ISO Issues Protective Clothing Standard for Heat and Flame
ISO has issued a standard to provide the minimum performance requirements for protective clothing worn in situations where users may be exposed to radiant, convective or contact heat, flames, arc flashes and molten metal splashes.
In this new version, ISO 11612:2008, Protective clothing -- Clothing to protect against heat and flame has been fully updated to replace the original standard published in the 1990s. The revised standard defines three performance levels according to perceived risk (plus an additional fourth for extreme exposures). Some of the new features include:.
• new terms and definitions.
• a chapter on clothing design.
• a minimum requirement heat resistance test.
• flame spread specifications for seams.
• modifications for pre-treatment and for dimensional change due to cleaning.
• strength of materials.
• guidance for the ergonomic assessment of protective clothing.
• optional requirements for water resistance and protection against electric arc.
• new marking requirements.
• information on risk assessment and prediction of burn injuries.
For more information, visit www.iso.org.