IEC TS 60695-11-12:2026

• Abstract:

  IEC TS 60695-11-12:2026 describes a test method intended to investigate whether the bottom part of an enclosure having openings is able to contain the burning droplets inside the enclosure if ignition occurs inside a finished unit.; The purpose of the test is to verify whether the size of the openings in the bottom part of an enclosure are of such a size that reduces the risk of propagation of a flame outside the enclosure of a finished unit .; This technical specification is intended to be used by technical committees in the preparation of documents in accordance with the principles laid down in IEC GUIDE 104 and ISO/IEC Guide 51. While this document currently does not have the status of a horizontal safety publication, it is intended to become one if the document is transformed into an International Standard.

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 01-Sep-2026
• ICS: 13.220.40 - Ignitability and burning behaviour of materials and products
• ICS: 29.020 - Electrical engineering in general
• Technical Committee: TC 89 - Fire hazard testing
• Drafting Committee: WG 12 - TC 89/WG 12
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 02-Sep-2026
• Completion Date: 25-Sep-2026

Overview

IEC TS 60695-11-12:2026 is a technical specification developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) focusing on fire hazard testing of finished electrotechnical units. This document defines a specialized test method-the burning droplets test-for assessing whether the bottom part of an enclosure with openings can safely contain flaming droplets in the event of interior ignition. The primary goal is to verify if the size and design of such openings minimize the risk of a flame propagating outside the enclosure, thus enhancing the fire safety of finished units.

This standard is designed for use by technical committees during the development of documents relating to electrotechnical product safety, following established safety principles. IEC TS 60695-11-12:2026 may serve as a foundational reference for future harmonized horizontal safety standards.

Key Topics

• Fire Hazard Containment: Evaluation of enclosure openings to prevent the outward escape of burning or flaming material.
• Test Methodology: Detailed procedures for simulating burning drops within finished units, including apparatus specifications and test setup for standardized, reproducible results.
• Material Evaluation: Assessment hinges on using specimens composed of the same materials and thicknesses present in the final product, ensuring realistic risk mitigation.
• Observational Criteria: The test focuses on whether burning droplets ignite a cotton pad placed beneath the specimen, serving as a practical indicator of flame propagation risk.
• Documentation and Evaluation: Clear guidelines on recording observations, evaluating results, and consolidating findings into formal test reports for regulatory or compliance purposes.

Applications

IEC TS 60695-11-12:2026 is particularly relevant for manufacturers and designers of electrical and electronic finished units, such as consumer appliances, office equipment, and other enclosure-based products. Key practical applications include:

• Product Safety Validation: Manufacturers can use this test to validate that enclosure designs prevent the escape of burning particles, thereby reducing the likelihood of fire spreading to nearby surroundings.
• Standardization Compliance: Test results can be leveraged to demonstrate compliance with international safety guidelines, supporting certification and market access in regulated environments.
• Design Optimization: The methodology provides actionable feedback for improving enclosure ventilation management, hole sizing, and material use, thus integrating fire safety early in product development.
• Technical Committee Use: The technical specification serves as a reference during standards preparation, ensuring harmonized approaches to fire safety across a spectrum of IEC and ISO documents.

Related Standards

For comprehensive fire hazard testing and terminology alignment, IEC TS 60695-11-12:2026 references several other important international standards:

• IEC TS 60695-2-21:2023: Fire containment tests on finished units.
• IEC 60695-4:2021: Terminology concerning fire tests for electrotechnical products.
• IEC 60695-11-4: Procedures for 50 W test flame and confirmational testing apparatus.
• IEC 60695-11-10 & IEC 60695-11-20: Related test flame methods for material categorization.
• ISO 291:2008: Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing plastics.
• ISO 13943:2017: Fire safety vocabulary for harmonized definitions.
• IEC GUIDE 104 & ISO/IEC Guide 51: Framework and guidance for developing safety publications.

