The 6 Types of Protection

To aid buyers and end users, the levels of protection offered are split into 6 Types, covering various levels of exposure to solid, liquid or gaseous hazards. Each Type has a full suit test to determine the overall suitability of a product, and a series of physical and chemical tests to ensure that the material offers sufficient protection. It is always the end users responsibility to ensure that the correct Type of protection is chosen, and that any additional protection (gloves, masks etc.) offers the same of higher levels of protection, and is fully compatible with the remainder of the PPE being used. Briefly, the six types, are as follows:

Type 1 BS EN 943-1 : 2002 - Gas tight suits
Suits which are intrinsically sealed against the environment.

Type 2 BS EN 943-1 : 2002 - Non-gas tight suits
Suits which retain a positive internal pressure to prevent ingress of dusts, liquids or vapours.

TYPE 3 BS EN 14605 : 2005 - Liquid tight suits
Suits which can protect against strong and directional jets of a liquid chemical such as spray from a burst pipe under pressure. Requires a barrier fabric (chemical tests to EN374-3 Permeation test) and sealed seams.

TYPE 4 BS EN 14605 : 2005 - Spray tight suits
Suits which can protect against saturation of liquid chemical, where volume of the liquid builds up on the suit forming pools, resulting in rivulets. Requires a barrier fabric (chemical tests to EN374-3 Permeation test) and sealed seams.

TYPE 5 BS EN ISO 13982-1 : 2004 - Dry particle suits
Suits for protection against hazardous dusts and any dry particles.

TYPE 6 BS EN 13034 : 2005 - Reduced spray suits
Suits for protection against light spray and splashes of liquid chemicals where there is no directional spray or build up of liquid on the suit, but there may be a fine mist of droplets in the atmosphere.

Type 1 Protection

"Protective clothing against liquid and gaseous chemicals, including liquid aerosols and solid particles - Part 1: Performance requirements for ventilated and non-ventilated gas-tight (Type 1) and non-gas-tight (Type 2) chemical protective suits"

Protective clothing against liquid and gaseous chemicals, including liquid aerosols and solid particles - Part 2: Performance requirements for gas-tight (Type 1) chemical protective suits for emergency teams (ET)"
There are three types of Type 1 suit:

• Type 1a) a suit with breathable air supply independent of the ambient atmosphere i.e. a self-contained open-circuit compressed air breathing apparatus worn inside the suit.
• Type 1b) a suit with breathable air supply i.e. a self-contained open-circuit compressed air breathing apparatus worn outside the suit.
• Type 1c) a suit with breathable air providing positive pressure i.e. airline supplied breathable air

Product must comply with EN 340

This standard sets out the general requirements for protective clothing i.e. materials shall not be known to cause skin irritation or have any adverse effect to health (e.g. Azo dyes) This standard also details sizing and fit of the garment, along with required markings and labelling. Product must also comply with EN 14325 as per the requirements of the Type 3 test. Dailys do not offer a Type 1 product.

Type 2 Protection

"Protective clothing against liquid and gaseous chemicals, including liquid aerosols and solid particles - Part 1: Performance requirements for ventilated and non-ventilated gas-tight (Type 1) and non-gas-tight (Type 2) chemical protective suits"

Product must comply with EN 340

This standard sets out the general requirements for protective clothing i.e. materials shall not be known to cause skin irritation or have any adverse effect to health (e.g. Azo dyes) This standard also details sizing and fit of the garment, along with required markings and labelling. The fabric must be tested according to EN 14325 as per the Type 3 requirements. Dailys do not offer a Type 2 product.

