CEN/TR 14560:2018
(Main)Guidance for selection, use, care and maintenance of protective clothing against heat and flame
Guidance for selection, use, care and maintenance of protective clothing against heat and flame
This document provides guidance to the employers, users and purchasers with respect to selection, use, care, and maintenance requirements for protective clothing against heat and flame and is compliant with the European legislation.
This document is not exhaustive in addressing all the safety concerns associated with the use of compliant protective equipment for protection against heat and flames and other related risks.
It is essential not to construe this document as addressing all the safety concerns, if any, associated with the use of this document by testing or repair facilities. It is the responsibility of the persons and organizations that use this document and any other standards related technical report to PPE:
- to conduct a risk assessment,
- to select the protective clothing and other PPE,
- as well as to ensure that these provide a holistic protection, only when the compatibility has been assessed including understanding the work place and the work environment to determine the properties of protective clothing against heat and flames to establish safety and health practices
- and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to using this technical report for any designing, manufacturing, and testing.
This guidance is meant for all end users that may be confronted with heat and flame risks although it will focus on the first four in the list below:
- petrochemical and chemical industry;
- welders and foundries;
- utilities (electrical, gas, water);
- fire fighters and emergency response;
- sports (motor sports, boating, etc.);
- security forces (military, police and private).
It is essential that nothing herein restricts any jurisdiction from exceeding the minimum requirements as provided in the relevant standards.
Leitfaden für Auswahl, Gebrauch, Pflege und Instandhaltung von Schutzkleidung gegen Hitze und Flammen
Guide pour la sélection, l'utilisation, l'entretien et la maintenance des vêtements de protection contre la chaleur et la flamme
Le présent document fournit des recommandations aux employeurs, aux utilisateurs et aux acheteurs en ce qui concerne les exigences relatives à la sélection, l’utilisation, l’entretien et la maintenance des vêtements de protection contre la chaleur et la flamme, et il est conforme à la législation européenne.
Le présent document ne traite pas de façon exhaustive tous les problèmes de sécurité associés à l’utilisation d’équipements conformes de protection individuelle contre la chaleur, la flamme et les autres risques connexes.
Il est important de ne pas considérer le présent document comme traitant l’ensemble des questions de sécurité associées à l’utilisation du présent document par des installations d’essai ou de réparation. Il incombe aux personnes et aux organismes qui utilisent ce document et tout autre rapport technique sur les normes relatives aux EPI de :
— réaliser une évaluation des risques ;
— sélectionner les vêtements de protection et autres EPI ;
— s’assurer qu’ils fournissent une protection complète, seulement lorsque la compatibilité a été évaluée, y compris une compréhension du lieu et de l’environnement de travail afin de déterminer les propriétés des vêtements de protection contre la chaleur et la flamme, en vue d’établir des pratiques en matière de santé et de sécurité ;
— et déterminer l’applicabilité des limitations règlementaires avant d’utiliser le présent rapport technique pour toute conception, fabrication et essai.
Le présent guide est destiné à tous les utilisateurs finaux qui peuvent être confrontés à des risques liés à la chaleur et à la flamme, bien qu’il se concentre sur les quatre premiers utilisateurs de la liste ci-dessous :
— industries pétrochimique et chimique ;
— soudeurs et fonderies ;
— services publics (électricité, gaz, eau) ;
— sapeurs-pompiers et services de secours ;
— sports (sports mécaniques, navigation de plaisance, etc.) ;
— forces de sécurité (armée, police et organismes privés).
Il est important qu’aucune partie des présentes n’empêche une autorité d’aller au-delà des exigences minimales indiquées dans les normes correspondantes.
Navodilo za izbor, uporabo, nego in vzdrževanje varovalne obleke pred učinki toplote in ognja
To tehnično poročilo podaja navodilo za delodajalce, uporabnike in kupce v zvezi z zahtevami glede izbora, uporabe, nege ter vzdrževanja varovalne obleke pred učinki toplote in ognja ter je skladno z evropsko zakonodajo.
