EN 14404

What EN 14404 is

EN 14404 is the European standard covering personal protective equipment for the knees during work carried out in a kneeling position. It sets out the requirements, test methods, and performance levels for knee protectors — whether they’re standalone pads, inserts built into workwear, mats, or kneeling equipment — to reduce both immediate injury (impact, puncture from sharp objects) and long-term strain injuries caused by repeated or prolonged pressure on the knee.

The standard has recently been overhauled: EN 14404:2024 replaces the earlier EN 14404:2004+A1:2010 version, restructuring what was previously a single document into a six-part series, each covering a specific type of knee protection in more detail:

• EN 14404-1:2024 — Test methods for knee protectors
• EN 14404-2:2024 — Requirements for wearable knee protectors (Type 1)
• EN 14404-3:2024 — Requirements for individual combinations of kneepads and garments (Type 2)
• EN 14404-4:2024 — Requirements for interoperable combinations of kneepads and garments (Type 2)
• EN 14404-5:2024 — Requirements for knee mats (Type 3)
• EN 14404-6:2024 — Requirements for kneeling systems (Type 4)

A lot of existing product literature still references the older single-document version, so both the old and new structures are covered below.

Scope

EN 14404 applies to occupational knee protection used in industrial and professional settings — construction, flooring and tiling, plumbing, electrical installation, assembly work, and any other role involving frequent or extended kneeling. It specifically does not apply to knee protectors intended for sports, medical use, or motorcycle riding — those fall under entirely different standards with different risk profiles.

The four types of knee protection

Regardless of edition, EN 14404 recognises four functional types:

• Type 1 — Knee protectors that are independent of any garment, wrapped or strapped directly around the leg.
• Type 2 — Kneepads designed to be inserted into pockets on the trouser leg (or permanently built into the garment). This is the most common type seen in standard workwear trousers and coveralls with “knee pockets.”
• Type 3 — Devices that are not attached to the wearer’s body at all — loose mats or pads that stay in place on the ground and must be repositioned as the wearer moves. These may be provided as a single mat or a pair.
• Type 4 — Knee protection incorporated into equipment with additional functions, such as a kneeling frame or a device that also assists with standing up.

Important note on Type 2

Because Type 2 protection depends on the kneepad and the garment working together as a system, the certified performance is only valid for the exact kneepad-and-garment combination that was tested — swapping in a different pad, or wearing the pockets empty, invalidates the rating. This is reflected on the garment’s label with a specific code (see Marking, below), and the 2024 revision draws a further distinction between:

• Individual combinations (EN 14404-3) — a specific pad tested with a specific garment
• Interoperable combinations (EN 14404-4) — pads and garments designed and tested to work correctly across a defined range of combinations, not just one specific pairing

Performance levels

Within each type, protection is further classified into performance levels, numbered 0 to 2, with Level 2 offering the highest protection:

• Level 0 — Intended for flat surfaces with no risk of puncture from sharp or pointed objects. Suitable for light indoor work or smooth floor surfaces. No verified penetration resistance is required at this level.
• Level 1 — Intended for uneven or rough surfaces where there’s a risk of small sharp objects (generally smaller than 1cm). Combines penetration resistance against small objects with improved shock absorption compared with Level 0.
• Level 2 — The highest performance level, intended for harsh conditions such as very rough or abrasive terrain (e.g. mining, quarrying, heavy construction). Provides protection against penetration by larger objects (greater than 1cm) and is commonly associated with a minimum resistance to force around 250N.

What’s actually tested

Knee protectors under EN 14404 are evaluated primarily on:

• Puncture/penetration resistance — the protector’s ability to resist sharp or pointed objects pushing through under load
• Pressure distribution — how effectively the protector spreads load across the knee area rather than concentrating it at a single point, which is central to preventing both acute injury and long-term strain
• Shock absorption/cushioning — particularly relevant at higher performance levels
• Coverage area — the standard sets minimum size/coverage requirements so the protector actually shields the vulnerable area of the knee, not just a token pad

Marking

Labelling conventions vary slightly by type, but a compliant garment or kneepad will typically show:

• The EN 14404 standard reference and edition (2004+A1:2010 or 2024, since ratings aren’t necessarily directly comparable across the revision)
• The Type (1–4)
• The performance Level (0–2)
• For Type 2 combinations, a specific code identifying the tested kneepad/garment pairing (commonly seen as something like “VP-00”, “VP-01” etc. on trousers with knee pockets, denoting the tested pad and level together)

Correct use and care

• For Type 2 (garment + pad) protection, always use the specific kneepad the garment was tested and certified with — an empty knee pocket, or a substituted pad from a different manufacturer or product line, provides no verified protection even though the garment itself still displays the EN 14404 label.
• Match the performance level to the actual working surface — using a Level 0 or Level 1 product on genuinely harsh, sharp, or abrasive terrain (where Level 2 is warranted) can leave a real gap in protection despite the garment technically being “EN 14404 certified.”
• Inspect pads and inserts regularly for compression, cracking, or wear, since cushioning and pressure-distribution performance degrade with use and age, particularly on foam-based inserts.

What EN 14404 does NOT cover

• It does not apply to sports, medical, or motorcycle knee protection — different standards with different impact/injury profiles govern those categories.
• A Type 2 rating does not transfer if the pad and garment are separated or mismatched — the certification is for the tested combination, not either component alone.
• It does not guarantee protection against all possible kneeling hazards — Level 0 and Level 1 products specifically exclude protection against larger sharp objects, so risk assessment of the actual work surface still matters when selecting the right level.
• Note that under the new 2024 revision, trousers with knee pockets are treated more formally as PPE in their own right (in combination with their tested pad) — a shift worth being aware of for procurement and CE documentation going forward.

Quick summary

Aspect	EN 14404 detail
What it covers	PPE for the knees during kneeling work
Current edition	EN 14404:2024 (6-part series); supersedes EN 14404:2004+A1:2010
Types	Type 1 (independent/strapped), Type 2 (garment pocket insert), Type 3 (loose mats), Type 4 (kneeling systems/frames)
Performance levels	0 (flat, no penetration resistance) – 1 (small sharp objects, uneven ground) – 2 (large objects, harsh terrain, ~250N resistance)
Key test criteria	Puncture resistance, pressure distribution, shock absorption, coverage area
Critical caveat	Type 2 rating only valid with the exact tested pad + garment combination
Excludes	Sports, medical, and motorcycle knee protection