By following the procedures and recommendations in IEC TS 60695-11-12:2026, organizations can take a proactive approach to managing fire risks associated with electrotechnical product design, bolstering user safety, and aligning with internationally recognized fire testing standards.

IEC TS 60695-11-12 ®
Edition 1.0 2026-09
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
Fire hazard testing -
Part 11-12: Test flames - Burning droplets test for finished units
ICS 13.220.40; 29.020 ISBN 978-2-8327-1473-7

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CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 2
INTRODUCTION . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Principle . 6
5 Apparatus . 7
5.1 Test chamber . 7
5.2 Laboratory burner . 8
5.3 Support stand . 8
5.4 Timing device . 8
5.5 Conditioning chamber . 8
5.6 Micrometer . 8
5.7 Measuring scale . 8
5.8 Desiccator . 8
5.9 Cotton pads . 8
6 Test specimen and test bar. 8
6.1 Test specimen . 8
6.2 Test bar . 9
7 Conditioning . 9
7.1 Cotton pad conditioning . 9
7.2 Test specimen conditioning . 9
7.3 Test conditions . 9
8 Test procedure . 9
8.1 Test setup . 9
8.2 Application of the flame . 10
8.3 Number of test specimens . 10
9 Test observations . 10
10 Evaluation of test results . 10
11 Test report . 10
Bibliography . 11

Figure 1 – Setup of the test bar and the test specimen (Example) . 7

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
Fire hazard testing -
Part 11-12: Test flames - Burning droplets test for finished units

FOREWORD
1 The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
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IEC TS 60695-11-12 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 89: Fire Hazard Testing.
It is a Technical Specification.
The text of this Technical Specification is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
89/1661/DTS 89/1677/RVDTS
Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
the above table.
The language used for the development of this Technical Specification is English.
This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and ISO/IEC Directives, IEC Supplement, available
at www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs. The main document types developed by IEC are
described in greater detail at www.iec.ch/publications.
A list of all parts in the IEC 60695 series, published under the general title Fire hazard testing,
can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under webstore.iec.ch in the data related to the
specific document. At this date, the document will be
– reconfirmed,
– withdrawn, or
– revised.
INTRODUCTION
In the design of any electrotechnical product, the risk of abnormal heat and the potential
hazards associated with abnormal heat need to be considered. In this respect the objective of
component, circuit, and product design, as well as the choice of materials, is to reduce to
acceptable levels the potential risks during normal operating conditions, reasonably foreseeable
abnormal use, malfunction and/or failure. IEC Technical Committee 89 has developed IEC
60695-1-10 [1], together with its companion IEC 60695-1-11 [2], to provide guidance on how
this is to be accomplished.
The primary aims of IEC 60695-1-10 [1] and IEC 60695-1-11 [2] are to provide guidance on
how:
a) to prevent ignition caused by an electrically energized component part, and
b) to confine any resulting fire within the bounds of the enclosure of the electrotechnical
product in the event of ignition.
Secondary aims of IEC 60695-1-10 [1] and IEC 60695-1-11 [2] include the minimization of any
flame spread beyond the product’s enclosure and the minimization of the harmful effects of fire
effluents such as heat, smoke, toxicity and/or corrosivity.
IEC TC 108 (Safety of electronic equipment within the field of audio/video, information
technology and communication technology) has used the hot flaming oil test in the past to test
the adequacy of the bottom of a fire enclosure (see IEC 60950-1:2005/AMD2:2013 [3], 4.6.2
and Clause A.3, Hot Flaming Oil Test). While this test was representative in times where oil
was used in components such as transformers, it was deemed too severe and not reflective of
the current materials used in electrotechnical products, where the majority of the burning
materials present inside the equipment are made of plastics. When a fire starts in modern
equipment, it is expected that the melting material will be a mixture of plastic, copper and other
materials. This mixture will have a much higher density compared to the hot flaming oil. This
test method replaces the oil with a sample of plastic material as expected in the application.
IEC TS 60695-11-12:2
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