To tehnično poročilo ni izčrpno pri obravnavanju vseh varnostnih težav, ki se nanašajo na uporabo skladne varovalne opreme za zaščito pred učinki toplote in ognja, ter drugih povezanih nevarnosti.
Tega tehničnega poročila se ne sme razumeti, kot da obravnava vse morebitne varnostne težave, ki se nanašajo na uporabo tega tehničnega poročila v preskusnih centrih in centrih za popravila. Osebe in organizacije, ki uporabljajo ta standard in morebitne druge standarde, ki se nanašajo na tehnično poročilo o osebni varovalni opremi (PPE), morajo:
– opraviti oceno tveganja;
– izbrati varovalno obleko in drugo osebno varovalno opremo;
– zagotoviti, da omogočajo celostno zaščito izključno na podlagi ocenjene skladnosti, vključno z razumevanjem delovnega mesta in delovnega okolja za določitev lastnosti varovalne obleke pred učinki toplote in ognja za vzpostavitev varnostnih in zdravstvenih praks;
– ter določiti uporabnost regulativnih omejitev pred uporabo tega tehničnega poročila za kakršno koli načrtovanje, proizvodnjo in preskušanje.
To navodilo je namenjeno vsem končnim uporabnikom, izpostavljenim morebitnim nevarnostim učinkov toplote in ognja, čeprav se osredotoča na prve štiri s tega seznama:
– petrokemična in kemična industrija;
– varilci in livarji;
– oskrba (elektrika, plin, voda);
– gasilci in osebje za ukrepanje v izrednih razmerah;
– šport (motošport, plovila itd.);
– varnostne sile (vojska, policija in zasebne varnostne sile).
Pomembno je, da nobena vsebina tega dokumenta ne omejuje morebitne pristojnosti zaradi preseganja minimalnih zahtev, ki so podane v ustreznih standardih.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2019
1DGRPHãþD
SIST-TP CEN/TR 14560:2003
1DYRGLOR]DL]ERUXSRUDERQHJRLQY]GUåHYDQMHYDURYDOQHREOHNHSUHGXþLQNL
WRSORWHLQRJQMD
Guidance for selection, use, care and maintenance of protective clothing against heat
and flame
Leitfaden für Auswahl, Gebrauch, Pflege und Instandhaltung von Schutzkleidung gegen
Hitze und Flammen
Guide pour la sélection, l'utilisation, l'entretien et la maintenance des vêtements de
protection contre la chaleur et la flamme
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: CEN/TR 14560:2018
ICS:
13.340.10 Varovalna obleka Protective clothing
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
CEN/TR 14560
TECHNICAL REPORT
RAPPORT TECHNIQUE
November 2018
TECHNISCHER BERICHT
ICS 13.340.10 Supersedes CEN/TR 14560:2003
English Version
Guidance for selection, use, care and maintenance of
protective clothing against heat and flame
Guide pour la sélection, l'utilisation, l'entretien et la Leitfaden für Auswahl, Gebrauch, Pflege und
maintenance des vêtements de protection contre la Instandhaltung von Schutzkleidung gegen Hitze und
chaleur et la flamme Flammen
This Technical Report was approved by CEN on 5 October 2018. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 162.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2018 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. CEN/TR 14560:2018 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 7
2 Total process . 7
2.1 Introduction flow charts . 7
2.2 Flow chart diagram . 8
3 Terms and definitions . 8
4 Selection . 13
4.1 General . 13
4.2 Risk assessment . 14
4.3 Defining the level of protection required for each activity from the protective
clothing . 14
4.4 Optimal protective clothing . 15
4.5 Request for information . 16
4.6 Wearer trials . 17
4.7 Additional testing to assist selection process . 18
4.8 Other considerations . 19
4.9 Compatibility . 20
4.9.1 General . 20
4.9.2 Physical compatibility . 21
4.9.3 Thermal compatibility . 21
5 Use . 21
5.1 General . 21
5.2 Training . 22
5.3 Introducing protective clothing into service . 22
5.4 Record keeping . 22
5.5 Routine examination . 23
5.6 In service evaluation and monitoring. 24
5.7 Frequency of cleaning on type of Protective Clothing . 24
6 Care . 24
6.1 General . 24
6.2 Cleaning . 26
6.3 Drying . 28
6.4 Decontamination . 28
6.5 Label, marking and instruction for use/manufacturer’s instructions/user
instructions . 28
6.6 Storage . 29
7 Maintenance . 29
7.1 General . 29
7.2 Inspection . 31
7.2.1 General . 31
7.2.2 Inspection schedule by the user . 31
7.2.3 Elements to be inspected . 32
