The NFPA 2112 standard
NFPA 2112 is a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard for the United States. This standard specifies the minimum performance requirements for flame-resistant clothing designed to protect the wearer against short-duration thermal exposures from fire.
NFPA 2112 certified garments should offer the wearer a degree of protection from short-term thermal exposures from fire, and reduce the likelihood and severity of burn injuries. Third-party certification through testing and auditing by an ISO 17065 body is required for protective clothing to be labelled as compliant with NFPA 2112.
There are a variety of work environments where NFPA 2112 certified clothing may be suitable. For instance, this standard is cited by OSHA for those drilling in the oil and gas industry.
NFPA 2112: 2023 edition
NFPA 2112 was last updated in 2023. The 2023 edition of NFPA 2112 replaced the previous 2018 version of the standard.
The 2023 edition of NFPA 2112 includes a new reference to ASTM F3502-21 Standard Specification for Barrier Face Coverings, and products are now required to meet that Standard. Barrier Face Coverings are also required to be fully certified, which rolls back a previously relaxed requirement found in the 2018 edition.
This standard is regularly updated, with recent amendments occurring in March and August 2023.
NFPA 2112 requirements
The NFPA 2112 standard specifies the basic minimum requirements and test methods for flame resistance for personal fire-resistant protective garments.
NFPA 2112 certified clothing will be marked with the NFPA 2112 icon and label to indicate the garment has been tested in accordance with this standard.
These test methods assess a variety of factors including thermal protective performance, flame resistance, heat and thermal shrinkage resistance, and predicted burn area of burn injuries.
The test methods used to test NFPA 2112 certified garments include, but are not limited to:
- ASTM F2700
- ASTM D6413
- ASTM F2894
- ASTM F1930
ASTM F2700 – Heat transfer performance (HTP)
The ASTM F2700 heat transfer performance test method evaluates the amount of heat transferred through the fabric from a continuous and constant heat source.
This test method uses both spaced and contact configurations of heat application to measure both radiant and convective heat. A continuous and constant heat source is used at an exposure of 84 ± 2 kW/m².
In order to comply with NFPA 2112, the following criteria must be met:
- Spaced HTP > 25 J/cm2 (6.0 cal/cm2)
- Contact HTP > 12,6 J/cm2 (3.0 cal/cm2)
It is worth noting that the HTP test method also includes modifications for testing whole knitted gloves.
ASTM D6413 – Vertical flame test before and after 100 wash cycles
The ASTM D6413 vertical flame test method is used to measure how the material responds to heat and flame under controlled conditions. In total, 10 material samples are assessed using the vertical flme test, including five samples from each direction of the fabric.
As per NFPA 2112, testing must be performed before and after 100 industrial simulated wash cycles. Each sample is exposed to a controlled flame for a specified amount of time (12 seconds) before the source of the flame is removed.
Measurements are taken for afterflame time, afterglow time, and char length. When measuring char length, different weights should be applied according to the weight of the fabric.
In order to comply with NFPA 2112, the following criteria must be met:
- Char length ≤ 100 mm (in any direction)
- After-flame < 2 s
- No melting and dripping
ASTM F2894 – Heat and thermal shrinkage resistance
The ASTM F2894 standard test method is used to assess heat and thermal shrinkage resistance.
This test method uses a hot air circulating oven to evaluate the heat resistance and thermal shrinkage of flame resistant clothing. Materials are placed into an oven at 260°C and any melting, dripping, ignition, separation, and shrinkage is measured.
In order to comply with NFPA 2112, the following criteria must be met:
- Thermal shrinkage > 10%
- No melting and dripping
- No separation of layers
- No ignition
ASTM F1930 - Manikin test
The ASTM F1930 test method uses a large-scale flash fire mannequin test to assess flame-resistant clothing for protection against fire simulations. This test method is used to predict the burning area of a second or third degree burn injury.
The method uses a stationary, sensored mannequin in a flash fire exposure to predict burn injury based on a theoretical skin burn model using the Stoll Curve. Garments must be tested after one wash cycle for a total number of three tests. The tested garment will be exposed to the flame for 3 seconds with a heat flux of 84 KW/m2.
In order to comply with NFPA 2112, the following criteria must be met:
- Burning area of burn injury ≤ 50%
It is important to note that the ASTM F1930 manikin test is not required for fabrics for use in shrouds, hoods, balaclavas, and gloves.
ASTM D7138 Method B - Thread melt
The ASTM D7138 Method B test should be used to measure thread melt, ensuring fabric threads do not melt at 260°C. The thread heat resistance test method must be applied to each type of thread used in the manufacture of the fire resistant garment, shroud/hood/balaclava, gloves, coverings other than embroidery.
In order to comply with NFPA 2112, the following criteria must be met:
- Thread does not melt ≤ 260°C
