What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

Definition according to PPE Regulation (VO) (EU) 2016/425 Article 3(1): "[PPE] is equipment that is designed and manufactured to be worn or held by a person for protection against one or more risk(s) to that person's health or safety …". PPE is generally divided into three categories (I, II and III). The higher the level of safety, the higher the category.

What is UV protection?

The UV protection factor (ultraviolet protection factor = UPF) states how much longer a person wearing UV protective clothing can stay in the sun without suffering skin damage. The calculation of the protection time is based on what is known as the skin's self-protection time, although this can vary tremendously depending on skin type. As a general rule, every single item of clothing helps to protect the skin it is covering. The thicker the material is and the more skin is covered, the greater the garment's protection effect is. For this, UV protection must always take into account the spectral composition of sunlight and the sensitivity of human skin.

UV protection is the result of:

• the choice of fibre
• the construction (type of weave or knit)
• the finish

Schöffel products with UV protection

Some Schöffel items of clothing have UV protection. These are mainly firstlayers, T-shirts, shirts and blouses, and trousers. The UV protection is provided on the product itself by the following sun symbols.

In accordance with the PPE Regulation that came into force in April 2018, clothing with UV protection is category I PPE. Category I refers to basic PPE that offers protection against minimal risks.

Applicable test standard:

The UV models in Schöffel's summer collection have been tested to the European standard (DIN EN 13758-1). This method determines the fabric's UV protection factor (ultraviolet protection factor = UPF). The UV protection offered by a textile can be defined by establishing the UPF. The spectral composition of sunlight and the sensitivity of human skin must always be taken in account for this. The UV protection factor is tested on the new item without any kind of usage stress (washing, stretching etc.) on the textile.

Personal protective equipment (category I) - protection against rain EN 343

Schöffel products with rain protection:

Schöffel has been supplying various ski schools and mountain railways with professional ski clothing for several years.nAs the ski schools and mountain railways use this clothing for commercial purposes, it comes under the applicability of the PPE VO, and is PPE as per category I. Category I refers to basic PPE that offers protection against minimal risks.

                                                
Applicable test standard:

With effect from the 2019 winter ski school collection, the fundamental health and safety requirements of Regulation (EU) 2016/425 and the requirements of EN 343:2019 (DIN EN 343:2019-06) - Protective clothing - Protection from rain – and EN ISO 13688:2013 (DIN EN ISO 13688:2013-12) - Protective clothing - General requirements are fulfilled.

UV Declaration of Conformity from summer 2022:

As the UV and the rain protection of a textile is determined by the material or fabric used, you will need the item number in your garment. You can then use this to identify the corresponding declaration of conformity. You will find the number on the hangtag and on the care label of your Schöffel product.