7.2.4 Decisions . 33
7.3 Repairs and alterations . 33
7.4 Disposal . 33
Annex A (informative) Performance levels relating to clothing designed to provide
protection from heat and flame . 35
A.1 General . 35
A.2 Standards describing performance requirements for protective clothing or
materials . 37
Annex B (informative) Risk assessment . 48
Annex C (informative) Examples: Relationship between type of activity, the heat/flame
hazard linked to the activity and clothing to be chosen for protection based on the
existing product standards . 51
Annex D (informative) Flow chart selection use care and maintenance of protective
clothing against heat and flame risks . 54
Annex E (informative) Practical performance tests . 55
E.1 Ergonomics . 55
E.2 Cold protection . 59
E.3 Rain protection . 59
E.4 Parameters to be measured . 60
E.5 Additional testing . 60
E.6 Heat protection . 60
E.7 Physiological heat load . 61
Annex F (informative) Description of burn injury risks . 62
Annex G (informative) Label, marking and instruction for use/manufacturer’s
instructions/user instructions (for procurement) . 64
Bibliography . 68
European foreword
This document (CEN/TR 14560:2018) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 162
“Protective clothing including hand and arm protection and lifejackets”, the secretariat of which is held
by DIN.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document will supersede CEN/TR 14560:2003.
Introduction
For manufacturers and users of personal protective equipment the following European Regulation and
Directive are important:
th
— Regulation (EU) 2016/425 of the European Council of 9 March 2016 on personal protective
equipment (replacing the Directive 89/686 EEC);
— Directive 89/656/EEC on use of personal protective equipment.
Regulation (EU) 2016/425 indicates that in order to place PPE on the market it shall meet essential
health and safety requirements, and not necessarily the various relevant EN or EN ISO standards.
Nevertheless nearly all PPE meet the essential requirements through standards, as harmonised
standards give presumption of conformity with the requirements of the directive. This is the reason we
will spend sometimes explaining certain standard and what information they provide on the heat and
flame protective clothing. Requirements and test methods should be, as far as possible, representative
of the risks against those that it is necessary to protect the user under the foreseeable conditions of use.
The reader will want to be aware that where PPE is intended for use in a place of work, national and
Union legislation intended to ensure the safety of employees will usually apply. When one mentions
PPE, it is essential that it meets the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2016/425. Directive 89/656/EEC
(Use Directive) provides that the employer who fails to provide suitable PPE commits a criminal offence
and an employee who suffers foreseeable injury can trigger liability. Conversely, if the employee, after
proper training and instructions, fails to wear the suitable PPE; the employee can also be prosecuted
and/or dismissed and if injured or suffers disease in consequence will probably lose right to all or
certain part of the damages.
The information in this technical report has been produced to assist users, employers and purchasers
(or the person who advises the employer) in making the necessary decisions regarding the selection,
use, care and maintenance of protective clothing, for employees exposed to risks related to heat and
flame (e.g. industrial welding, fire-fighting, first response).
The purpose of this technical report is to establish a guidance document for protective clothing against
heat and flames with the goal to evaluate and reduce the safety risks and potential health risks
associated with poorly maintained, contaminated, determination, or damaged protective clothing. This
selection use, care and maintenance guidance provides basic answers, criteria, and options for the
persons that are selecting or using protective clothing through its life cycle with respect to protection it
provides guidance related to heat and flame or damaged protective clothing.
