EN 13832-2, EN 13832-3
Footwear protecting against chemicals
Requirements and test methods for footwear resistant to, and protective against, chemicals (permeation, degradation).
Current edition:
EN 13832-2:2018 · EN 13832-3:2018 — successor of EN 13832-2:2006 · EN 13832-3:2006The 2018 editions moved to the Regulation (EU) 2016/425 framework, added a new splash test (types U/US) in Part 2, and tied permeation to the modern EN 16523-1 method. Part 1 carries terminology and test methods and is not itself harmonised.
At the review date EN 13832-2:2018 and EN 13832-3:2018 are harmonised under Regulation (EU) 2016/425 (cited 19 May 2020, Decision (EU) 2020/668); the 2006 editions lost presumption on 19 November 2021. The EU Official Journal defines the status at any given time.
What does the standard require?
- Both parts require the footwear to simultaneously conform to EN ISO 20345, 20346 or 20347 — the chemical protection layers on top
- Test chemicals are chosen from a 20-item, letter-coded list (A–T); the letters passed appear in the marking
- Part 2 (limited contact): degradation testing after 8-hour exposure against at least 2 chemicals + a splash test (130 ml of chemical, no penetration)
- Part 3 (prolonged contact): 24-hour degradation AND permeation testing against at least 3 chemicals, with breakthrough-time levels 1–5 (from 121 minutes to > 1,920 minutes)
Classes and levels: Not an S/P/O ladder: the grade is Part 2 (limited) vs Part 3 (prolonged contact), with U/US splash types in Part 2 and per-chemical permeation levels 1–5 in Part 3.
Related standards
Laboratory testing
Independent laboratory measurement of the properties behind this standard's requirements — for development, verification, disputes.
Certification (NB 1524)
The standard belongs to BIMEO's notified-body conformity-assessment scope — EU type-examination is available against it.
Technical content cross-checked against external sources. Last reviewed: 2026-08-14. The authoritative list of harmonised versions is always the EU Official Journal.
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