Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) – the ones with a fan unit on the belt – are covered by two standards: EN 12941 for devices with a helmet or hood, and EN 12942 for devices with a full, half or quarter mask. Both were revised in 2023, and the old 1998 versions were due to come off the EU list on 8 October 2026.
They won’t. Decision (EU) 2026/1971 moves that date to 8 October 2027. The official reason is practical: the 2023 versions require an inward-leakage test using SF6 (sulphur hexafluoride) as a tracer gas, and only a very small number of notified bodies can run that test. Manufacturers simply couldn’t get their EU type-examination certificates updated in time. The Commission states that the extra year should not reduce the level of safety of the products.
For a year, then, PAPRs certified to the 1998 versions keep their presumption of conformity – meaning they can still be placed on the market on that basis.
Source: EUR-Lex, Decision (EU) 2026/1971