The main topics that an employer needs to consider are highlighted in this technical report. Many
paragraphs of the document contain bullet-lists as thought provokers and options that may need to be
considered. A number of flowcharts have been created to help understand the flow of this document
and can be used as a process in the life cycle of heat and flame protective clothing from selection to
disposal. These flowchart(s) may need to be reiterated a number of times to come to the optimum
solution or to ensure continued adequate protection. The annexes are additional detail that would make
the main body too complicated to read, but are necessary to describe hazards and risks, the value of the
test methods for the end user, etc.
Normative references are not provided in this report. All references are of an informative nature only.
Annex A gives details of the current European Standards relating to clothing designed to provide
protection from heat and flame.
Please be aware and consider compatibility with other items of PPE, that both protect against heat and
flame, but there should also be considering other risks.
Selection of protective clothing for heat flames should be based on your own risk assessment and
should not be copied from other procurement documents.
For European legislation on PPE see Regulation (EU) 2016/425 of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 9 March 2016 on personal protective equipment and European Directive 89/656/EEC on use
of personal protective equipment.
1 Scope
This document provides guidance to the employers, users and purchasers with respect to selection, use,
care, and maintenance requirements for protective clothing against heat and flame and is compliant
with the European legislation.
This document is not exhaustive in addressing all the safety concerns associated with the use of
compliant protective equipment for protection against heat and flames and other related risks.
It is essential not to construe this document as addressing all the safety concerns, if any, associated with
the use of this document by testing or repair facilities. It is the responsibility of the persons and
organizations that use this document and any other standards related technical report to PPE:
— to conduct a risk assessment,
— to select the protective clothing and other PPE,
— as well as to ensure that these provide a holistic protection, only when the compatibility has been
assessed including understanding the work place and the work environment to determine the
properties of protective clothing against heat and flames to establish safety and health practices
— and to determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to using this technical report for
any designing, manufacturing, and testing.
This guidance is meant for all end users that may be confronted with heat and flame risks although it
will focus on the first four in the list below:
— petrochemical and chemical industry;
— welders and foundries;
— utilities (electrical, gas, water);
— fire fighters and emergency response;
— sports (motor sports, boating, etc.);
— security forces (military, police and private).
It is essential that nothing herein restricts any jurisdiction from exceeding the minimum requirements
as provided in the relevant standards.
2 Total process
2.1 Introduction flow charts
The flowchart diagram below shows the complete SUCAM process. The process will be described in
detail in the following clauses. All clauses correspond with the coloured blocks in the below diagram.
Clause 3 describes the used terms and definitions. Clause 4 describes the selection process of the flame
retardant (FR) clothing. Clause 5 describes the use of the FR clothing. Clause 6 describes the care
process of FR clothing. Finally Clause 7 describes maintenance of FR clothing.
2.2 Flow chart diagram
Figure 1
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
ageing
change of one or more initial properties of the materials during the passage of time
3.2
component assembly
combination of all materials of a multi-layer garment presented exactly as the finished garment
construction
3.3
care
to keep protective clothing in good condition, including procedures for cleaning, decontamination,
storage and registration
3.4
char
formation of a brittle residue when material is exposed to thermal energy
3.5
cleaning
act of removing soils and contaminants from ensembles and ensemble elements by mechanical,
chemical, thermal, or combined processes
3.6
coat
element of the protective ensemble that provides protection to the upper torso and arms, excluding the
hands and head
3.7
compatibility
ability of clothing (protective clothing and other clothing) to be used in conjunction with other parts of
PPE
3.8
contamination/contaminated
process by which ensembles and ensemble elements are exposed to hazardous materials, body fluids, or
CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) agents
3.9
coverall
element of the protective ensemble that provides protection to the torso, arms, and legs, excluding the
head, hands, and feet
3.10
cross-contamination
transfer of contamination from one item to another or to the environment
3.11
decontamination
act of removing contaminates from protective clothing and equipment by a physical, chemical, or
combined process
Note 1 to entry: See also 3.5 cleaning.
