Section 4: Prevention of risks arising from the use of personal protective equipment for sports or leisure activities

The provisions of this section, taken pursuant to article L. 422-2 of the Consumer Code, apply to personal protective equipment intended for use in the exercise of a sporting or leisure activity, or in the supervision of such an activity (hereinafter referred to as “PPE-SL”). The list of PPE-SL is given in appendix III-3 and is specified for each type of article by order of the Minister for Industry and…

PPE-LS means any device or means defined in article R. 322-27 intended to be worn or held by a person in order to protect them against one or more risks likely to threaten their health and safety. The following are also considered as PPE-SL, within the meaning of this section: 1° An assembly made up of several devices or means which are joined together by the manufacturer with a view…

Only PPE-SL may be imported, manufactured with a view to being placed on the Community market, held with a view to being sold or distributed free of charge, offered for sale, sold or distributed free of charge or made available free of charge or against payment if it : 1° Comply with the essential health and safety requirements relating to them; 2° Comply with the conformity assessment procedures applicable to…

PPE-SL exhibited at trade fairs and exhibitions may not comply with the provisions of this section, provided that a sign placed near the PPE-SL concerned clearly indicates its non-compliance and prohibits its acquisition or use until it has been brought into compliance.

PPE-LS is classified into two categories, the obligations of which are defined below. 1° Category 1 PPE-LS is equipment of simple design, where the designer assumes that the user can judge for himself its effectiveness against minimal risks, the effects of which, when they are gradual, can be perceived by the user in good time and without danger. This category exclusively includes PPE-SL whose purpose is to protect the user…

Category 1 PPE-SL is subject to the internal manufacturing control procedure whereby the manufacturer, his authorised representative established within the territory of the European Community or, failing this, any person responsible for placing the equipment on the market ensures and declares, under his responsibility, that the PPE-SL complies with the essential health and safety requirements applicable to it. For this equipment, the manufacturer, his authorised representative established on the territory…

Category 2 PPE-SL is subject to the EC type-examination procedure defined in article R. 322-35. For this equipment, the manufacturer, his authorised representative established on the territory of one of the Member States of the European Community or, failing this, any person responsible for placing it on the market must make available to the officials responsible for monitoring mentioned in article L. 215-1 of the Consumer Code: 1° The “EC”…

After fulfilling the obligations defined in articles R. 322-32 and R. 322-33, the manufacturer, his authorised representative established on the territory of one of the Member States of the European Community or, failing this, any person responsible for placing the equipment on the market must affix the CE marking, in accordance with the provisions of annex III-6 . The CE marking must be affixed to the PPE-SL in a visible,…

EC type-examination is the procedure whereby a body authorised by the Minister for Industry ascertains and certifies that the PPE-SL model concerned meets the essential health and safety requirements applicable to it. The application for “EC” type examination may only be submitted by the manufacturer, his authorised representative or, failing this, by any person responsible for placing the equipment on the market, to a single authorised body for a given…

The bodies referred to in article R. 322-35 meet the following obligations in particular: legal personality, independence and impartiality, technical competence, existence of appropriate technical and human resources, integrity and competence of staff, in particular, respect for professional secrecy, quality of organisation. Bodies accredited by the Comité français d’accréditation (COFRAC) in accordance with the standard relating to the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, the reference for which is published…