ISO 16073-9:2020

Wildland firefighting personal protective equipment - Requirements and test methods - Part 9: Firehoods

This document specifies the minimum performance requirements and methods of test for firehoods that cover the head and neck and are used for wildland firefighting. An optional requirement has been included to provide limited protection against particulate contaminants This document covers the general design of the PPE, the minimum levels of performance for the materials employed and the methods of test used. This PPE is not intended to provide protection during fire entrapment. This document does not cover firehoods for structural firefighting (see ISO 11999‑9). This document only applies in situations when compatible protective clothing, helmet, and when necessary respiratory protection devices are also worn.

Équipement de protection individuelle pour la lutte contre les feux d'espaces naturels — Exigences et méthodes d'essai — Partie 9: Capuches anti-feu

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 24-Aug-2020
• ICS: 13.220.10 - Fire-fighting
• ICS: 13.340.20 - Head protective equipment
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 94/SC 14 - Firefighters' personal equipment
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 94/SC 14/WG 3 - Wildland firefighting
• Current Stage: 9060 - Close of review
• Completion Date: 04-Mar-2031

Overview - ISO 16073-9:2020 (Wildland firefighting firehoods)

ISO 16073-9:2020 specifies minimum performance requirements and test methods for firehoods that cover the head and neck and are used in wildland firefighting. The standard addresses design, material performance, labeling, sampling and pre-treatment, and laboratory tests (flame, heat, seam strength, dimensional change, water‑vapour resistance). It also includes an optional particulate protection requirement that gives limited protection against airborne particulates. This PPE is intended for extended wear in wildland operations, not for structural firefighting or protection during fire entrapment.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and compatibility
  • Applies only when compatible protective clothing, helmet and, when necessary, respiratory protection are also worn.
  • Not intended for structural firefighting (see ISO 11999‑9) and not a substitute in entrapment situations.
• Design requirements
  • Flexible fit with an appropriate facial opening and yoke interface to integrate with protective clothing (ISO 15384).
  • Sizing, seam construction and label placement requirements; seams must retain strength and temperature resistance.
• Material and performance tests
  • Flame resistance (face ignition)
  • Sewing thread thermal stability
  • Heat resistance and heat transfer - flame and radiant exposure
  • Residual burst strength after radiant exposure and seam burst strength
  • Dimensional change after washing/drying
  • Water‑vapour resistance (comfort/thermal load)
• Particulate protection (optional)
  • Defined particulate-protected surface from top of head down to specified neck distances (e.g., 50 mm below side neck point; 100 mm below front/back neck points).
  • Two normative particulate test methods (Annexes B and C) and labeling text: equivalent to “This firehood provides limited particulate protection.”
• Sampling and pre-treatment
  • Representative sampling; tests performed after specified cleaning cycles (five cycles per ISO 6330 where required).

Applications and practical value

• Used by manufacturers, test laboratories, procurement specialists and safety officers to:
  • Design, certify and validate wildland firefighting firehoods and material selections.
  • Ensure PPE balances thermal protection with low mass and breathability to limit heat stress during long shifts.
  • Provide procurement specifications for agencies and contractors operating in wildland and prescribed‑burn contexts.
• Practical considerations: training on correct selection, donning/doffing, care and limitations; verify compatibility with helmets and respirators (note: firehoods may not fit P2 masks).

Related standards

• ISO 11999‑9 (structural firefighting firehoods)
• ISO 13688 (general protective clothing requirements)
• ISO 15384 (yoke/interface)
• ISO 6942, ISO 9151, ISO 11092, ISO 6330 (test methods)
• ISO/TR 19591, NFPA 1971 (context and firefighter PPE guidance)

