EN 13758 - UV protection

You spend a lot of your working time outdoors and often in intense sunlight. Have you ever wondered how well your work clothing protects you from UV radiation? This is where the EN 13758 standard for UV protection comes into play: it specifies which clothing really protects against dangerous UV rays and what this means for you and your team.

In this article, we go into EN 13578 in detail and help you categorise it. Learn how the right equipment not only protects your health, but also fulfils legal requirements - and therefore makes your job safer!

Man and woman in orange high-visibility clothing according to EN 17353.

Questions and answers about EN 13758*

What is EN 13758?

The European standard 13758 specifies the labelling requirements for clothing intended to protect the wearer against exposure to ultraviolet solar radiation. The standard specifies how the protection factor of clothing is measured and what must be stated on the label so that wearers can easily orientate themselves.

The standard describes a test of UV radiation on textiles in a new, dry and unstretched state with a solar spectrum that corresponds to the solar radiation of New Mexico (USA). The protection factor (UPF) must be at least 40 for a textile to be certified as UV protective clothing.

The standard is divided into two parts:

EN 13758-1 describes the method for measuring the UV protection factor (UPF), i.e. how well the material blocks UV rays.
EN 13758-2 specifies how clothing that offers this protection should be labelled so that consumers can quickly identify which products really provide protection. For anyone who works outdoors a lot, EN 13758 ensures that we can rely on the UV protection information.

Who needs UV protective clothing in accordance with EN 13578?

UV protective clothing in accordance with EN 13578 is generally useful for all outdoor activities involving exposure to sunlight. This includes the following occupational groups:

Construction & road construction,
railway, track construction,
landscaping,
agriculture,
energy suppliers,
installation of solar/wind systems,
combined and grid fitters,
waste management, supply and disposal companies, recycling companies.

How does EN 13578 differ from UV Standard 801?

Many high-visibility products from well-known manufacturers of protective clothing comply with the more demanding 801 standard. This internationally recognised measurement method is used to determine the UV protection value of textiles. Using a solar spectrum that corresponds to the solar radiation in Australia, textiles are also tested when wet, stretched, washed and after characteristic use.

Marking and labelling

The marking and labelling of UV protective clothing provides you with the most important information about the protection factor at first glance. If clothing is certified according to EN 13758, this is stated directly on the label - often including the UV protection factor (UPF).

This allows you to see immediately how well the material blocks UV rays and whether it is suitable for daily use in the sun. This clear labelling helps you to choose the right clothing quickly and gives you the certainty that the protection has really been tested.

However, UV protective clothing alone is usually not enough to protect you from UV radiation. Supplementary protective measures such as sun creams, wearing hats and organisational measures (e.g. adjusting working hours, setting up shaded workplaces) can significantly improve protection outdoors.

* As these are abridged summaries of binding occupational health and safety standards, this article does not claim to fully reflect the requirements defined in the standards. Although this article is regularly revised by our experts, we cannot guarantee that the information is up-to-date and correct.