Covid19: Riks derived from the manufacture of Personal Protection Equipment not approved.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Due to the shortage of masks and protective gowns during the current health crisis, an important part of the textile sector has begun to produce this type of articles with the aim that health personnel who care for infected patients can have protection material. These are undoubtedly initiatives that show the social and generally altruistic commitment of the textile industry at this time of health emergency.

Without detracting from these initiatives, it is important to point out that the material manufactured in many cases does not comply with the European Union Regulation 2016/425 regarding personal protective equipment, so its degree of protection may not be adequate for prevent the spread of exposed healthcare personnel.

To facilitate the manufacture of safe material, AENOR has given free access to the UNE standards on PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and relevant Medical Devices for their correct manufacture: https://www.insst.es/-/acceso-gratuito-a-las-normas-une-sobre-epi-y-productos-sanitarios-relevantes

On the other hand, and pursuant to Recommendation (EU) 2020/403 regarding conformity assessment and market surveillance procedures in the context of the threat posed by COVID-19, the Spanish National Institute of Safety and Health in the Work, INSST, has published a comparison on different international technical standards on self-filtering masks to try to establish an equivalence between the different standards. https://www.insst.es/Comparativa_especificaciones_técnicas_Mascarillas

In the same publication, the INSST recalls that all the Personal Protective Equipment made available must guarantee compliance with the Essential Health and Safety Requirements established in Regulation (EU) 2016/425.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]