SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008

Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Methods for the assessment of human responses to contact with surfaces - Part 1: Hot surfaces (ISO 13732-1:2006)

This part of ISO 13732 provides temperature threshold values for burns that occur when human skin is in contact with a hot solid surface. It also describes methods for the assessment of the risks of burning, when humans could or might touch hot surfaces with their unprotected skin. This part of ISO 13732 also gives guidance for cases where it is necessary to specify temperature limit values for hot surfaces; it does not set surface temperature limit values. This part of ISO 13732 deals with contact periods of 0,5 s and longer. It is applicable to contact when the surface temperature is essentially maintained during the contact (see 4.1). This part of ISO 13732 is applicable to the hot surfaces of all kind of objects: equipment, products, buildings, natural objects, etc. For the purposes of simplification, it mentions only products; nevertheless, it applies to all other objects as well. It is applicable to products used in any environment, e.g. in the workplace, in the home. It is applicable to hot surfaces of products that may be touched by healthy adults, children, elderly people and also by people with physical disabilities.

Ergonomie der thermischen Umgebung - Bewertungsverfahren für menschliche Reaktionen bei Kontakt mit Oberflächen - Teil 1: Heiße Oberflächen (ISO 13732-1:2006)

Dieser Teil von ISO 13732 stellt Temperaturschwellenwerte für Verbrennungen zur Verfügung, die auftreten, wenn es zum Kontakt der menschlichen Haut mit einer heißen, festen Oberfläche kommt.
Er beschreibt außerdem Verfahren zur Bewertung von Verbrennungsrisiken in Situationen, in denen Menschen heiße Oberflächen mit ihrer ungeschützten Haut berühren können oder dürfen.
Dieser Teil von ISO 13732 gibt auch Leitlinien für Fälle, in denen es erforderlich ist, Temperaturschwellen-werte für heiße Oberflächen festzulegen. Sie legt jedoch keine Grenzwerte für Oberflächentemperaturen fest.
ANMERKUNG 1   Um zu verhindern, dass Menschen bei Berühren der heißen Oberfläche eines Produktes Verbrennungen davontragen, können derartige Temperaturgrenzwerte in besonderen Produktnormen oder in Vorschriften festgelegt werden.
Dieser Teil von ISO 13732 gilt für eine Kontaktdauer von 0,5 s und länger.
Er ist anwendbar für Kontakte bei denen die Oberflächentemperatur während des Kontaktes in Wesentlichen unverändert bleibt (siehe 4.1).
Er ist nicht anwendbar, wenn ein großer Bereich der Haut (etwa 10 % oder mehr der Körperoberfläche) mit einer heißen Oberfläche in Berührung kommen kann. Sie ist ebenfalls nicht anwendbar bei einem Hautkontakt von mehr als 10 % des Kopfes oder einem Kontakt, der Verbrennungen von lebenswichtigen Bereichen des Gesichtes zur Folge hat.
ANMERKUNG 2   In einigen Fällen kann der Kontakt mit einer heißen Oberfläche für eine Person noch schwerwiegender sein, z. B.:
   Verbrennungen, die zu einer Verengung der Atemwege führen;
   großflächige Verbrennungen (von mehr als 10 % der Körperoberfläche) können den Blutkreislauf durch Flüssigkeitsverlust beeinträchtigen;
   die Erhitzung eines großen Teils des Kopfes oder des gesamten Körpers kann selbst ohne das Auftreten einer Verbrennung zu einer nicht akzeptablen Hitzebeanspruchung führen.

