PROTECTION FOR FIREFIGHTERS. REQUIREMENTS
This standard specifies the minimum requirements for protective clothing used in firefighting that covers construction, heat and flame, as well as chemical, mechanical, comfort and visibility requirements.
A distinction is made between two levels of protection:
-Level 1: Minimum requirements for work related to outdoor firefighting. This level does not apply to protection during outdoor rescue or firefighting operations on structures.
-Level 2: Minimum requirements for work related to firefighting and rescue in the event of a fire in buildings.
This distinction only applies to heat and flame requirements (X1 or X2). Levels can be achieved with one garment or a combination of garments, either with a single layer, multiple layers, or material combinations.
The additional marking indicates two types of protection, one for water ingress (Y) and one for water vapor resistance (Z). It is important to mark these degrees of protection in the label’s identification along with the instructions for use.
This document does not apply to protective clothing for forest fires or the protection of the head, hands and feet, as well as to special protective measures against chemical, radiological, biological and electrical hazards.
Protective clothing must provide protection on the arms to the wrists, legs to ankles, neck and torso.
The tests are carried out after 5 cleaning cycles (washing and drying) according to the manufacturer’s instructions, with the exception of heat resistance.
In the event that there may be a deterioration in rejection due to the cleanliness of the garment, the manufacturer must indicate the maximum number of cycles allowed before treating or re-impregnating the fabric to restore this property. In the event that the garment needs to be treated after each cycle, the tests are carried out in the original and after washing and subsequent treatment cycles to ensure that the properties are maintained.
All samples are conditioned for at least 24 hours at a temperature of 20 ± 2 ºC and a relative humidity of 65 ± 5%. The tests are carried out 5 minutes after the end of the conditioning.
1-flame spread
According to EN15025 A method on 3 specimens in the warp direction and 3 in the weft direction.
The component assembly is evaluated by flame the surface of the outer material and the surface of the inner material with separate specimens.
Garment sets analyze the outer surface and innermost lining of each garment in the set.
2- Contact heat (labeled X2)
For level X2, 3 samples of the assembly are tested according to EN ISO 12127-1 at a temperature of 250 ºC. Each sample must have a threshold of at least 10 s.
It is classified according to the lowest single result and rounded to the nearest whole second of the result obtained.
3- Heat transfer – flame (labeled X1 or X2)
According to EN ISO 9151 on 3 samples of the set.
The classification is based on the lowest individual result, rounded to the nearest whole second.
4- Heat transfer – radiation (labeled X1 or X2)
According to EN ISO 6942 Method B at 40 kW/m2.
It is classified according to the lowest individual result and rounded to the nearest whole second.
5- Residual tensile strength when exposed to radiant heat
Testing according to EN 6942 Method A
3 specimens in the warp direction and 3 specimens in the weft direction of the outermost material are tested in accordance with EN 13934-1 for fabrics and EN ISO 1421 Method 1 for coated textiles.
The specimen used after exposure to 10 kW/m2 in accordance with EN 6942 should be stripped to a width of 50 mm, including the exposed surface.
6- Heat resistance
According to ISO 17493
It is performed on 3 samples. Each layer of the material is tested separately.
7- Heat-resistant sewing thread
It is made on 2 patterns of threads used for structural seams in accordance with EN ISO 3146
8- Resistance to the penetration of liquid chemicals
It is performed on 3 specimens in the warp direction and 3 specimens in the weft direction according to EN ISO 6530 with a chemical application time of 10 s using H2SO4 30% at 20 ± 2 ºC and C8H10 (o-xylene) at 100% at 20 ± 2 ºC
9- Tensile strength
It is carried out on 5 specimens in the warp direction and 5 specimens in the weft direction in accordance with EN ISO 13934-1 for woven textiles and EN ISO 1421 Method 1 for coated textiles.
10- Tear resistance
According to EN ISO 13937-2 or EN ISO 674-1 Method B
The test specimen showing uninterrupted thread slip shall be indicated as ‘slippage’ without a numerical evaluation of the result being presented as passed.
11- Water ingress (marked Y1 or Y2)
According to EN ISO 811
5 samples of any layer that can withstand water ingress are tested, with a pressure rise rate of 0.98 ± 0.05 kPa/min.
Samples are taken from critical areas such as shoulder sutures.
12- Dimensional stability
According to EN ISO 13688.
The sample must be the material combination of the assembly.
The sample of the material combination in a set of components is prepared in such a way that the layers of the material are sewn together around the 4 edges. Once the pre-treatment is complete, the components are separated and measured individually.
13- Visibility
According to EN ISO 20471
14- Water vapor resistance (labeled Z1 or Z2)
Gemäß EN ISO 11092 an 3 Proben.
15- Testing of garments (optional)
According to the method described in Annex D
The complete set of components or a set of multi-layer garments can be tested. When this optional test is performed, it is performed on an instrumented manikin that has never been subjected to an exposure condition of 8 s at 84 kW/m2
| EXERCISE | PRETREATMENT | STAGE 1 REQUIREMENT | STAGE 2 REQUIREMENT | ||
| Flame spread
EN15025 |
Before and After | Index 3 EN ISO 14116:2015 | |||
| Contact heat (level)
EN ISO 12127-1 |
Before and After | Not required | 1 x | 10s according to EN ISO 12127-1 | x2 |
| Heat Transfer (Flame) (Level)
EN ISO 9151 |
Before and After | HTI24≥ 9.0 s
HTI24-12≥ 3.0 s |
HTI24≥ 13.0 s
HTI24-12≥ 4.0 s |
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| Heat transfer (radiation)
EN ISO 6942 Method B |
Before and After | HTI24≥ 10.0 s
HTI24-12≥ 3.0 s |
HTI24≥ 18.0 s
HTI24-12≥ 4.0 s |
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| Residual tensile strength
EN 6942 Method A |
After exposure to radiant heat | ≥ 450 N | |||
| Heat resistance
ISO 17493 |
Before | Shrinkage ≤ ± 5%
Non-ignition Non-melting |
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| Heat-resistant sewing thread
EN ISO 3146 |
– | Does not melt at 260 ± 5 °C | |||
| Resistance to chemical penetration
EN ISO 6530 |
After | No penetration into the innermost surface
Rejection rate ≥80% |
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| Tensile strength | After | Outer material ≥ 450 N according to EN ISO 13934-1 or EN ISO 1421 Method 1
Structural seams ≥ 300 N according to EN ISO 13935-2 |
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| Tear resistance
EN ISO 13937-2 or EN ISO 4674 Method B |
After | ≥ 30 N | |||
| Water ingress
EN ISO 811 |
After | < 20 kPa | Y1 | ≥ 20 kPa | No. Y2 |
| Dimensional stability EN ISO 13688 | After | ≤± 3% Durchgang
≤± Knitted and nonwovens |
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| Visibility
EN20471 |
After | Minimum retroreflective area ≥ 0.13 m2
Minimum fluorescence or combined area ≥ 0.2 m2 |
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| EXERCISE | PRETREATMENT | STAGE 1 REQUIREMENT | STAGE 2 REQUIREMENT | ||
| Water vapor resistance
EN ISO 11092 |
After | > 30 bis ≤ 45 m2 Pa/W | Z1 | ≤ 30 m2 Pa/W | Z2 |
| Full garment (optional) | One-time laundry | Effect of a heat flux of 84 Kw/m2 for 8 s | |||
