EN ISO 14116 is a European standard that relates to protective clothing designed to provide protection against flame and limited flame spread. The title of the standard is “Protective clothing – Protection against flame – Limited flame spread materials, material assemblies, and clothing.” It falls under the category of personal protective equipment (PPE) and is intended to ensure that protective clothing worn by workers in flame-exposed environments offers effective protection against flame and heat.
EN ISO 14116 specifies the requirements and testing methods for clothing, materials, and material assemblies that are intended to protect against limited flame spread. The standard aims to prevent the rapid spread of flames across the surface of the clothing, reducing the risk of injuries due to burns and other thermal hazards.
The main parameter covered by EN ISO 14116 is:
- Limited Flame Spread: The clothing’s ability to limit the spread of flames across its surface is tested to ensure protection against ignition and rapid flame propagation.
EN ISO 14116 categorizes protective clothing into three indexes:
- Index 1: Clothing in this category offers limited flame spread properties but does not provide protection against contact heat or convective heat.
- Index 2: Clothing in this category provides limited flame spread protection as well as protection against convective heat.
- Index 3: Clothing in this category provides limited flame spread protection as well as protection against radiant heat.
Garments conforming to EN ISO 14116 are often labeled with the relevant index information to indicate the level of protection they provide against flame spread.