Ergonomie des ambiances thermiques - Méthodes d'évaluation de la réponse humaine au contact avec des surfaces - Partie 1: Surfaces chaudes (ISO 13732-1:2006)

L'ISO 13732-1:2006 donne les valeurs seuil de température auxquelles des brûlures interviennent lorsque la peau de l'être humain entre en contact avec une surface solide chaude.
Elle décrit également des méthodes permettant d'évaluer les risques de brûlure lorsque des personnes peuvent toucher des surfaces chaudes sans que leur peau ne soit protégée.
L'ISO 13732-1:2006 indique dans quels cas il est nécessaire de spécifier des valeurs limites de température pour des surfaces chaudes, mais n'établit nullement ces valeurs limites de température des surfaces.
L'ISO 13732-1:2006 concerne des durées de contact de 0,5 s et plus.
Elle est applicable aux contacts lorsque la température de surface est essentiellement maintenue durant le contact.
Elle n'est pas applicable aux contacts d'une surface importante de la peau (c'est-à-dire environ 10 % ou plus de la peau de l'ensemble du corps) avec la surface chaude. Elle ne s'applique pas non plus dans les cas de contacts de plus de 10 % de la tête ou de contacts susceptibles d'engendrer des brûlures des zones vitales du visage.
L'ISO 13732-1:2006 est applicable aux surfaces chaudes de toutes sortes d'objets: équipements, produits, bâtiments, objets naturels, etc. Par souci de simplification, elle ne mentionne que les produits, mais elle est également applicable à tous les autres objets.
Elle est aplicable à des produits utilisés dans n'importe quel environnement, par exemple sur les lieux de travail, au domicile.
Elle est applicable à des surfaces chaudes de produits qui peuvent être touchés par des adultes en bonne santé, des enfants, des personnes âgées et des personnes physiquement handicapées.
L'ISO 13732-1:2006 ne fournit pas de données concernant la protection contre l'inconfort ou la douleur.

Ergonomija toplotnega okolja - Metode za ocenjevanje človekovega odziva na dotik s površinami - 1. del: Vroče površine (ISO 13732-1:2006)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 28-Oct-2008
• ICS: 13.180 - Ergonomics
• Technical Committee: VSN - Safety of machinery
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 22-Oct-2008
• Due Date: 27-Dec-2008
• Completion Date: 29-Oct-2008
• Directive: 2006/42/EC - Directive 2006/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2006 on machinery, and amending Directive 95/16/EC (recast)
• Directive: 98/37/EC - Machinery
• Mandate: M/079 - Mandate to CEN and CENELEC for standardization in the field of machines
• Mandate: M/396 - Mandate to CEN and Cenelec for standardisation in the field of machinery
• Ref Project: EN ISO 13732-1:2008 - Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Methods for the assessment of human responses to contact with surfaces - Part 1: Hot surfaces (ISO 13732-1:2006)

Relations

• Replaces: SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2007 - Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Methods for the assessment of human responses to contact with surfaces - Part 1: Hot surfaces (ISO 13732-1:2006)
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2008
• Replaces: SIST EN 13202:2002 - Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Temperatures of touchable hot surfaces - Guidance for establishing surface temperature limit values in production standards with the aid of EN 563
• Effective Date: 01-May-2010

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
01-december-2008
1DGRPHãþD
SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2007
(UJRQRPLMDWRSORWQHJDRNROMD0HWRGH]DRFHQMHYDQMHþORYHNRYHJDRG]LYDQD
GRWLNVSRYUãLQDPLGHO9URþHSRYUãLQH,62
Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Methods for the assessment of human
responses to contact with surfaces - Part 1: Hot surfaces (ISO 13732-1:2006)
Ergonomie der thermischen Umgebung - Bewertungsverfahren für menschliche
Reaktionen bei Kontakt mit Oberflächen - Teil 1: Heiße Oberflächen (ISO 13732-1:2006)
Ergonomie des ambiances thermiques - Méthodes d'évaluation de la réponse humaine
au contact avec des surfaces - Partie 1: Surfaces chaudes (ISO 13732-1:2006)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 13732-1:2008
ICS:
13.180 Ergonomija Ergonomics
SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN ISO 13732-1
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
September 2008
ICS 13.180 Supersedes EN ISO 13732-1:2006
English Version
Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Methods for the
assessment of human responses to contact with surfaces - Part
1: Hot surfaces (ISO 13732-1:2006)
Ergonomie des ambiances thermiques - Méthodes
d'évaluation de la réponse humaine au contact avec des
surfaces - Partie 1: Surfaces chaudes (ISO 13732-1:2006)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 25 August 2008.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the CEN Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN Management Centre has the same status as the
official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre: rue de Stassart, 36  B-1050 Brussels
© 2008 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 13732-1:2008: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
EN ISO 13732-1:2008 (E)
Contents Page
Foreword.3
Annex ZA (informative) Relationship between this European Standard and the Essential
Requirements of EU Directive 98/37/EC .4
Annex ZB (informative) Relationship between this European Standard and the Essential
Requirements of EU Directive 2006/42/EC .5

