IEC 60695-7-2:2021

Overview

IEC 60695-7-2:2021 is an international standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that provides a summary and relevance of test methods for assessing the toxicity of fire effluent. This document serves as a technical guide especially designed for technical committees involved in developing safety standards. It highlights commonly used small-scale fire toxicity tests, their applicability, limitations, and their relevance in real fire scenarios.

The standard emphasizes that it is not exhaustive nor a substitute for the full published standards. Instead, it supports best practices in fire hazard assessment and fire safety engineering by recommending suitable tests for determining toxic potency of fire effluent, essential for risk analysis in fires involving materials and structural components.

Key Topics

• Toxicity of Fire Effluent: Focus on understanding how fire effluent toxicity affects health, emphasizing measures of toxic potency, toxic hazard, exposure dose, and fractional effective dose (FED).

• Small-Scale Toxicity Tests:

  • Physical fire models replicating stages of compartment fires.
  • Methods of chemical analysis including various elemental and compound-specific techniques.
  • Animal exposure-based test methods to assess toxicity through biological response.

• Published Test Methods Summary:

  • DEF STAN 02-713 (UK Ministry of Defence)
  • Standards developed by Airbus Industry and Comitato Elettrotecnico Italiano (CEI)
  • French Norm (NF)
  • ISO Technical Specifications, including ISO/TS 19021 and ISO/TS 19700
  • IMO FTP toxicity tests focused on maritime applications
  • Railway industry-specific toxicity tests for cables and materials used in rolling stock
  • Animal exposure tests including DIN 53436 (Germany), NBS tests (USA), and Japanese fire toxicity methods

• Relevance of Test Data:

  • Assessment of repeatability, reproducibility, and correlation to real fire conditions.
  • Recommendations on which test methods yield toxic potency data aligned with actual fire scenarios critical for engineering and regulatory applications.

• Technical Revisions and Updates:

  • Removal of withdrawn references (e.g., IEC 60695-7-50 and -51).
  • Inclusion of updated terms and definitions consistent with ISO 13943.
  • Addition of newly recognized standards and technical specifications.

Applications

IEC 60695-7-2:2021 is indispensable for professionals engaged in:

• Fire Safety Engineering: Supporting design decisions to minimize toxic risks during fire incidents.
• Material Testing and Certification: Enhancing the evaluation of fire effluent toxicity of electrical and electronic components, construction materials, and transportation-related products.
• Standard Development: Guiding national and international committees in incorporating toxicity assessments within broader fire safety standards.
• Risk Assessment: Enabling accurate hazard identification by choosing test methods that are pertinent to real-world fire exposure conditions.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring adherence to rigorous toxicity testing protocols for fire hazards related to electrical and construction industries.

Related Standards

This standard references and complements various other international standards and technical specifications relevant to fire hazard testing and effluent toxicity analysis:

• ISO 13943 – Fire safety vocabulary used for consistency in terms and definitions.
• ISO/TS 19021 and ISO/TS 19700 – Technical specifications providing guidance on fire effluent gas analysis and toxicity testing.
• IMO FTP Code – International Maritime Organization’s protocols for fire testing of ship materials.
• DEF STAN 02-713 – UK Ministry of Defence toxicity testing standard known for its application to military safety assessments.
• DIN 53436 – German standard for animal exposure toxicity testing for fire effluent.
• EN 17084 – European standard referenced for fire toxicity evaluations.
• Industry-specific standards focusing on cables and components used in railway and aerospace sectors.

By integrating these related standards with the guidelines in IEC 60695-7-2:2021, stakeholders can foster comprehensive fire safety strategies addressing both material performance and human health aspects related to fire toxicity.

Keywords: IEC 60695-7-2, fire hazard testing, toxicity of fire effluent, fire safety engineering, toxic potency, fire effluent test methods, fire hazard assessment, ISO 13943, DEF STAN 02-713, IMO FTP toxicity test, fire safety standards