This European Standard provides guidance on the selection of procedures, and the installation, use and maintenance of devices for the determination of concentrations of chemical or biological agents in workplace atmospheres.

This European Standard is based on the guidance given in EN 689 and the requirements of EN 482.

Where appropriate, this European Standard specifies additional requirements specific to particular procedures or devices, or classes thereof.

It is the user's primary responsibility to choose appropriate procedures or devices that meet the requirements of relevant European Standards. One way of doing this is to obtain information or confirmation from the manufacturer. Type testing, or more generally, the assessment of performance criteria of procedures or devices, can be undertaken by the manufacturer, user, test house or research and development laboratory, as is most appropriate.

Although this Standard specifically addresses workplace air, many of the procedures or devices are also relevant to the assessment of air quality in ambient or indoor air.

Specific guides exist for electrical apparatus used for the direct detection and direct concentration measurement of toxic gases and vapours in workplace atmospheres (EN 45544‑4) and for diffusive samplers for the determination of gases and vapours in ambient air (prEN 13528‑3).