2

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
EN ISO 13732-1:2008 (E)
Foreword
The text of ISO 13732-1:2006 has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 159 “Ergonomics” of the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and has been taken over as EN ISO 13732-1:2008 by
Technical Committee CEN/TC 122 “Ergonomics” the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical
text or by endorsement, at the latest by March 2009, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at
the latest by December 2009.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO 13732-1:2006.
This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the
European Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EC Directive(s).
For relationship with EC Directive(s), see informative Annexes ZA and ZB, which are integral part of this
document.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 13732-1:2006 has been approved by CEN as a EN ISO 13732-1:2008 without any
modification.
3

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
EN ISO 13732-1:2008 (E)
Annex ZA
(informative)

Relationship between this European Standard and the Essential
Requirements of EU Directive 98/37/EC
This European Standard has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission
and the European Free Trade Association to provide a means of conforming to Essential Requirements of the
New Approach Directive 98/37/EC on machinery, amended by 98/79/EC.
Once this standard is cited in the Official Journal of the European Communities under that Directive and has
been implemented as a national standard in at least one Member State, compliance with the normative
clauses of this standard given in Table ZA.1 confers, within the limits of the scope of this standard, a
presumption of conformity with the relevant Essential Requirements of that Directive and associated EFTA
regulations.
Table ZA.1 — Correspondence between this European Standard and Directive 98/37/EC,
amended by 98/79/EC
Clause(s)/sub-clause(s) of this EN Essential Requirements (ERs) Qualifying remarks/Notes
of Directive 98/37/EC, amended
by 98/79/EC
3, 4, 5.2 to 5.7, and Annex B
1.5.5 -


WARNING — Other requirements and other EU Directives may be applicable to the product(s) falling within
the scope of this standard.

4

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
EN ISO 13732-1:2008 (E)
Annex ZB
(informative)

Relationship between this European Standard and the Essential
Requirements of EU Directive 2006/42/EC
This European Standard has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission
and the European Free Trade Association to provide a means of conforming to Essential Requirements of the
New Approach Directive 2006/42/EC on machinery.
Once this standard is cited in the Official Journal of the European Communities under that Directive and has
been implemented as a national standard in at least one Member State, compliance with the normative
clauses of this standard given in Table ZB.1 confers, within the limits of the scope of this standard, a
presumption of conformity with the relevant Essential Requirements of that Directive and associated EFTA
regulations.
Table ZB.1 — Correspondence between this European Standard and Directive 2006/42/EC
Clause(s)/sub-clause(s) of this EN Essential Requirements (ERs) Qualifying remarks/Notes
of Directive 2006/42/EC
All clauses Annex I: 1.1.6, 1.5.5, 1.7.2 -

WARNING — Other requirements and other EU Directives may be applicable to the product(s) falling within
the scope of this standard.

