, individual hearing protectors shall be used

This new directive introduces also the notion of Exposure Limit Values as follows :
- Under no circumstances shall the exposure of the worker exceed the exposure limit values of 87 dB. When applying the exposure limit values, the determination of the worker’s effective exposure shall take account of the attenuation provided by the individual hearing protectors worn by the worker.

The individual hearing protectors shall be so selected as to eliminate the risk to hearing or to reduce the risk to a minimum.

EN 352 > The European Standard for protectors against noise is made in several parts for the safety and testings on the different types of individual noise protectors.
In this catalogue will be found :

EN 352-1 : Earmuffs
EN 352-2 : Earplugs
EN 352-3 : Helmet mounted earmuffs
EN 352-4 : Level-dependent earmuffs
EN 352-8 : Earmuffs with entertainment radio

EN 166 > Specifications for individual protective equipments for eyes and face. Determines the specifications for construction and performances (optical properties like strength, transmission and diffusion of light factors, mechanical properties like solidity, thermal stability and resistance).

EN 1731 > Eye and face protectors of mesh type, for industrial and non industrial use, protection against mechanical risks and/or against heat.

EN 812 >The EN 812 standard specifies the physical and performance requirements, test methods and marking requirements for shock-proof caps (bump caps) used in industry. The shock-proof caps for industry are meant to give limited protection of the wearer’s head when it hits hard and immobile object with sufficient force to cause tearing up or other superficial injuries to the user or knock him out.
They are essentially intended for inside use where objects cannot fall down.
A shock-proof cap is not intended to protect against the effects of falling objects neither against hanging or moving burdens.
The shock-proof caps must not under any case replace a protective industrial helmet complying with the EN397 standard.

EN 397 >The European standard EN 397 specifies the physical and performance requirements, test methods and marking requirements for protective helmets used in industry.
These helmets protect against falling objects.