Rescue
Range

Protective Clothing for Fire Fighters

This standard specifies minimum levels of performance requirements for protective clothing to be worn during firefighting operations and associated activities such as e.g., rescue work, assistance during disasters. The standard covers the general clothing design, the minimum performance levels of the materials used, and the methods of test to be used to determine these performance levels.

BS EN 469 makes the distinction between firefighting activities dividing them into two performance levels based on a risk assessment.

Level 1 is a lower specification and may be considered accurate for activities such as rescue work, disaster assistance, road traffic collisions and Wildland Fire Fighting but does not provide protection against the hazards of entrapment.

Level 2 provides higher thermal protection performance, expected in high-risk activities such as fighting fires in structures, e.g., buildings, factories, gas stations.

Under EN 469, there are several testings which are involved to ascertain the level of protection the fire suit provided, major testings cover:

»» Heat Transfer – Flame (X)

»» Heat Transfer – Radiation (Y)

»» Water Penetration Resistance (Z)

In the EN 469:2020 version, only X now determines the performance level, so if X is X1 then the whole garment is Level 1, and if it is X2 then it is Level 2. Historically, all numbers on the pictogram (X, Y, Z) had to be 2 for the garment to be Level 2. EN 469 does not cover protection for the head, hands, and feet or specific protection against other hazards e.g., chemical, biological, radiological, and electrical hazards.

Protective Clothing for Fire Fighters

The standard specified test method, minimum performance, and general design requirements for clothing designed to protect during Wildland Fire Fighting and associated activities. These clothing items are not intended to provide protection during fire entrapment and in structural firefighting under EN 469. The garments meeting this standard, are not intended to protect against chemical, biological, electrical, radiation hazards and neither against high mechanical risks associated with Chain saws.

Various testings needed to qualify for the EN 15384 standard include:

Testing Requirement	Norm	Description	Pass Criteria
Dimensional Stability %	ISO 5077	Pre- Treatment - 5 Cycles Minimum	Woven: ± 3% Warp & Weft Knits: - ± 5% Length / Width
Limited Flame Spread	ISO 15025 Flame Application Time 10 Sec	Original and Pre-Treated Fabric - Surface Original and Pre-Treated Fabric - Edge	No specimen shall ignite to the top or to the edges, no burning or molten debris no formation of Holes >= 5Mm Afterglow Time = 2 Sec No specimen shall ignite to the top or to the edges, no burning or molten debris no formation of Holes >= 5mm Afterglow Time = 2 Sec
Tensile Strength	In 13934-1	Pre-Treated	≥ 600N Warp / Weft
Tear Resistance	In 13937-2	Pre-Treated	≥ 25 Warp / Weft
Seam Strength	ISO 13935-2	Pre-Treated	≥ 300 N'
Heat Resistance - Fabric	ISO 17493 at 260°C for 5 Min	Pre-Treated	No melting & dripping allowed Shrinkage ≤ 10%
Heat Resistance Sewing Thread	ISO 3146 at 260°C for 5 Min	Hot Plate Method	Should not melt
Radiant Heat - Fabric	Iso 6942 Method B Heat Flow Density 20 Kw/M2	Original & Pretreated	TF ≤ 70% Rhti24 ≥ 11S Rhti24 - Rhti 12 ≥ 4S
Resistance to Water Vapour - Fabric	ISO 11092	Original	Ret ≤ 10 M2 Pa/W
Thermal Resistance - Fabric	ISO 11092	Original	Rct ≤ 0.055 M2 Pa/W
Abrasion Resistance	ISO 12947-2 at 12Kpa	Original	≥20,000 Cycles