5

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008


INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 13732-1
First edition
2006-09-01

Ergonomics of the thermal
environment — Methods for the
assessment of human responses to
contact with surfaces —
Part 1:
Hot surfaces
Ergonomie des ambiances thermiques — Méthodes d'évaluation de la
réponse humaine au contact avec des surfaces —
Partie 1: Surfaces chaudes




Reference number
ISO 13732-1:2006(E)
©
ISO 2006

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
ISO 13732-1:2006(E)
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©  ISO 2006
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or
ISO's member body in the country of the requester.
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Published in Switzerland

ii © ISO 2006 – All rights reserved

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
ISO 13732-1:2006(E)
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 2
3 Terms and definitions. 2
4 Burn thresholds . 3
4.1 General. 3
4.2 Burn threshold data. 4
5 Assessment of risk of burning . 10
5.1 Procedure . 10
5.2 Identification of hot, touchable surfaces. 10
5.3 Task analysis. 11
5.4 Measurements of surface temperatures. 11
5.5 Choice of applicable burn threshold value . 12
5.6 Comparison of surface temperature and burn threshold. 13
5.7 Determination of risk of burning . 14
5.8 Repetition . 14
6 Protective measures. 15
6.1 General. 15
6.2 No risk of burning. 15
6.3 Risk of burning. 15
7 Guidance for setting surface temperature limit values . 16
7.1 Procedure . 16
7.2 Assessment of risk of burning . 16
7.3 Decision upon protective measures. 16
7.4 Selection of appropriate values . 16
7.5 Setting of surface temperature limit value. 17
Annex A (informative) Scientific background . 18
Annex B (normative) Contact periods. 20
Annex C (informative) Flow charts for application of this part of ISO 13732. 21
Annex D (informative) Thermal properties of selected materials. 23
Annex E (informative) Examples of protective measures against burns . 24
Annex F (informative) Example for assessment of risk of burning . 26
Annex G (informative) Examples for setting surface temperature limit values. 31
Annex H (informative) Safety signs for hot surfaces. 35
Bibliography . 37

© ISO 2006 – All rights reserved iii

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
ISO 13732-1:2006(E)
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.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
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.
ISO 13732-1 was prepared by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee
CEN/TC 122, Ergonomics, in collaboration with Technical Committee ISO/TC 159, Ergonomics,
Subcommittee SC 5, Ergonomics of the physical environment, in accordance with the Agreement on technical
cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
ISO 13732 consists of the following parts, under the general title Ergonomics of the thermal environment —
Methods for the assessment of human responses to contact with surfaces:
⎯ Part 1: Hot surfaces
⎯ Part 2: Human contact with surfaces at moderate temperature [Technical Specification]
⎯ Part 3: Cold surfaces
iv © ISO 2006 – All rights reserved

