Standards ressources

Protection against heat and flames

EN ISO 11612

This international standard applies to clothing that protects the wearer against exposure to radiant, convective heat, or exposure to molten metal splashes (aluminium or iron).

It specifies performance requirements for clothing used to protect the body – excluding the hands, feet and head – against heat and flame.

Product performance is determined according to its behaviour when exposed to heat and flame in the following tests.

Limited flame spread (EN ISO 15025):

All materials in the structure of the clothing must be tested for limited flame spread and achieve index 3.

A specimen is exposed to a flame for 10 seconds and its performance level is defined in accordance with the following requirements:

PropertiesRequirements
Flame spreadFlame should not reach the edges of the specimen
Flaming debrisNo flaming or molten debris
Hole formationNo holes ≥ 5mm
After-glowAfter-glow time ≤ 2s
After-flameAfter-flame time ≤ 2s

 

Test performed in our laboratory.

Convective heat resistance (ISO 9151):

The bottom layer of the product is exposed to a flame of 80 KW/m². The objective of this test is to determine the time taken for the temperature of the top layer of the product to rise to 24°C. The longer the time, the better the product performance, thus giving the wearer time to react.

There are 3 levels for this test (level B3 being the highest):

Performance levelsHeat transfert index HTI (s)
minmax
B14,0< 10,0
B210,0< 20,0
B320,0

Radiant heat resistance (EN ISO 6942):

A specimen is exposed to a radiant heat source of between 20kW/m² and 40kW/m² and the time taken for the temperature to rise by 24°C is measured.

The longer the time, the better the product performance, thus giving the wearer time to react.

There are 4 levels for this test (level C4 being the highest).

Performance levelsHeat transfert index RHTI 24 (s)
minmax
C17,0< 20,0
C220,0< 50,0
C350,0< 95,0
C495,0

Test performed in our laboratory.

Resistance to splashes of molten aluminium (ISO 9185):

For this test, the material is placed on a PVC film before molten aluminium is poured onto it. There are 3 levels for this test, corresponding to weights of 100 to 350g. If the material remains undamaged by 350g of aluminium, it achieves the highest performance level, i.e. level D3.

Performance levelsMolten aluminium spashes (g)
minmax
D1100< 200
D2200< 350
D3350

Resistance to splashes of molten iron (ISO 9185):

This test is carried out in the same way as the molten aluminium test, the difference lies in the amount of molten iron used. The weight of iron used varies from 60 to 200g.

There are 3 levels for this test, level E3 being the highest:

Performance levelsMolten iron splashes (g)
minmax
E160< 120
E2120< 200
E3200

Contact heat resistance (ISO 12127-1):

For this test, the material is placed on a cylinder heated to 250°C and the time taken for the temperature of the material to rise by 10°C is measured.

There are 3 levels for this test, level F3 is the highest and corresponds to a time of 15 seconds:

Performance levelsThreshold time (s)
minmax
F15,0< 10,0
F210,0< 15,0
F315,0