On this page
Published document and revision status
Genorma lists EN 149:2001+A1:2009 as published, while its lifecycle indicates revision work. The EVS catalogue identifies that same European base document under a national adoption with a different base year. The European reference, not the national catalogue year alone, is what distinguishes the document being discussed here.
The public scope concerns particle-filtering half masks and excludes escape purposes. A draft revision should not be ordered as though it were an already published replacement. Ask the person responsible for the assessment which published document applies to the purchasing task and check its status again when ordering.
Separate three procurement decisions
| Decision | What to establish | Who can resolve it |
|---|---|---|
| Is this the relevant product standard? | Identify a particle-filtering half mask and the exact model offered. | The product assessment reviewer or manufacturer. |
| Is the respirator appropriate for the work? | Relate the equipment to the assessed exposure and working conditions. | The competent workplace safety reviewer. |
| Does this model fit the wearer? | Resolve individual fit for the tight-fitting facepiece. | A competent fit-testing provider within the workplace programme. |
| Can stock be substituted? | Check whether a different make, model or size changes prior decisions. | The responsible reviewer before substitution. |
As a practical safety distinction, UK HSE guidance explains that tight-fitting facepieces need suitable individual fit and that a single model or size is unlikely to fit everyone. This supports keeping individual-fit questions separate from product-standard claims; local workplace requirements still need their own review. The guide does not provide a fit-testing procedure.
Prepare a purchasing brief with model identity
Have the competent reviewer state the equipment selection before comparing quotations. The buyer can then record the selected make, model, type and size, the manufacturer's instructions and the product evidence requested. A procurement line that says only “respiratory mask to EN 149” leaves too much room for a technically different supply.
Ask suppliers to identify the exact offered product and explain the scope of its supporting documentation. Match the commercial code, packaging and supplied instructions to that identity. If the evidence describes a product family, ask how it covers the model proposed for the contract. Purchasing a licensed standard may help the reviewer interpret the evidence, but the purchase is not certification of the respirator.
Agree a substitution process before a shortage occurs. A supplier should identify a proposed alternative clearly, rather than silently replace one mask with another carrying a similar headline classification. The responsible reviewer can then decide what needs to be reconsidered for the work and users. This is particularly useful in framework contracts where many orders are placed after the first technical approval.
Questions for a supply quotation
- What exact make, model and size will be delivered?
- Does the product evidence identify that model and the published edition being claimed?
- Who selected the equipment for the actual work, rather than for a generic particle hazard?
- How will the workplace address individual fit and the manufacturer's use information?
- What approval is needed before an alternative model can be supplied?
A fictional stock-substitution decision
A maintenance company has selected a particular respirator model through its workplace programme. Its distributor runs out of that model and offers another product with a similar classification and the same European standard reference. The purchasing team initially treats the offer as a routine stock substitution.
The buyer records the different make and model and refers it to the responsible safety reviewer. Product documentation, suitability and individual-fit arrangements are considered before the order is accepted. The decision is to review the changed product, not to infer interchangeability from the shared standard number. This fictional example does not recommend a respirator or a protection class.
View the published standard
Confirm the seller's language, consolidated document contents, licence and checkout terms.
Common buying questions
Does EN 149 cover escape respirators?
The stated scope excludes escape purposes. Ask the reviewer to identify the appropriate equipment and document for that task.
Does the standard number settle fit?
No. Product assessment and individual facepiece fit are separate questions.
Does a draft revision replace this published document?
Draft status and publication status differ. Check the exact lifecycle and the reference selected for the task before buying.
Public sources checked on 7 October 2026. Find other product documents in the standards directory.
Explore more standards buying guides
Browse standards by reference and subject to compare related document choices.