EN ISO 14116

Protective clothing against limited flame spread materials

Supersedes EN 533:1997

ISO 14116:2008 Protective clothing — Protection against heat and flame — Limited flame spread materials, material assemblies and clothing.

This international standard specifies the performance requirements for the limited flame spread properties of materials and protective clothing.
The standard is not applicable for fire fighters (EN 469) and welders (EN ISO 11611 – ex EN 470-1:1995).

The aim is to reduce the possibility of the clothing buring and thereby itself constituting a hazard: the wearer should not get extra injuries due to the burning of his clothing.

Scope:

• Against brief contact with small igniting flames
• No significant heat hazard

The protective clothing is intended to protect workers against occasional brief contact with small flames. The working circumstances offer no significant heat hazard and there is no presence of another type of heat. For protection against heat hazards, we gladly refer to ISO 11612 (Clothing to protect against heat and flame).

ISO 14116:2008 specifies the performance requirements for the limited flame spread properties of materials, material assemblies and protective clothing in order to reduce the possibility of the clothing burning and thereby itself constituting a hazard. Additional requirements for clothing are also specified. Protective clothing complying with this ISO 14116:2008 is intended to protect workers against occasional and brief contact with small igniting flames, in circumstances where there is no significant heat hazard and without presence of another type of heat. When protection against heat heat hazards is necessary in addition to protection against limited spread flammability, then standards, such as ISO 11612, are more appropriate. A classification system is given for materials, material assemblies and garments which are tested according to ISO 15025:2000, Procedure A.

Limited flame spread index, the following parameters are used:

1. Requirements for limited flame spread index 1
   • Index 1 (flame spread, flaming debris and afterglow properties)
   • The flame does not spread, there are no flaming debris, no afterglow, a hole may be formed.
2. Requirements for limited flame spread index 2
   • Index 2 (as index 1 and included hole formation properties)
   • The flame does not spread, there are no flaming debris, no afterglow, no hole formation.
3. Requirements for limited flame spread index 3
   • Index 3 ( as index 2 and included afterflame properties)
   • The flame does not spread, there are no flaming debris, no afterglow, no hole formation, the afterflame times of each individual specimen is less than 2 seconds.

If the index is 1 (lowest level) the garment can only be used outside a garment withindex 2 or 3. Index 1 may not have skin contact, e.g. neck and wrist. 

Protective clothing complying with this International Standard is intended to protect the user against occasional and brief contact with small igniting flames, incircumstances where there is no significant heat hazard and without the presence of another type of heat. When protection against heat hazards is necessary, ISO 11612 is recommended.

Protective clothing according to EN ISO 14116 may consist of several separate garments, or a single garment with one or more layers. All assemblies claiming compliance with this standard shall achieve a limited flame spread index of 1, 2 or 3 whentested in accordance with ISO 15025.
 

The standard specifies 3 areas: 

• Performance requirements material (after pretreatment*)
• Design requirements
• Marking & guidance 

TEST	METHOD	REQUIREMENT
Heat and flame requirements
Limited flame spread (code A)  A1: surface ignition	ISO 15025	Index 1No flaming or hole formation to top or side edge No flaming debris No afterglow from carbonize area to undamaged area
Index 2No flaming to top or side edge No flaming debris No afterglow from carbonize area to undamaged areaNo hole formation
Index 3No flaming to top or side edge No flaming debris No afterglow from carbonize area to undamaged area No hole formation Maximum 2 seconds afterflame

 * Pretreatment:

The limited flame spread in EN ISO 14116 is also carried out after the maximum amount of cleaning cycles, set by the manufacturer based on standardized cleaning standards.

Cleaning methods: 

• ISO 6330       – Domestic laundry 
• ISO 15797   – Industrial laundry 
• ISO 3175-1 – Dry cleaning