IS 16890 : 2024 Textiles - Protective Clothing for Firefighters - Specification
1 SCOPE
This standard specifies test methods and minimum requirements for protective clothing for two categories (Category 1 and Category 2) of protective clothing for firefighters to be worn during firefighting and associated activities where there is a risk of heat and/or flame and covers the general clothing design, the minimum performance levels of the materials used, and the methods of test for determining these performance levels.
The Category 1 of protective clothing is recommended for work associated with outdoor firefighting as well as support activities. While Category 2 of protective clothing is recommended to be worn during intense structural firefighting, close firefighting operations and associated activities like rescue operations. Category 2 addresses protection requirements for increased risk of convective and radiant heat and/or flame exposures as compared to Category 1 protection requirements. Also, Category 2 covers higher mechanical performance test requirements in terms of tensile strength and tear strength so that the protective clothing can be deployed for more intense firefighting and rescue applications. To facilitate flexibility and comfort for firefighting and rescue applications, the Category 2 protective clothing also stipulates lighter garment assembly compared to Category 1 garment using lower weight of fabric layer assembly without lowering the performance requirements related to protection against convective and radiant heat.
This standard does not cover special clothing for use in other high risk situations such as specialized firefighting (fire entry application), or clothing for use in long term firefighting operations in high ambient temperature, for example brush, wildland, or forest firefighting. It does not cover protection for the head, hands and feet or protection against other hazards, for example biological, radiation and electrical hazards. These aspects may be dealt with in other standards.
NOTES
1 Additional personal protective equipment to protect the head, hands, and feet should be worn with clothing specified in this standard and in majority of situations breathing apparatus is also required to be worn. Firefighters should be trained in the use and care of protective clothing covered by this standard including an understanding of its limitations and of the other items of personal protective equipment that may be required depending on the risks encountered.
2 The protective clothing for firefighters under this standard is commonly referred to as fire proximity suits, firefighters’ suits and turn out gears
3 ISO 23616 may be referred for guidance regarding the cleaning, inspection and repair of this protective clothing.
2 REFERENCES
The standards listed in Annex A contain provisions, which through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this standard. At the time of publication, the editions indicated were valid. All standards are subject to revision and parties to agreements based on this standard are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent edition of these standards.
| IS No. | Title |
| IS 391 : 2020/ISO 811 : 2018 | Textile fabrics - Determination of resistance to water penetration - Hydrostatic pressure test (second revision) |
| IS 1969 (Part 1) : 2018/ISO 13934 -1 : 2013 | Textiles - Tensile properties of fabrics: Part 1 Determination of maximum force and elongation at maximum force using the strip method (fourth revision) |
| IS 6489 (Part 2) : 2011/ISO 13937 -2 : 2000 | Textiles - Tear properties of fabrics: Part 2 Determination of tear force of trouser shaped test specimens (single tear method) (second revision) |
| IS 13360 (Part 6/Sec 10) : 2023/ISO 3146 : 2022 | Plastics - Methods of test: Part 6 Thermal properties, Section 10 Determination of melting behaviour (melting temperature or melting range) of semicrystalline polymers by capillary tube and polarizing-microscope methods (second revision) |
| IS/ISO 13935-2 : 2014 | Textiles - Seam tensile properties of fabrics and made up textile articles: Part 2 Determination of maximum force to seam rupture using the grab method (first revision) |
| IS 14452 : 2023/ISO 3758 : 2012 | Textiles - Care labelling code using symbols (second revision) |
| IS 15370 : 2023/ISO 6330 : 2021 | Textiles - Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing (second revision) |
| IS 15758 | Textiles - Protective clothing: |
| (Part 1) : 2020/ISO 9151 : 2016 | Determination of heat transmission on exposure to flame (first revision) |
| (Part 2) : 2007/ISO 6942 : 2002 | Assessment of material assemblies when exposed to source of radiant heat |
| (Part 3) : 2007/ISO 6530 : 2005 | Test method for resistance of material to penetration by liquids |
| (Part 4) : 2020/ISO 15025 : 2016 | Method of test for limited flame spread (first revision) |
| IS 15809 : 2017 | High visibility warning clothes - Specification (first revision) |
| IS 17376 : 2020/ISO 11092 : 2014 | Textiles - Determination of physiological effects - Measurement of thermal and water-vapour resistance under steadystate conditions (sweating guarded-hot plate test) |
| IS 17462 (Part 1) : 2020/ISO 12127 -1 : 2015 | Clothing for protection against heat and flame - Determination of contact heat transmission through protective clothing or constituent materials: Part 1 Contact heat produced by heating cylinder |
| IS 17468 : 2020/ISO 17493 : 2016 | Clothing and equipment for protection against heat - Test method for convective heat resistance using a hot air circulating oven |