Guidance for importing personal protective equipment (PPE)

Before you place PPE on the market you need to ensure the manufacturer has met the essential health and safety requirements.

Before you place PPE on the market you have a legal duty to ensure the products you supply are safe. You need to ensure the manufacturer has met the essential health and safety requirements. 

Importers must ensure the PPE has been assessed by the manufacturer, using an appropriate conformity assessment procedure. If you have reason to believe that PPE is not in conformity with the applicable health and safety requirements, it must not be placed on the market.

As an importer of PPE, you have a legal duty to ensure that the products you supply are safe. Guidance is available below to help you make sure the PPE you import are labelled correctly, are accompanied with the correct warnings and instructions, as well as making certain the manufacturer has carried out relevant procedures to ensure the products are safe.

If you are an importer based in England, you can contact Trading Standards for further advice via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.