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
ISO 13732-1:2006(E)
Introduction
When human skin comes into contact with a hot solid surface, burns may occur. Whether or not they do
depends on a number of factors, the most important of which are
⎯ the temperature of the surface,
⎯ the material of the surface,
⎯ the period of contact between the skin and the surface,
⎯ the structure of the surface, and
⎯ the sensitivity of the human being who comes into contact with the surface (e.g. child or adult).
Other factors can also play a part but are of minor importance. In Annex A the scientific background is
presented and in the Bibliography publications concerning the objective are listed.
This part of ISO 13732 contains a collection of temperature threshold values for burns when the skin is in
contact with a hot solid surface (Clause 4). It also contains a method for the assessment of the risk of burning,
i.e. the application of the provided ergonomics data within a risk assessment procedure (Clause 5). A further
application of the data may be the specification of temperature limit values for hot surfaces. Such temperature
limit values may be specified in product standards or in regulations in order to prevent human beings
sustaining a burn when in contact with the surface of a hot product. Guidance on how to select reasonable
temperature limit values for that purpose is given in Clause 7. For different products with the same risk of
burning it is reasonable to establish identical surface temperature limit values. Therefore, this part of
ISO 13732 provides the possibility of harmonizing such temperature limit values for all kind of products.
Touching a hot surface may take place intentionally, e.g. to operate an electrically or gas powered machine or
tool, or unintentionally, when a person is near a hot object. The period of contact with the hot surface will be
different if the object is touched intentionally than if it is touched unintentionally. Considering human reaction
times and their distribution in the population, 0,5 s is the minimum applicable contact period for unintentional
touching of a hot surface for healthy adults on an acceptable safety level. For intentional touching the
minimum applicable contact period will be longer. For the application of this part of ISO 13732, it is essential
to select a contact period which best represents the real circumstances when a hot product is touched.
Guidance for such selection is given in Annex B.
The ergonomics data provided in this part of ISO 13732 are mainly based on scientific research and represent,
as far as is known, the behaviour of the human skin when in contact with a hot surface. Some of the data (e.g.
burn threshold data for very short contacts of 0,5 s) are not directly based on scientific research but are
deduced by extrapolation of the known threshold curves or by reasonable conclusion using scientific results.
The temperature threshold values provided in this part of ISO 13732 are valid for burning the skin when in
contact with hot surfaces. For the time being there are not sufficient scientific data available on the effects of
discomfort and pain to for them to be included in this part of ISO 13732. Some data for pain can be derived
from national standards (see Annexes A and the Bibliography). Research projects are planned for obtaining
data for discomfort and pain. When the results of these projects are available, this part of ISO 13732 may be
revised in order to also include discomfort and pain temperature threshold values. ISO 13732-2 deals also
with discomfort.
This part of ISO 13732 does not provide burn data on the skin that comes into contact with liquids or gases.
NOTE With the exception of water there are no such data available up to now. For water and liquids with similar heat
capacity and heat flow properties burn threshold values for bare metals can be chosen.
© ISO 2006 – All rights reserved v

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 13732-1:2006(E)

Ergonomics of the thermal environment — Methods for the
assessment of human responses to contact with surfaces —
Part 1:
Hot surfaces
1 Scope
This part of ISO 13732 provides temperature threshold values for burns that occur when human skin is in
contact with a hot solid surface.
It also describes methods for the assessment of the risks of burning, when humans could or might touch hot
surfaces with their unprotected skin.
This part of ISO 13732 also gives guidance for cases where it is necessary to specify temperature limit values
for hot surfaces; it does not set surface temperature limit values.
NOTE 1 Such temperature limit values can be specified in specific product standards or in regulations in order to
prevent human beings sustaining burns when in contact with the hot surface of a product.
This part of ISO 13732 deals with contact periods of 0,5 s and longer.
It is applicable to contact when the surface temperature is essentially maintained during the contact (see 4.1).
It is not applicable if a large area of the skin (approximately 10 % or more of the skin of the whole body) can
be in contact with the hot surface. Neither does it apply to skin contact of more than 10 % of the head or
contact which could result in burns of vital areas of the face.
NOTE 2 In some cases, the results of contact with a hot surface can be more serious for the individual, for example:
⎯ burns resulting in the restriction of airways;
⎯ large burns (more than 10 % of the body surface) that can impair the circulation by fluid loss;
⎯ heating of a large proportion of the head or whole body that could lead to unacceptable heat strain even in the
absence of burning.
This part of ISO 13732 is applicable to the hot surfaces of all kind of objects: equipment, products, buildings,
natural objects, etc. For the purposes of simplification, it mentions only products; nevertheless, it applies to all
other objects as well.
It is applicable to products used in any environment, e.g. in the workplace, in the home.
It is applicable to hot surfaces of products that may be touched by healthy adults, children, elderly people and
also by people with physical disabilities.
It does not provide data for the protection against discomfort or pain.
© ISO 2006 – All rights reserved 1

