PPE makers to gear up for global certification

At a time when demand for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is at an all-time high, the government has asked industry to prepare for global certification. These specialised protective suits will be exported only once India’s demand for these suits, critical for medical personnel dealing with Covid-19 cases, is met based on new projections of domestic requirements.

“There is demand coming from the EU, UK and the US. We have sought help from the government and Indian missions abroad on international certifications,” stated A Sakthivel, chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council.

An official familiar with the development stated that the functional requirements such as health and safety for different countries are based on different criteria. For example, to export PPEs to the European Union, manufacturers need a Conformité Européene. Similarly, to for the US market, they need a certification from the Food and Drug Administration.

The process for this certification is not a cumbersome one and can be done in two ways. Firstly, the seller can send the PPE samples to these concerned authorities or, secondly, these agencies can allow their accredited labs in India to certify manufacturers here.