Type 3 Protection

"Protective clothing against liquid chemicals. Performance requirements for clothing with liquid-tight (Type 3) or spray-tight (Type 4) connections, including items providing protection to parts of the body only. (Types PB [3] and PB [4])"
Product must comply with EN 340

This standard sets out the general requirements for protective clothing i.e. materials shall not be known to cause skin irritation or have any adverse effect to health (e.g. Azo dyes) This standard also details sizing and fit of the garment, along with required markings and labelling. The fabric must be tested according to EN 14325 under the following clauses:

Test requirements for seams, joins and assemblages of Type 3 & 4 protective clothing

Principle: An Aqueous spray, containing a fluorescent or visible dye tracer, is directed under controlled conditions at the chemical protective clothing. The subject is not required to move during the test, and therefore a mannequin may used, or the garment may be worn by a human test subject. Inspection of the inside surface of the clothing and the outside surface of absorbent clothing worn underneath allows any points of inward leakage to be identified. Prior to testing, a calibration stain is created on the absorbent coverall worn underneath the protective clothing. This is done using 0.1ml of the dye. The stain must be >2cm in diameter.

Suit Testing Method

The test is performed with several ‘wearers’ these are often professionals, especially from the fire service, as they are well used to wearing full body protection. The garment is donned according to the manufacturer’s instructions, including any protective equipment.

If required, at this point taping is applied, normally to the wrists, ankles and mask, but full taping of the zip assembly/storm flap is permitted. Once the suit is donned and all ancillary equipment is added and taped on, the wearer must perform a set series of 7 movements prior to entering the spray booth.

Starting from a standing position in each case, carry out at moderate speed the following seven movements:

• Movement 1- Kneel on both knees, lean forward and place both hands on the floor 45 ±5cm in front of the knees; crawl forward and backwards on hands and knees for a distance of 3 metres in each direction;
• Movement 2- climb a vertical ladder at least four steps, rungs as to be encountered on a typical ladder;
• Movement 3- position hands at chest level, palms out; reach directly overhead, interlock thumbs, extend arms fully upwards;
• Movement 4- Kneel on right knee, place left foot on floor with left knee bent 90 ±10°; touch thumb of right hand to toe of left shoe. Repeat movement with alternate posture, i.e. by kneeling on left knee and placing right foot on the floor with knee bent at 90°;
• Movement 5- extend arms fully in front of body, lock thumbs together, twist upper body 90 ±10° left and right;
• Movement 6- stand with feet shoulder width apart, arms at side; raise arms until they are parallel to the floor in front of the body, squat down as far as possible;
• Movement 7- Kneel as in movement 4, left arm hanging loosely at side; raise arm fully overhead. Repeat movement with alternate posture by alternating arms.
• If the test subject is not able to perform one or several movements due to the hindrance to the suit or if the movements result in substantial damage to the suit, the suit shall be considered to have failed.

Specific areas on the protective coverall are chosen to best assess the possible most likely area of ingress of a liquid chemical hazard. These can include:

• a) Connections, including joints and assemblages (including zips) which are integral to the chemical protective clothing, and to gloves, boots, and hood;
• b) Connections between different parts of the suit

The Jet nozzle is positioned 1m away from the test subject at an angle which is most likely to cause penetration by the liquid jet. The jet is directed at each test spot for 5 sec. The clothing is allowed to drain for 2 min at the conclusion of the test. The protective clothing is removed and internally examined for signs of penetration. Similarly the external side of the absorbent coverall is examined for signs of ingress. The total surface area of any stains on the absorbent inner coverall is calculated. This area must be less than 3 times the calibration stain for each coverall. The test is repeated three times, and each coverall must pass for the product to pass this standard.

Red Circles indicate possible areas to be jet-tested.
Subject is not rotated during this test.

Type 4 Protection

"Protective clothing against liquid chemicals. Performance requirements for clothing with liquid-tight (Type 3) or spray-tight (Type 4) connections, including items providing protection to parts of the body only. (Types PB [3] and PB [4])". Product must comply with EN 340.

