Overview
ISO 11612:2015 - Protective clothing - Clothing to protect against heat and flame - Minimum performance requirements - sets minimum performance criteria for flexible garments designed to protect the wearer’s body (excluding hands) from heat and flame. The standard covers garments and certain head/foot items (gaiters, hoods, overboots), specifies sampling, pre-treatment and ageing, and defines test methods and classification codes for protection against radiant, convective and contact heat and molten metal splashes.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and exclusions: Applies to flexible-material protective clothing for a wide range of end uses where limited flame spread and exposure to heat or molten metal may occur. It does not set requirements for hand protection; hoods are covered but visors and respiratory equipment are excluded.
- Performance classes: Protection is classified into levels (Level 1 = low, Level 2 = medium, Level 3 = high); a fourth level exists for extreme radiant heat using high-performance (e.g., aluminized) materials.
- Heat resistance tests: Includes heat resistance at (180 ± 5) °C and an optional test at (260 ± 5) °C.
- Flame spread: Limited flame spread tested in accordance with ISO 15025 (Procedure A = code A1; Procedure B = code A2), with requirements for afterflame and afterglow.
- Heat transmission code letters: Classification uses letter codes for heat exposures:
- B: Convective heat
- C: Radiant heat
- D: Molten aluminium splash
- E: Molten iron splash
- F: Contact heat
- Physical and dimensional requirements: Tensile, tear, burst (knits & seams), seam strength, and dimensional change tests; limits for leather fat content and Chromium(VI) content are included.
- Pre-treatment, sampling and ageing: Procedures cover cleaning, mechanical pre-treatment (including metallized materials), and washing/conditioning as part of determining performance after realistic use.
- Optional testing and documentation: Optional whole-garment thermal manikin test; manufacturer marking and information requirements; guidance and risk assessment annexes.
Practical applications
ISO 11612:2015 is used to:
- Specify minimum performance for industrial protective garments where workers may be exposed to flame, radiant or convective heat, contact heat or molten metal splashes.
- Guide selection, design and procurement of PPE for foundries, metalworking, petrochemical and other heat-exposure environments.
- Provide test-laboratory procedures and classification for compliance verification and product labeling.
Who uses this standard
- PPE manufacturers and garment designers
- Independent testing laboratories and conformity assessors
- Health & safety professionals, safety managers, and procurement teams
- Regulators and certification bodies
Related standards
Relevant ISO and EN documents referenced include ISO 15025 (flame spread test), ISO/TR 2801 (selection/use/maintenance guidance), ISO 11611, ISO 11613 and other specialized firefighting and heat-protection standards.