Keywords: ISO 16073-9, wildland firefighting, firehoods, PPE, particulate protection, heat resistance, test methods, firefighters.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 16073-9
First edition
2020-08
Wildland firefighting personal
protective equipment —
Requirements and test methods —
Part 9:
Firehoods
Équipement de protection individuelle pour la lutte contre les feux
d'espaces naturels — Exigences et méthodes d'essai —
Partie 9: Capuches anti-feu
Reference number
©
ISO 2020
© ISO 2020
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2020 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 General design requirements . 2
4.1 General . 2
4.2 Firehood flexibility and facial opening . 2
4.3 Yoke interface area . 2
4.4 Sizing . 2
4.5 Seam construction . 3
4.6 Labels . 3
4.7 Particulate protection (Optional) . 3
5 Sampling and pre-treatment . 4
5.1 Sampling . 4
5.2 Pre-treatment by cleaning . 4
5.3 Conditioning . 4
6 Performance requirements . 4
6.1 Flame resistance — Face ignition . 4
6.2 Sewing thread thermal stability . 5
6.3 Heat resistance . 5
6.4 Heat transfer — Flame exposure . 5
6.5 Heat transfer — Radiant exposure . 5
6.6 Residual burst strength of material following radiant heat exposure . 5
6.7 Seam burst strength . 5
6.8 Dimensional change . 5
6.9 Particulate protection . 6
6.9.1 General. 6
6.9.2 Test method 1 . 6
6.9.3 Test method 2 . 6
6.10 Water vapour resistance . 6
7 Marking and labelling . 6
7.1 General . 6
7.2 Label durability and legibility . 6
7.3 Compliance marking requirements . 7
8 Information supplied by the manufacturer . 7
Annex A (normative) Donning, doffing and shape retention test. 9
Annex B (normative) Particulate test method 1 .11
Annex C (normative) Particulate test method 2 .14
Annex D (informative) Particulate testing results .15
Bibliography .16
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www .iso .org/
iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 94, Personal safety — Protective
equipment, Subcommittee SC 14, Firefighters personal equipment.
A list of all parts in the ISO 16073 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html.
iv © ISO 2020 – All rights reserved

Introduction
This document provides minimum performance requirements for wildland firefighters' personal
protective equipment (PPE) firehoods, designed for use for extended periods during wildland
firefighting.
Wildland firefighting involves work carried out mostly in summer temperatures and for many hours,
during which the firefighter can develop high levels of metabolic heat. As a consequence, the PPE is
required to be of low mass, flexible and commensurate with the risks to which the firefighter can be
exposed in order to be effective without introducing excessive heat stress to the wearer.
Firefighters should be trained in the selection, use, care and maintenance of the PPE covered by this
document, including an understanding of its limitations.
It is intended that a risk assessment be undertaken to determine if the PPE covered by this document is
suitable for its intended use and the expected exposure.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 16073-9:2020(E)
Wildland firefighting personal protective equipment —
Requirements and test methods —
Part 9:
Firehoods
1 Scope
This document specifies the minimum performance requirements and methods of test for firehoods
that cover the head and neck and are used for wildland firefighting. An optional requirement has been
included to provide limited protection against particulate contaminants
This document covers the general design of the PPE, the minimum levels of performance for the
materials employed and the methods of test used. This PPE is not intended to provide protection during
fire entrapment.
This document does not cover firehoods for structural firefighting (see ISO 11999-9). This document
only applies in situations when compatible protective clothing, helmet, and when necessary respiratory
protection devices are also worn.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 139, Textiles — Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing
ISO 3146, Plastics — Determination of melting behaviour (melting temperature or melting range) of semi-
crystalline polymers by capillary tube and polarizing-microscope methods
ISO 3175-1, Textiles — Professional care, drycleaning and wetcleaning of fabrics and garments — Part 1:
Assessment of performance after cleaning and finishing
ISO 5077, Textiles — Determination of dimensional change in washing and drying
ISO 6330, Textiles — Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing
ISO 6942, Protective clothing — Protection against heat and fire — Method of test: Evaluation of materials
and material assemblies when exposed to a source of radiant heat
ISO 9151, Protective clothing against heat and flame — Determination of heat transmission on exposure
to flame
ISO 11092, Textiles — Physiological effects — Measurement of thermal and water-vapour resistance under
steady-state conditions (sweating guarded-hotplate test)
ISO 13688, Protective clothing — General requirements
ISO 13938-1, Textiles — Bursting properties of fabrics — Part 1: Hydraulic method for determination of
bursting strength and bursting distension
ISO 15025, Protective clothing — Protection against flame — Method of test for limited flame spread
ISO 17493, Clothing and equipment for protection against heat — Test method for convective heat
resistance using a hot air circulating oven
ISO/TR 19591, Personal protective equipment for firefighters — Standard terms and definitions
NFPA 1971:2018, Standard on protective ensembles for structural firefighting and proximity firefighting
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions in ISO/TR 19591 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
4 General design requirements
4.1 General
Materials used in the construction of the firehood shall meet all requirements of ISO 13688, including
specifically the requirements for innocuousness in 4.2.
4.2 Firehood flexibility and facial opening
The firehood shall have flexibility to take up the shape of the wearer's head without discomfort and
shall not restrict head movement.
The firehood shall fit around, when possible, the respiratory protection devices for which compatibility
is claimed by the manufacturer without reducing the field of view or interfering with the breathing
function of the mask and give no discomfort to the wearer.
NOTE 1 Firehoods do not fit around P2 masks, check compatibility.
The design requirements specified shall be verified by visual inspection during the procedures in
Annex A.
NOTE 2 For more information on compatibility, see ISO/TS 11999-2.
4.3 Yoke interface area
The firehood shall have a yoke creating an interface area with protective clothing (see ISO 15384), the
integrity of which shall be maintained.
NOTE For more information on compatibility, see ISO/TS 11999-2.
4.4 Sizing
The firehood may be manufactured in various sizes. It shall be sufficiently elastic to be compatible with
various head sizes and shapes. Assess by visual inspection.
NOTE 1 Overstretching will reduce the heat protective performance of the firehood and is to be avoided by
design. Excess material in the construction of the firehood can hamper the wearer and compromise the wearing
of other personal protective equipment.
NOTE 2 The yoke is not always symmetrical on the back, upper shoulders and front (upper chest).
2 © ISO 2020 – All rights reserved

