Key takeaway
What This Development Means
CEN has opened an enquiry on prEN 18373 for workplace airborne virus measurement. The voluntary draft covers sampling and analysis of active and inactive viruses, while excluding other microorganisms and microbial compounds. Employers, laboratories and occupational hygienists can review its practical implications and submit national comments before 29 October 2026.
Is prEN 18373 A Legal Workplace Requirement?
prEN 18373 is a voluntary European draft standard under enquiry, not enacted occupational safety law. The CEN project record identifies no linked EU directive, mandate or Official Journal citation. The final text may change after comments. Employers should distinguish applicable legal duties from the emerging technical method during their reviews.
What Should Laboratories Review During The Enquiry?
Laboratories and employers should examine sampling locations, air volumes, analytical methods, detection limits, quality controls and interpretation of active versus inactive viruses. They should also check whether existing competence and equipment match the draft. Comments may address repeatability, workplace practicality, cost, sector differences and links with occupational risk assessment practice.
Source basis: CEN, prEN 18373 workplace airborne virus measurement project record (6 August 2026)
Employers, testing laboratories and occupational hygienists can now review a proposed European approach to measuring airborne viruses at work. CEN opened its enquiry on prEN 18373, work item 00137092, on 6 August 2026. Comments close on 29 October 2026, creating an opportunity to test whether the proposed methods are practical across different workplaces.
The document is a voluntary draft standard, not enacted occupational health and safety law. It is a draft voluntary European standard under enquiry. The CEN project record identifies no linked EU directive, mandate or Official Journal citation.
Occupational Hygiene And Virus Sampling
The draft addresses workplace airborne virus measurement, including the sampling and analysis of active and inactive viruses. A shared European method could improve consistency when employers investigate biological exposure, compare controls or commission specialist laboratory services.
The scope is relevant to workplaces where viral aerosols may be a foreseeable hazard. The draft applies to the assessment of workplace exposure to airborne viruses; the CEN scope does not identify particular industries.
The project does not cover other microorganisms or microbial compounds. Employers should therefore avoid treating the draft as a complete method for assessing bacteria, fungi, endotoxins or every biological agent.
Biological Exposure Assessment Challenges
The public CEN project record does not publish the draft's detailed procedures. Organisations reviewing the text through national standards bodies should examine how it addresses sampling position, duration, air volume, collection media, transport, storage and analytical methods.
Because the scope covers active and inactive viruses, reviewers should check how the draft distinguishes results and defines suitable reporting. They should also assess whether proposed procedures are practical for their own exposure scenarios and laboratory capabilities.
The draft does not establish or alter employers' duties under applicable occupational safety law. Workplace airborne virus measurement would provide a technical assessment method rather than replace legal risk-management duties.
CEN Enquiry And Business Implications
Laboratories may wish to compare the draft with existing equipment, accreditation scopes and analytical workflows. Equipment suppliers could also identify demand for sampling devices, validated media, calibration services and data-management tools.
Manufacturers and employers can submit comments through their national standards bodies before the enquiry closes. Useful responses may address costs, detection limits, repeatability, workplace disruption and the feasibility of sampling in complex production environments.
The final standard may change following the enquiry. Businesses should therefore monitor the project’s progress and clearly label any trial use of the draft in procedures, reports or contracts.
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