Identifying and Understanding Markings on your PPE

I’D and MAESTRO markings

When Petzl first started manufacturing PPE in the early 1960s there were few, if any, requirements on the amount or type of information manufacturers were required to label their products with. However, once OSHA was created in 1970, and in 1983 the NFPA released the “Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services,” and in 1992 the ANSI Z359 Fall Protection code was published standard organizations began requiring markings, etched directly onto PPE, in order to comply with specific standards and regulations.  

Petzl ASCENSION and ASAP without markings 
 

Standards are important because they validate the equipment as compliant to consistent and repeatable requirements. These non-mandatory requirements ensure the equipment meets a certain expectation set by the lab, that manufacturers meet regulations and laws, if applicable, and guarantee a certain performance level for users. However, for some fire and rescue teams, the product technical specifications are more important than the standards. “For our team efficiency, user interface and manner of function far outweigh any certifications or labels like NFPA 1983. In the end, at least for us, design and function that lends itself to better user interface and compresses the time that our patient can get from the scene of the accident to the emergency room trumps labels and standards every time,” said Steve Crandall, Technical Rescue Captain.  

For work-at-height and rescue equipment, there are three primary standard organizations in North America: ANSI, CSA and NFPA. They all have their own required tests and associated markings. 

CSA is the Canadian Standards Organization and provides testing, certification and standards development. 

ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, is a private, nonprofit organization that works with the US government to provide voluntary standards and is the official US representative to the International Organization for Standardization. 

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a nonprofit committed to “eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards” through developing codes and standards, providing public education and research.

Since Petzl is a French-based company, products will also have European markings. Three common ones are EN, CE and EAC. 

EN identifies the European Standard that the product meets, which are developed by the European Standardization Organizations: CEN, CENELEC and ETSI. 

CE is the Conformitè Europëenne mark, which identifies the product as conforming to European regulations. 

EAC is the Euroasian Conformity marking for products that meet the Eurasian Economic Union technical regulations.

Rescue equipment, like the I’D L and MAESTRO meet many standards, which leads to a confusing list of markings on the back of each device. In order to provide some clarity, the following charts go into depth for each marking and associated standard. 

                             I’D L

The I’D L is a self-braking descent control device for work-at-height and rope access work. It is certified as a descender and belay device.                                                                                       

                              MAESTRO L

The MAESTRO L is a descent control device with an integrated progress-capture pulley and was designed for technical rescue operations. It can be used in a hauling or lowering operation and be used in a primary system or back-up belay. 

Understanding PPE markings is important to ensure you’re meeting the correct and required standards for your industry. It’s also important to be aware of the tested limitations of your PPE. These tests are defined by the standards institutions and don’t necessarily connote the limits of the gear, but rather that the gear meets the required tests. It is always the users responsibility to be aware of the limits of their gear when working at-height. 

More information is available in the tech tips, which are available on the product pages on Petzl.com.
For the most up to date information, download the I’D and MAESTRO tech notices available online.