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
ISO 13732-1:2006(E)
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments).
ISO 7726:1998, Ergonomics of the thermal environment — Instruments for measuring physical quantities
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
touchable surface
surface of a product that can be touched by a person’s skin
3.2
surface temperature
T
s
temperature of a material’s surface
NOTE Surface temperature is expressed in degrees Celsius (°C).
3.3
contact period
D
duration of contact of the skin with the surface
NOTE Contact period is expressed in seconds (s).
3.4
thermal inertia
product of density (ρ), thermal conductivity (K) and specific thermal capacity (c) of a material
3.5
burn threshold
surface temperature defining the boundary between no burn and a superficial partial thickness burn, caused
by contact of the skin with this surface for a specified contact period
NOTE Burns are classified into three levels, depending on severity.
⎯ superficial partial thickness burn:
in all but the most superficial burns, the epidermis is completely destroyed but the hair follicles and sebaceous glands
as well as the sweat glands are spared.
⎯ deep partial thickness burn:
a substantial part of the dermis and all sebaceous glands are destroyed and only the deeper parts of the hair follicles
or the sweat glands survive.
⎯ whole thickness burn:
the full thickness of the skin is destroyed and there are no surviving epithelial elements.
2 © ISO 2006 – All rights reserved

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
ISO 13732-1:2006(E)
4 Burn thresholds
4.1 General
This clause provides surface temperature data for burn thresholds.
NOTE The occurrence of burning depends on the temperature of the skin and on the period of raised skin
temperature. The connection between skin temperature, the period of its influence and occurrence of burning has been
scientifically studied and is known (see Annex A). But it is not practicable by simple means to measure the temperature of
the skin during its contact with the hot surface of a product. Therefore, in this part of ISO 13732 it is not the temperature
values of the skin which are specified but the temperature values of hot surfaces of products which, when in contact with
the skin, lead to burns (the burn thresholds). The temperature of a surface of a product is simply measurable by
appropriate measuring facilities.
The surface temperatures which lead to burns during contact of the skin with a hot product depend on the
material of which the product consists, and on the period of the contact of the skin with the surface. This
relationship is presented in Figure 1, which shows this relationship for several groups of materials which have
similar heat conductivity properties and therefore similar burn thresholds.

Key
D contact period
T surface temperature
s
1 plastics
2 ceramics
3 metals
4 burn threshold
Figure 1 — Illustration of general relationship between burn threshold and contact period when hot
surface is touched by skin
© ISO 2006 – All rights reserved 3

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SIST EN ISO 13732-1:2008
ISO 13732-1:2006(E)
A point on a burn threshold curve indicates, for a particular contact period, that surface temperature which lies
between non-injury of the skin and the onset of a superficial partial thickness burn when the skin comes into
contact with the hot surface. Surface temperature values lying below the curve in general do not lead to a burn.
Surface temperature values lying above the curve will lead to a burn of the skin (see also Annex A).
The illustrative Figure 1 only serves to provide a better understanding and does not accurately represent the
burn threshold data. The exact burn threshold values are to be taken from Figures 2, 5, 6 and 7 and Table 1.
For short contact periods the burn thresholds are not drawn as lines in the illustrative Figure 1 and the detailed
Figures 2, 5, 6 and 7, but as spreads. This takes into account the fact that for short contact periods the
knowledge of the temperature boundary between non-burning and the onset of burning is not complete. The
burn threshold depends on several factors, including thickness of the skin at the touching point, moisture of
the skin’s surface (sweating), contamination of the skin (e.g. grease), touching force differences between the
heat conductivity properties of materials which have been combined in one group, uncertainties of the
scientific determination of the burn threshold values (see also Annex A). However, these influences are
considered to be minor compared to the influence of the heat conductivity properties of the different material
groups.
For longer contact periods the uncertainties are less than for short contact periods. So for long contact periods
exact values for burn thresholds are specified. The differences in the values for different groups of materials
also disappear for long contact periods.
The data given presumes that the surface temperature is essentially maintained during the contact period
either by the mass of the product or by a heating source. These conditions will describe exposures which
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