CE Protective Clothing Guide: Understanding PPE Standards
A practical guide to protective workwear, key EN standards and choosing the right clothing for different workplace hazards
Choosing protective workwear is about far more than selecting a jacket, pair of trousers or overall. Different working environments present different risks, and the clothing worn by employees needs to reflect those risks.
Our 2026 CE Protective Clothing Catalogue has been created as a practical guide for businesses, Health & Safety teams and anyone responsible for selecting or managing PPE workwear. It brings together information on protective clothing, PPE categories, key standards and garment care in one place.
Understanding protective clothing starts with the risk
Selecting the correct PPE should begin with a workplace risk assessment. The work being carried out, the environment, the wearer and any other PPE being used can all affect which protective clothing is appropriate.
Our guide explains the different PPE risk categories and introduces the standards behind common forms of industrial protective clothing.
For a broader introduction, our guide to PPE workwear: safety, comfort and compliance looks at some of the practical considerations businesses should make when selecting workwear.
Key protective workwear standards explained
Protective garments can be required to perform very different jobs.
For employees exposed to heat, flame or welding hazards, standards including EN ISO 11612 and EN ISO 11611 are particularly relevant. Our flame retardant workwear range includes protective garments designed for demanding industrial environments.
Where electrical hazards or electrostatic discharge are a concern, the catalogue explains EN 61482-2 electric arc protection and EN 1149-5 antistatic protection, including the important difference between ESD garments and antistatic PPE. You can also explore our arc flash and antistatic workwear.
For environments where visibility is critical, EN ISO 20471 sets requirements for high-visibility clothing, including fluorescent material, reflective areas and visibility classes. See our hi-vis workwear collection for garments designed for these environments.
The catalogue also covers EN 13034 chemical protection, cold protection under EN 342, and protective clothing suitable for ATEX environments.
Protective clothing needs the right care too
Choosing the right garment is only part of the process. Protective workwear also needs to be correctly fitted, professionally maintained and checked throughout its working life.
At Lindström, our industrial workwear rental service combines garment supply with professional laundering, maintenance, repairs and replacements. Our UK certifications and Declaration of Conformity information also provides further information on the standards and management systems behind our service.
Designing garments to last and maintaining them for longer also supports a more circular approach to workwear. You can read more about how we design workwear for longevity and circularity.
Download your CE Protective Clothing Guide
Whether you are reviewing existing PPE, preparing for a tender or simply trying to understand what the different standards mean, our catalogue gives you a useful reference point.
Download the 2026 CE Protective Clothing Catalogue and keep the key protective workwear standards in one place.