3.12
deterioration
downgrading of the effectiveness or physical characteristics of textile materials due to use, care,
maintenance or storage conditions
3.13
disinfectant
agent that destroys, neutralizes, or inhibits the growth of harmful biological agents
3.14
ensemble
combination or assembly of multiple items that are individually compliant and provide protection to the
head, upper torso together with arms and hands, the lower torso together with feet, and respiratory
protection, and that together fulfil all the requirements
3.15
ergonomics
scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of the interactions among human and other
elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in
order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance
3.16
field evaluation
non-laboratory assessment of an ensemble, ensemble element, or item
3.17
fit
quality, state, and manner in which clothing, when worn, relate to the individual human body or other
PPE
3.18
flame resistance
property of a material whereby combustion is prevented,
terminated, or inhibited following the application of a flaming or non-flaming source of ignition, with or
without subsequent removal of the ignition source
3.19
functional
ability of an ensemble element or component of an ensemble element to continue to be utilized for its
intended purpose
3.20
garment
single item of clothing which may consist of single or multiple layers
3.21
hardware
non-fabric items used in protective clothing including those made of metal or plastic
Note 1 to entry: Examples for hardware are fasteners, rank markings, buttons.
3.22
hazard
situation which can be the cause of harm or damage to the health of the human body
3.23
hazardous substance
substance (solid, liquid, or gas) that when released is capable of creating harm to people, the
environment, and property
3.24
hygiene
any practice or activity that you do to keep protective clothing healthy and clean
3.25
inherent flame resistance
flame resistance that is derived from the essential characteristics of the fibre or polymer
3.26
integrity
construction of the protective clothing that guarantees the proper functioning of the protective clothing
Note 1 to entry: Seams, zippers and other closures should provide solid barriers to provide suitable protection
as well as be constructed in a manner which provides some flexibility.
3.27
levels of care and maintenance
four levels of care and maintenance are recognized, level one is inspection by the user before use, level
two is care after use, level three is regular periodically maintenance by trained personnel and level four
is professional maintenance by specialists
3.28
liner
optional component layer that provides added protection, e.g. against rain or chemicals and/or against
cold
3.29
maintenance
to preserve from loss or deterioration to include procedures for inspection, repair and ultimate removal
from service
3.30
protective clothing
clothing which covers or replaces personal clothing and which is designed to provide protection against
one or more hazards
3.31
rapid deterioration
unexpected loss of the essential requirements listed in the PPE regulation
3.32
risk
probability of a specific undesired event occurring so that a hazard is realized
3.33
risk assessment
overall process that identifies hazards, estimates the potential severity of injury or damage to health,
estimates the likelihood of occurrence of injury or danger to health determines the protective clothing
against heat and flame risks and other protection measures required
3.34
selection
process of determining the type of protective equipment (garments) that is necessary for the required
protection
3.35
tensile strength
force at which a fibre or fabric will break when pulled in one dimension either in cross direction or in
machine direction
3.36
textile fabric
planar structure consisting of yarns or fibres
3.37
thermal barrier
component of an ensemble element or item that principally provides thermal protection
3.38
toxic industrial chemical
toxic solid, liquid, or gaseous chemical from an industrial origin that has been identified as mass
casualty threats that could be used to inflict casualties, generally on a civilian population, e.g. during a
terrorist attack
3.39
trouser
element of the protective ensemble that provides protection to the lower torso and legs, excluding the
ankles and feet
3.40
universal precautions
approach to infection control in which human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if
known to be infectious for HIV, HBV, and other blood borne pathogens
3.41
use
application of protective clothing including its limitations
3.42
verified independent service provider
verified ISP
independent service provider verified by a third-party certification organization to conduct any one or a
combination of advanced inspection, advanced cleaning, basic repair, or advanced repair service
3.43
visibility
retro-reflective and fluorescent conspicuity enhancements
Note 1 to entry: Retro-reflective enhancements improve night-time conspicuity, and fluorescent enhancements
improvement daytime conspicuity.
3.44
wristlet
interface component of the protective element or item that provides limited protection to the
coat/glove interface area
4 Selection
4.1 General
The employer shall develop and implement a program for the selection, use, care, and maintenance of
protective clothing against heat and flames used by the employees. Subject to requirements, the process
of selecting protective clothing can be divided into a number steps described in the flowchart below.
