EN ISO 14116 is the European standard for clothing that offers protection against heat and flame, specifically lower-level flame resistance materials that limit flame spread. As garments under EN ISO 14116 have lower levels of flame resistance, it is best suited to outerwear, socks, and hats. EN ISO 14116 garments should be used with clothing that meets the EN ISO 11612 requirements.
The EN ISO 14116 standard
EN ISO 14116 is an international standard that specifies the minimum performance requirements for all materials, material assemblies, and protective clothing with limited flame spread properties. This standard is designed to protect the wearer against occasional and brief contact with small flames.
EN ISO 14116 outlines the minimum performance requirements for materials and garments used in protective clothing to reduce the risk of clothing burning and contributing to the spread of the flame.
EN ISO 14116 is a widely applicable standard for industries where the worker is at risk of heat and flame hazards, such as oil and gas, petrochemical, and utilities.
EN ISO 14116:2015
EN ISO 14116:2015 is the current version of this safety standard. This standard was last reviewed and confirmed in 2020, ensuring this standard remains current.
The EN ISO 14116:2015 update includes further standard updates including but not limited to:
- New test procedures for burst strength testing of woven materials, burst strength testing of knitted materials, tensile strength testing of non-woven materials, and tear strength testing of non-woven materials
- Modified clauses for design requirements regarding garment overlaps, sampling requirements, ageing due to washing, and the tear strength of woven and non-woven materials
- Modified pre-treatment clause to include requirements for single use garments
- Modified definition for flame spread
- Modified afterglow requirements for flame spread of index 1, index 2, and index 3 materials
However, EN ISO 14116 is due to be revised. Once revised, this standard will be replaced by ISO/DIS 14116 which is currently still under development.
EN ISO 14116 test methods and classes
EN ISO 14116 is divided into three classes, otherwise known as indices. These classes range from index 1 to 3, with index 3 being applied to garments that offer the highest level of protection.
To determine the class of the garment, two testing methods are used to assess limited flame spread – Test methods A and B.
Test method A assesses limited flame spread by:
Test method B assesses limited flame spread by evaluating the performance of a complete garment assembly when exposed to a larger flame source. The criteria assessed by this testing method includes afterflame time, afterglow time, and damage caused to the garment. This test method is used to determine whether a garment is index 3.
The requirements for each of the EN ISO 14116 classes are:
|
EN ISO 14116 test requirements |
Index 1 |
Index 2 |
Index 3 |
|
No flaming to the top or side edge |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
No flaming debris or afterglow shall spread to the undamaged area |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
No hole formation |
× |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Afterflame time |
× |
✓ (no time limit specified) |
✓ (should not exceed 2 seconds) |
Any EN ISO 14116 certified garments should be used together with garments that meet the requirements of EN ISO 11612.
EN ISO 14116 and EN ISO 11612
It is important to note that EN ISO 14116 should be used in combination with EN ISO 11612 - Protective clothing to protect against heat and flame.
When protection against heat hazards is necessary, in addition to protection against flame, this standard is not appropriate. International standards such as ISO 11612 should be used instead.
