01
Purpose
EN ISO 11612 specifies minimum performance requirements for protective clothing against heat and/or flame. ISO 11612:2015 remains the published current edition while a new edition is at final-draft stage.
Protective ClothingTECHNICAL PPE LIBRARY
EN ISO 11612
Protective Clothing Against Heat and Flame
EN ISO 11612 specifies minimum performance requirements for protective clothing against heat and/or flame. ISO 11612:2015 remains the published current edition while a new edition is at final-draft stage.
Product type
Protective clothing against heat and flame
Field focus
Code + product + conditions of use
TECHNICAL PRODUCT IDENTITY
EN ISO 11612
EN ISO 11612StandardA-F CODESPerformance codesIDProduct identityAlways verify the actual product label, manufacturer technical documentation and conformity markings.
02
Typical use
Industrial tasks requiring limited flame spread and protection against radiant, convective or contact heat and certain molten-metal splash hazards.
03
What to look for?
Verify EN ISO 11612 marking and manufacturer-declared performance codes; only treat protection as valid for heat/flame hazards actually tested and marked on the product.
CLASSES & SELECTION LOGIC
Technical classes in this standard
A class code is not a selection decision by itself. Interpret it together with task-specific risk assessment and manufacturer data.
A
Limited flame spread
Garment limited-flame-spread performance.
B/C/D/E/F
Heat/metal performances
Performance areas such as convective heat, radiant heat, molten aluminium/iron and contact heat are interpreted from manufacturer markings.
READ THE PRODUCT LABEL
Code & marking decoder
EN ISO 11612StandardProtective clothing standard against heat and flame.A-F CODESPerformance codesOnly declared/marked performances are applicable.IDProduct identityManufacturer/model and traceability.READ THE PRODUCT IN THE FIELD
Where is the standard marking found?
Location varies by manufacturer and design. These are the first places to check; final verification must use the actual product and manufacturer documentation.
1
Garment inner label and performance codes
The marking should be legible, durable and match the product.
2
Manufacturer technical datasheet
The marking should be legible, durable and match the product.
STANDARD FAMILY
Standards often reviewed together
EN ISO 11612Protective clothing against heat/flame
EN ISO 11611Welding-process-specific clothing standard
COMMONLY CONFUSED
They are not the same thing
EN ISO 11612 ≠ automatic suitability for every high-temperature scenario
Marked A-F performances indicate which thermal hazards were tested.
WRONG-SELECTION EXAMPLE
A typical field mistake
Assuming molten-metal splash protection when only basic flame performance is marked.
Why is this a problem?
Molten-metal performance requires separate testing and marking.
Better approach
Match task heat hazards directly to the marked product performance codes.
WHERE IN THE FIELD?
Typical applications
01
Petrochemical
02
Metal processing
03
Furnace work
04
Maintenance
HSE FIELD CHECK
30-second field check
Use for quick pre-checks. It does not replace certification, competent inspection or task-specific risk assessment.
CHECK FOCUS
Are task-required performance codes marked on the product?
CRITICAL MISTAKE
Assuming molten-metal splash protection when only basic flame performance is marked.
BETTER APPROACH
Match task heat hazards directly to the marked product performance codes.
1
Are task-required performance codes marked on the product?
2
Any burns, holes or chemical contamination?
3
Is layering consistent with manufacturer instructions?
4
Are other body areas such as hands/head/feet protected separately?
Related PPE standards
EN ISO 11611 · Protective Clothing for Welding and Allied ProcessesEN ISO 20471 · High Visibility Clothing StandardEN IEC 61482-2 · Protective Clothing Against Electric Arc Thermal HazardsEN 1149-5 · Electrostatic Protective Clothing StandardEN ISO 13688 · Protective clothing general requirementsEN ISO 13982-1 · Type 5 solid particle protective clothing
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