This program shall have the goal of providing protective clothing against heat and flame and related
risks that are suitable and appropriate for the intended use (Job/Task) and fulfil the requirements of
the European legislation.
Selection is the starting point when determining the need for protective clothing. The selection should
not be limited to their section as a decision may be broader based on use, cleaning, maintenance, etc.
It is the obligation of the manufacturer to give clear instructions about use, care and maintenance of the
clothing which has to be followed up by the employee and employer. These instructions shall specify
the clean and drying methods and means.
Figure 2
4.2 Risk assessment
Prior to starting the selection process of protective clothing against heat and flame risks in prescribed
scenario’s, the organization shall perform a risk assessment. A risk assessment is a dynamic process and
is not limited to the momentary situation. The risk assessment shall include, but not be limited to, the
hazards and work conditions that can be encountered by employees facing heat and flames based on
the following:
— Step 1: Identify the hazards (Annex B and G)
In identifying the hazard it is important to both understand the heat intensity (heat flux), the only
or primary type of heat source (convective, radiant, or contact heat) but also time of exposure. Heat
over a long or short period of time may have an effect on the garment from both a heat protection
perspective but also from overall degradation or integrity of the garment.
— Step 2: Decide with a who might be harmed (Risk = Likelyhood × Exposure × Severity) (see Annex
B) based on role of employee:
— all employees – base line protection;
— a selection of employees based on occupation;
— one single employee.
NOTE 1 Routine versus exceptional circumstance, risk of unprotected employees, or when the worker
wears inappropriate clothing.
NOTE 2 Are there other risk that should be included in the hazard evaluation that are not related to heat
and flame?
— Step 3: Evaluate risks and decide on precautions to mitigate risks.
Have all other control options been exhausted (engineering, administrative, etc.) before choosing
PPE.
— Step 4: Record findings and implement them.
— Step 5: Review risk assessment and update if necessary.
A number of risk assessment models may be used to determine the level of risk associated with the
activities. Annex B gives reference to some of the existing documents on this subject.
4.3 Defining the level of protection required for each activity from the protective
clothing
If the risks are identified following the risk assessment (Annex B) it is important that the right personal
protective equipment is selected taken into account that:
— determine what parts of the body require protection;
— identify the appropriate Standard or method which will provide the protection required.
Annex C determine the level(s) of protection required (for the relevant parts of the body) in
relative or absolute terms for each item of protective clothing.
— assessment of previously used protective clothing against heat and flame risks;
— identify compatibility with other PPE.
Annex C provides guidance and examples of hazards and applicable Standards.
4.4 Optimal protective clothing
Optimal protective clothing need to be selected, because under-protection leads to the risk of injury
through burns, while over-protection will lead to a lack of comfort or various levels of (heat) stress.
Heat stress occurs when the body is no longer able to control internal temperature. In addition to
ambient air temperature, factors such as work intensity, humidity and clothing worn while working can
lead to heat stress. These factors make it more difficult for a person just passing through the workplace
to assess that there is a risk of heat stress.
An employer needs to be sensitive to these factors as people working in uncomfortable environments
(hot or cold) are more likely to behave unsafely because their loss of ability to make decisions and their
performance manual tasks deteriorates. For example:
— employees might not wear personal protective equipment properly in hot environments increasing
the risks for burn injury,
— an employee’s ability to concentrate on a given task can start to drop off, which increases the risk of
errors occurring.
At the same time, the worker needs to be protected from the hazards. Therefore the employer has to
balance health or comfort, and the long-term and short-term risks. What can the employer do:
— By identifying the hazards that workers might face and then engineering out or reducing the hazard
level, employers can often reduce the required flame-resistant protection level needed for
protective garments and therefore increase the comfort. Protective clothing should be the last line
of defence for employee.
— By defining the right protective clothing.
The optimal protective clothing depends on a number of factors:
— layer garments to balance comfort and protection needed for different tasks. For example, have a
base garment providing heat and flame protection for most jobs, and for those situation requiring
additional protection use a second flame-resistant garment layer.