This standard sets out the general requirements for protective clothing i.e. materials shall not be known to cause skin irritation or have any adverse effect to health (e.g. Azo dyes) This standard also details sizing and fit of the garment, along with required markings and labelling. The fabric must be tested according to EN 14325 under the following clauses:

Principle: An Aqueous spray, containing a fluorescent or visible dye tracer, is directed under controlled conditions at the chemical protective clothing. The subject is not required to move during the test, and therefore a mannequin may be used, or the garment may be worn by a human test subject. Inspection of the inside surface of the clothing and the outside surface of absorbent clothing worn underneath allows any points of inward leakage to be identified.
Prior to testing, a calibration stain is created on the absorbent coverall worn underneath the protective clothing. This is done using 0.1ml of the dye. The stain must be >2cm in diameter. Once the suit is donned and all ancillary equipment is added and taped on, the wearer must perform a set series of 7 movements prior to entering the spray booth. Starting from a standing position in each case, carry out at moderate speed the following seven movements:

• Movement 1- Kneel on both knees, lean forward and place both hands on the floor 45(+/-5)cm in front of the knees; crawl forward and backwards on hands and knees for a distance of 3 metres in each direction;
• Movement 2- climb a vertical ladder at least four steps, rungs as to be encountered on a typical ladder;
• Movement 3- position hands at chest level, palms out; reach directly overhead, interlock thumbs, extend arms fully upwards;
• Movement 4- Kneel on right knee, place left foot on floor with left knee bent 90(+/-10)°; touch thumb of right hand to toe of left shoe. Repeat movement with alternate posture, i.e. by kneeling on left knee and placing right foot on the floor with knee bent at 90°;
• Movement 5- extend arms fully in front of body, lock thumbs together, twist upper body 90(+/-10)° left and right;
• Movement 6- stand with feet shoulder width apart, arms at side; raise arms until they are parallel to the floor in front of the body, squat down as far as possible;
• Movement 7- Kneel as in movement 4, left arm hanging loosely at side; raise arm fully overhead. Repeat movement with alternate posture by alternating arms.

If the test subject is not able to perform one or several movements due to the hindrance to the suit or if the movements result in substantial damage to the suit, the suit shall be considered to have failed.

Test requirements for seams, joins and assemblages of Type 3 & 4 protective clothing

Performance Requirement Reference
Resistance to Permeation of Liquids* EN 14325 Clause 4.11
Resistance to Penetration by Liquids** EN 468 (Type 4)
Seam Strength EN 14325 Clause 5.5

*Applicable only to seams which are exposed during use. For PB protection items only seams relevant to the construction shall be considered and a performance level of at least 1 shall be obtained.
** To be tested by whole suit test, EN 468 for Type 4 clothing

Principle: An Aqueous spray, containing a fluorescent or visible dye tracer, is directed under controlled conditions at the chemical protective clothing worn by a human test subject. Inspection of the inside surface of the clothing and the outside surface of absorbent clothing worn underneath allows any points of inward leakage to be identified. Prior to testing, a calibration stain is created on the absorbent coverall worn underneath the protective clothing. This is done using 0.1ml of the dye. The stain must be >2cm in diameter.


The Spray nozzle is 0.9m from the floor. Spray supply’s liquid at a pressure of 3 bar (300kPa) at a rate of 1.14l/min with a distribution of 75°. The wearer stands on a turntable that rotates at 360°/min.

Procedure: The wearer enters the spray booth, and spray is applied for 1 minute (1 Revolution) During this period the wear alternately raises each foot approximately 20cm from the turntable 30 times with the arms straight, but swinging backwards and forwards in unison with the leg movements. The feet are replaced on the original mark. The clothing is allowed to drain for two minutes at the conclusion of the test. The protective clothing is removed and internally examined for signs of penetration. Similarly the external side of the absorbent coverall is examined for signs of ingress. The total surface area of any stains on the absorbent inner coverall is calculated. This area must be less than 3 times the calibration stain for each coverall. The test is repeated 3 times, and each coverall must pass for the product to pass this standard.

Type 5 Protection

"Protective clothing for use against solid particulates. Part 1: Performance requirements for chemical protective clothing providing protection to the full body against airborne solid particulates (Type 5 clothing)"

Product must comply with EN 340,

This standard sets out the general requirements for protective clothing i.e. materials shall not be known to cause skin irritation or have any adverse effect to health (e.g. Azo dyes) This standard also details sizing and fit of the garment, along with required markings and labelling. The fabric must be tested according to EN 14325 under the following clauses:

Seams should be constructed to minimize or prevent penetration of solid particles through stitch holes or through other components of a seam. Seam strength is determined and classified according to EN 14325 Clause 5.5, and must achieve at least Class 1 (>30N).

