ISO 13506-1:2024

Overview

ISO 13506-1:2024 - Protective clothing against heat and flame - Part 1 defines a laboratory test method for complete garments using an instrumented manikin to measure transferred energy during short-duration flame engulfment. The standard specifies the overall requirements, equipment, and calculation methods to produce comparable results for single- and multi-layer flame‑resistant garments. Results are reported as total transferred energy and as a Thermal Manikin Protection Factor (TMPF) and apply only to the specific garments and test conditions (heat flux, duration and flame distribution).

Key topics and technical requirements

• Instrumented manikin system: full-size manikin fitted with heat‑flux/temperature sensors, validated sensor placement and calibration, and a data acquisition system.
• Controlled flame exposure: laboratory flame exposure chamber, burner and fuel delivery systems that produce repeatable convective and radiant heat flux.
• Exposure parameters: nominal maximum heat flux of 84 kW/m² and exposure durations from 3 s to 20 s, selected per risk assessment and garment insulation expectations.
• Measurement outputs: summed heat transfer over prescribed time (transferred energy) and TMPF calculations to quantify thermal protection.
• Procedures and documentation: specimen preparation, conditioning, dressing the manikin, image/video recording, test observations, and required test‑report items (specimen ID, exposure conditions, per‑sensor heat flux, TMPF, transferred energy).
• Validation and limitations: chamber and manikin validation, software calculations, and clear limitations - the method does not simulate high radiant arc‑flash exposures, many liquid/solid fuel fires, or nuclear blast conditions; body movement effects are not addressed.
• Complexity: requires experienced test personnel; small deviations can significantly affect results.

Applications and who uses it

ISO 13506-1:2024 is used to:

• Evaluate and rate heat‑and‑flame protective garments and ensembles (manufacturers, R&D teams).
• Provide objective performance data for certification bodies and conformity assessment laboratories.
• Inform PPE selection and risk assessments by safety engineers, occupational health professionals, and end users in industries with short‑duration flame hazards (e.g., petrochemical, firefighting support, maintenance).
• Support product development, quality control, and comparative benchmarking of materials and garment constructions.

Related standards

• ISO 13506-2 (referenced): for calculating predicted skin burn injury from measured heat flux data.
• Applicable alongside other ISO and regional standards for protective clothing and PPE testing when defining broader certification or workplace protection strategies.

Keywords: ISO 13506-1:2024, protective clothing, instrumented manikin, transferred energy, thermal manikin protection factor, flame engulfment test, heat flux, test method.