EN ISO 13688

General requirements for protective clothing

EN 13688 and EN ISO 13688 describe the general requirements for protective clothing. These relate to ergonomics, sizing, comfort, harmlessness, and clear labeling. This basic standard is always used in conjunction with a specific protection standard, such as EN 343 or EN ISO 11612.

Purpose and scope

Basic standard for ergonomics, fit, comfort, material safety, and labeling of protective clothing.

Key requirements

• Material safety: pH 4 to 9, restriction of skin-irritating dyes.
• Fit: must not restrict freedom of movement.
• Sizing: according to body measurements from ISO 3635.
• Labeling: clear pictograms and washing and care instructions.

Use and combination

This standard never stands alone. EN ISO 13688 is always applied in combination with the relevant product standard, for example EN 343 for rain or EN ISO 11612 for heat and flames.

Practice: why this matters

EN ISO 13688 lays a solid foundation: correct size, comfortable fit, and safe materials. This ensures that clothing with the correct product standard will perform well in the workplace.