— garment construction can increase or decrease the perception of comfort. For example, the more
pockets, pads, etc. are added the heavier the garment, but also the less breathable to garment
becomes. Liners have both a positive effect by increasing protection (protection hot vapour,
chemical, moisture), but will also decrease the breathability.
— fabric weight is a critical factor in determining on-the-job comfort, the heavier the fabric the less
the comfort.
— breathability of fabric. Comfort is the balance between the heat produced by the body and the heat
we lose. The body produces sweat when regulating the body’s core temperature back to normal
temperatures. The evaporation of the sweat and breathability of the fabric allows moisture
displacement from the skin. Breathability of fabric is frequently measured by its vapour resistance
(R ). For example, the European Standard EN 343 on material comfort rating (Clothing for
et
protection against foul weather) sets various classes.
2 -1
— Class 1 materials have R values greater than 150 m PaW , and are considered to be
et
impermeable, i.e. they offer no perceivable comfort to the wearer.
2 -1 2 -1
— Class 2 materials have R values between 20 m PaW and 150 m PaW , and are rated as
et
medium performance, offering some breathable performance. The majority of products on the
market fit into this category.
2 -1
— Class 3 materials have R values less than 20 m PaW .
et
Different fabric weaves will provide a difference level of breathability. For example, a knitted fabric
will generally be more breathable than a plain weave.
When looking at comfort one needs to look at not just the PPE but also all clothing worn as these will all
affect moisture management.
Garment and clothing manufacturers understand the comfort issues facing workers who shall wear
protective clothing. They also are aware that comfort levels can vary from worker to worker. Comfort is
a subjective and very complex perception.
4.5 Request for information
For purchasing purposes of protective clothing against heat and flame risks, it is necessary that:
— a market research is carried out to determine products that are available;
— systems and innovations of protection have consequences (advantages and disadvantages) and
should be taken into account that this also can cause a paradox:
— sensibility:
— comfort;
— ergonomics:
— suitable for purpose;
— fitting;
— weight;
— durability;
— wash and care;
— information is obtained from the potential suppliers on performance levels and manufacturer
information. Clothing that protects against heat and flame is covered by the Regulation (EU)
2016/425 on personal protective equipment (category 2: EU type examination or category 3: EU
type examination and production inspection) and therefore shall be certified by a notified body;
— information is gathered from comparable organizations using similar items of protective clothing
for similar tasks;
— compatibility of all items of PPE to be used is determined;
— after collating all available data, it is established that suitable protective clothing is not available,
then it may be necessary for an organization to carry out research and development work.
Annex A provides a list of the relevant European Standards for clothing designed to protect against heat
and flame.
4.6 Wearer trials
Where a field evaluation (wearer trials) of protective clothing against heat and flame risks is conducted,
the organization shall establish criteria to ensure a systematic method of comparing products in a
manner related to their intended use and assessing their performance relative to the organization’s
expectations. The purpose of a wearer trial is to assess the compatibility and the ergonomic practicality
of the protective clothing against heat and flame risks. Obtaining feedback from the intended users is
imperative at this stage, as such information will provide valuable data relating to the practical
performance of the protective clothing, and also give confidence to the users, thus ensuring that the
selected items are used. Wearer trials can be done over a period of 1 day up to a year. If used as PPE it
needs to meet PPE requirements.
Depending on the wearer trial should be using certified garments in actual hazardous situations or
using demonstration non-certified product in non-hazardous situation. In most cases wearer trials are
carried out using certified products.
When conducting wearer trials, the following issues should be considered:
— ability to protect based on expectation and from the risk assessment;
— ease (and speed) of putting on and taking off;
— ease and extent of adjustability;
— ease of cleaning;
— view and fit after cleaning;
— acceptance in terms of comfort and weight;
— compatibility with all other items of PPE considering the ageing;
— ability to undertake all tasks expected without hindrance of movement
— preservation of the protection in all working positions.
