ISO 13344:2015

Overview - ISO 13344:2015 (Estimation of the lethal toxic potency of fire effluents)

ISO 13344:2015 defines a laboratory method to estimate the lethal toxic potency of fire effluents produced when a material is exposed to a specified physical fire model. The standard predicts 30‑minute LC50 values (rats) and computes FED (Fractional Effective Dose) using integrated concentration–time (C·t) data for major combustion gases. The method is intended for controlled laboratory tests and for use as an element in broader fire hazard assessments - not as a standalone description of real‑world risk.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and limitations
  • Estimates lethal potency tied to the chosen physical fire model, exposure scenario and specimen.
  • Predicts 30‑min LC50 (rats); extrapolation across species or to different exposure durations is outside scope.
  • Should not be used in isolation to determine real fire hazard; combine with other assessment tools (see ISO 19706).
• Monitored toxicants
  • Mandatory continuous monitoring of CO, CO2 and O2 (vitiation).
  • Additional measured species, as present or expected, include HCN, HCl, HBr, HF, SO2, NO2, acrolein, formaldehyde and others suggested by specimen chemistry.
• Calculations
  • Integration of concentration vs time to obtain (C·t) products; FED is the sum of normalized C·t contributions.
  • When FED = 1 for the specified animal/exposure conditions, the mixture predicts 50% lethality.
• Apparatus and gas sampling
  • Use a relevant physical fire model (repeatable and relevant to target fire scenarios).
  • Continuous gas sampling with analysers meeting specified ranges (e.g., CO up to 1% by volume; CO2 up to 10%; O2 up to 21%).
  • Guidance for sampling/analysis of additional species available via ISO 19701 and ISO 19702 (FTIR).
• Safety and quality
  • Tests must be performed in appropriate fume/hooded systems; venting and operator safety are mandatory.
  • Optional bioassay for experimental confirmation is provided in Annex A.

Practical applications and users

• Who uses it:
  • Fire safety engineers, material scientists, product developers, accredited test laboratories, regulators and risk assessors.
• Typical uses:
  • Comparative testing of materials/products to inform fire hazard assessment and product R&D.
  • Providing quantitative inputs (LC50, FED) for supporting life‑safety calculations and engineering judgments.
  • Supporting conformity or safety dossiers when combined with broader assessments (tenability, egress models).

Related standards

• ISO 13571 - Life‑threatening components of fire (tenability guidance)
• ISO 19701 - Sampling and analysis of fire effluents
• ISO 19702 - FTIR guidance for toxic gases and vapours
• ISO 19706 - Guidelines for assessing the fire threat to people
• ISO 13943 - Fire safety vocabulary

Note: ISO 13344:2015 provides laboratory‑based toxic potency estimates; always interpret results within the standard’s stated limitations and in combination with comprehensive fire hazard assessment.