EN ISO 11612

PPE Category 2 or 3

Protection against heat and flames

Heat and flame protection garments
Protection against heat and flames

The international standard EN ISO 11612 specifies the performance requirements for protective clothing made from flexible materials, which are designed to protect the wearer’s body against heat and/or flame. This standard does not cover hand protection.

For head and foot protection, the only protective clothing items within the scope of EN ISO 11612 are gaiters, hoods and overshoes. For hoods, no requirements are given for visors and breathing apparatus.

The requirements of EN ISO 11612 are applicable to items of clothing that could be worn for a wide range of end uses, where there is a need for garments with limited flame spread properties and where the wearer may be exposed to radiant, convective or contact heat or molten metal splashes/spray.

Lastly, this standard does not apply to protective garments specified by other international standards, such as those for structural firefighting (EN 469) or those used in welding and related techniques (EN ISO 11611).

Performance levels

The performance of garments meeting the EN 11612 standard is given by 6 indices.

 

A: Flame-spread behaviour – A1 (on face) and/or A2 (on edge)

B: Resistance to convective heat – B1 to B3

Performance level = convective heat resistance time (in seconds)

4.0s ≤ B1< 10.0s

10.0s ≤ B2 < 20.0s

20.0s ≤ B3

C: Resistance to radiant heat – C1 to C4

Performance level = radiant heat resistance time (in seconds)

7.0s  ≤  C1 <  20.0s

20.0s ≤ C2 < 50.0s

50.0s ≤ C3 < 95.0s

95.0s ≤ C4

D: Resistance to molten aluminium splash – D1 to D3

Level of performance = molten aluminium splash (in  grams)

100g ≤ D1< 200g

200g ≤ D2 < 350g

350g ≤ D3

E: Resistance to molten metal splash – E1 to E3

Level of performance = molten metal splash (in grams)

60g ≤ E1< 120g

120g ≤ E2 < 200g

200g ≤ E3

F: Contact heat resistance – F1 to F3

Performance level = Contact heat resistance time (in seconds)

5.0s ≤ F1< 10.0s

10.0s ≤ F2 < 15.0s

15s ≤ F3

Sectors

All activities in which workers are exposed to heat emitted by radiation, convection or brief contact with a flame and/or to splashes of molten metal. Depending on their performance levels, garments will protect workers in different occupations with different risk levels: metallurgy, steelworks, bodyworks, foundry, ironworks, steel industry, plastics industry, metal parts manufacturer, engine manufacturer, lighting equipment manufacturer, industrial mechanics, industrial piping, etc.