When wearer trials are conducted, a systematic approach should be adopted:
— participants should be selected based on a cross section of the relevant occupational group (height,
weight, age, gender, etc.);
— participants should individually evaluate each item of the protective clothing assembly on trial;
— evaluation feedback should be obtained in a structured manner allowing for both qualitative and
quantitative data collection and analysis. This can be achieved by using a structured questionnaire,
structured or semi- structured interviews and / or group discussions. The number of participants
has to be sufficient to ensure that the results obtained are statistically significant and
representative of the total workforce.
Table 1 — Summary table on properties and wearability of protective clothing and protective
gloves
Property Consideration Parameters (as examples)
Sensibility – Breathability – Air permeability
– Flexibility – Water vapour permeability
– Elasticity – Sweating torso test. Thermal Human Simulator
measurement
– Skin effects
– Weight
– Thickness
– Surface roughness
— allergy
– pH value and chromium (VI) content in a case of
leather PPE
Ergonomics – In carrying out work – Size
– Fit
– Weight
– Freedom of movement and work
– Friction against undergarments in walking
– Dressing
– Compatibility with other PPE
– Heat stress
– Discomfort
Durability – In wear – Tensile strength
– In storage – Tear strength
– Abrasion resistance
– Flex cracking
– Seam resistance
– Colour durability
– Material aging
Wash and care – Single use – Easy to clean
– (Water) washing – Dimensional stability
— laundry – Pilling
— workplace – Visual appearance
— home – Absence of physical damages after cleaning
– Dry cleaning – Performance preservation
Heat and Flame – Insulation for heat – Compare exposed body parts
– Feeling heat – Protection from burns
4.7 Additional testing to assist selection process
To assist any decision making process, additional assessment can be required:
— Flashover assessment: This ISO 13506 test is recommended for emergency response facing risks of
2nd degree injuries.
— Assessment on static discharge. To prevent sparks, which might cause a fire or explosions, the use
of certified antistatic clothing in addition to protective clothing against heat and flame, is advisable.
— Assessment of behaviour after disinfection requirements: In case of contact with biological
substances a disinfection process is advisable therefore the protective clothing should be resistant
to the thermal (> 71 °C) or to the chemical (disinfection agents) laundry processes. The
manufacturer informative note should include instructions.
— Assessment of behaviour after laundry / cleaning. The selection of a garment certified after a higher
number of washing cycles is advisable, unless the garment does not fulfil the requirements
anymore.
— Assessment of behaviour after decontamination. Flame testing after decontamination of a specific
contaminant is advisable in view to ensure a perfect protection state.
— Assessment of behaviour after UV exposure. In long welding activities where the protective clothing
is exposed to high amount of UV light, higher values of tensile strength and tear strength are
recommended.
— Assessment of behaviour after abrasion resistance. This assessment is useful to predict the material
durability under mechanical stress.
— Assessment of behaviour about water – oil – chemical repellency (also indicated as WOR). In
addition to assess resistance to a specific chemical agent, the water and oil repellency test is
advisable to understand if the material offer a certain degree of protection with the most common
contaminants (oil, water related).
— Assessment on wear and tear risks: long term low radiant heat exposure, ozone (welding), flex
fatigue.
— Thermal insulation assessment of behaviour after partially or fully wetted clothing. Considering
that a partially or fully wet garment (sweating / water impact) is reducing the thermal insulation,
causing a severe risk at the worker, this investigation is recommended to prevent potential related
risks.
— Visibility and conspicuity of employee.
— Warm cold environment assessment.
— Possibility to inspect various layers of protective clothing.
4.8 Other considerations
In order to establish the overall performance and the total cost of ownership of the protective clothing,
other considerations may need to be made:
— Is training offered as part of the procurement package (including training provided by third
parties)?
— Is a post procurement service offered?
— What quality assurance measures are in place prior to the delivery?
— What are the requirements for cleaning and decontamination?
CEN/TR 14560:2
...
Questions, Comments and Discussion
Ask us and Technical Secretary will try to provide an answer. You can facilitate discussion about the standard in here.
Loading comments...