Suit Testing Method

The test is performed with several ‘wearers’ these are often professionals, especially from the fire service, as they are well used to wearing full body protection. The garment is donned according to the manufacturers instructions, including any protective equipment. If required, at this point taping is applied, normally to the wrists, ankles and mask, but full taping of the zip assembly/storm flap is permitted.

At least 5 ‘wearers’ are used, each one testing 2 suits, therefore a total of at least 10 suits are tested. Prior to entering the test chamber, each wearer must perform a set series of movements, designed to evaluate the fit of the suit and to determine if it could hinder certain movements, as well as testing the strength of the suits overall construction.

• Movement 1- Kneel on both knees, lean forward and place both hands on the floor 45cm in front of the knees. Crawl forward on hands and knees over a distance of 3m and crawl backwards again over the same distance
• Movement 2- Stand with feet shoulder width apart, arms at side. Raise arms until they are parallel to the floor in front of the body. Squat down as far as possible.
• Movement 3- Kneel on right knee, place left foot on floor with left knee bent 90°, left arm hanging loosely at side. Raise left arm fully overhead.

Upon completion of the movements, the wearer is asked to verbally confirm that they feel the suit fits appropriately, then, each protective suit shall be inspected visually for tears or rips in the fabrics, seams, or closures or connections to the gloves boots or mask, if any. Such damage shall be mentioned in the test report. The test shall be discontinued at this point if the damage is considered too severe, or hinders the movement of the ‘wearer’ If this occurs, the product is deemed to have failed this test. If the suit is undamaged, or damaged to a small extent not sufficient to halt the test, the wearer is asked to enter the testing chamber. Once in the chamber, the wear is asked to run through a set series of exercises in sequence, these are:

• 1. Standing still
• 2. Walking at 5km/h
• 3. Continuous squatting at a frequency of 5 squats per minute, between standing up straight and knees completely bent, while keeping both hands on a hand rail at a height of 1m(+/-5cm) above ground.

A 3 minute rest is permitted between each exercise. During the exercise a Sodium Chloride aerosol is sprayed into the testing chamber. Ingress of the sodium chloride is measured using a flame photometer. There are 3 sampling sites used on the protective clothing, one located on the chest, one on the lower back, and one on the side of the knee. Sampling is taken from all three areas during each exercise.

In order to pass the standard, two measurements are calculated, firstly, the inward leakage value must be <30% for 82/90 (91.1%) of all the measurements taken.
This is expressed as: L_{jmn, 82/90} ≤ 30%

Secondly, the total inward leakage per suit value, must be <15% for 8/10 (80%) of the suits measured.
This is expressed as: L_{s, 8/10} ≤15%

Type 6 Protection

"Protective clothing against liquid chemicals - Performance requirements for chemical protective suits offering limited protective performance against liquid chemicals (type 6 equipment)"

Product must comply with EN 340

This standard sets out the general requirements for protective clothing i.e. materials shall not be known to cause skin irritation or have any adverse effect to health (e.g. Azo dyes) This standard also details sizing and fit of the garment, along with required markings and labelling. The fabric must be tested according to EN 14325 under the following clauses:

Seams should be constructed to minimize or prevent penetration of solid particles through stitch holes or through other components of a seam. Seam strength is determined and classified according to EN 14325 Clause 5.5, and must achieve at least Class 1 (>30N).

As with Type 4 clothing, Type 6 suits must pass a ‘spray’ test in accordance with EN 468. This test method is discussed under the section ‘Type 4 testing’. However, as Type 6 clothing is designed for garments which provide resistance to light “reduced Spray” a modified version of EN 468 is used. The modifications ensure that only about 10% of the liquid sprayed is loaded onto the suit, compared to the full level of spray test of EN 468 for Type 4 clothing. As with the Type 4 test, all the suits must pass the test, that is to say, the total area of any staining must be less than 3 times the area of the calibration stain.