4.5 Seam construction
Seams shall be constructed to give minimum loss of strength and protection and to maintain the
temperature resistance and the integrity of the fire hood meeting the requirements of 6.2 and 6.7. Also
assess by visual observation as detailed in Annex A.
4.6 Labels
The label(s) for the marking requirement shall be positioned in the area defined as the yoke of the
firehood. Assess by visual inspection.
4.7 Particulate protection (Optional)
The firehood shall meet the requirements in 6.9 and the requirements in this sub-clause.
The particulate protection surface shall include from the top of the head to at least the areas from
50 mm below the side neck point, 100 mm below the front neck point and 100 mm below the back neck
point (neck points as defined in ISO 8559-1) (see Figure 1).
The elastic and stitching around the facial opening shall be permitted to exclude particulate blocking
material specifically for meeting the requirements of 4.2 for a distance of 20 mm from the leading edge
of the firehood face opening to the innermost row of stitching. The distance shall be measured in at
least six locations with the firehood lying on a flat surface with the face opening facing upwards.
Dimensions in millimetres
Key
1 face opening
2 particulate protected area
a
Top head.
Figure 1 — Firehood with particulate protection area (shaded)
If the requirements of this subclause are met, add on the label wording equivalent to “This firehood
provides limited particulate protection" [see also 7.3 h)].
5 Sampling and pre-treatment
5.1 Sampling
A sample shall be taken, which is representative of the materials used to construct the firehood taking
into account whether 4.7 applies.
5.2 Pre-treatment by cleaning
Where required in this standard, tests shall be carried out after five cleaning cycles (a cleaning cycle is
one wash and one dry cycle), cleaning shall be performed in accordance with ISO 6330 using the front-
loading horizontal drum machine and reference detergent 3 (ECE reference detergent 98).
Washing shall be carried out in accordance with ISO 6330 procedure 6N (60 ± 3) °C and drying by
procedure F (machine Type A1) exhaust temperature normal (minimum 40 °C, maximum 80 °C), unless
otherwise specified in the care labelling.
Materials t
...