C50 EN136:1998

Q:  Does the Avon Protection C50 APR meet the standards of BS EN 136:1998?

A:  The Avon Protection C50 Full Face Mask was developed against the requirements of EN 136:1998 and the associated technical file states that the mask satisfies the requirements of EN 136:1998 with three defined exceptions relating to flammability, field of view and the twin-port configuration. These exceptions reflect the military CBRN heritage of the product. The mask is CE Type Examined under PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 (Certificate CE 684841) and the Declaration of Conformity references EN 136:1998 with the exceptions detailed in the technical file.
Therefore, while the C50 is not certified as a standard EN 136 mask without qualification, it can be stated that the design is based on and meets the requirements of EN 136:1998 except for the specific deviations documented in the technical file.

1. Flammability: Requirement is reduced from EN136 class 2 because the military mask is not intended for firefighting applications
2. Field of View: NIOSH CBRN requirement is used as this is aligned to military masks that need compatibility with optical sights
3. Filter ports: The second port in the twin port variant is always fitted with a plug that can only be fitted and removed by the use of a special tool. As the mask is designed for specialist user groups and is not available to general industrial users, closing the second port in this way, but still allowing the filter to be mounted left or right in the same mask, is deemed to bring the mask into compliance with PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425.