ISO 11999-10:2026

International
Standard
ISO 11999-10
First edition
PPE for firefighters — Test methods
2026-03
and requirements for PPE used
by firefighters who are at risk of
exposure to high levels of heat and/
or flame while fighting fires in
structures —
Part 10:
Respiratory protective devices
(RPD)
Équipement de protection individuelle pour pompiers —
Méthodes d'essai et exigences pour les équipements de protection
individuelle utilisés par les pompiers qui risquent d'être exposés
à des niveaux élevés de chaleur et/ou de flamme lorsqu'ils
combattent des incendies dans des structures —
Partie 10: Appareils de protection respiratoire (APR)
Reference number
© ISO 2026
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Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Design and performance requirements for PPE items and ensembles . 2
4.1 General .2
4.2 Innocuousness .2
4.3 PPE ensembles .2
5 Respiratory protective devices performance requirements (see ISO 17420-5) . 2
5.1 General .2
5.2 RPD classification .2
5.3 RPD requirements .2
Bibliography . 3

iii
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
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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 document 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).
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 94, Personal safety — Personal protective
equipment, Subcommittee SC 14, Firefighters' personal equipment.
A list of all parts in the ISO 11999 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
Introduction
In a world where there is an ever-increasing focus on worker occupational health and safety, fire services are
faced with the dilemma of trying to provide firefighters with as safe a work environment as is reasonably
possible whilst also having to deal with the ever-increasing risks our firefighters face whilst fighting fires in
both the urban, rural, industrial and wildland environments.
In the course of their duties, firefighters are exposed to many hazardous chemicals and carcinogens that
include smoke, soot, and the products of combustion such as heavy metals, benzene, perfluoroalkyl and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) which are inhaled, ingested, dermally absorbed, or both.
With the recent statement by the World Health Organization (WHO) elevating the classification of
occupational exposure as a firefighter to Group 1, ISO/TC 94/SC 14 Project Group on contaminates are
taking all possible steps to reduce the exposures to firefighters by reviewing all standards pertaining to PPE
used by firefighters and making recommendations to address identified shortfalls.
The following is an extract from the statement released by the WHO:
[7]
— International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) , the cancer agency of the World Health Organization
(WHO), has evaluated the carcinogenicity of occupational exposure as a firefighter
— A Working Group of 25 international experts, including 3 Invited Specialists, from 8 countries was
convened by the IARC Monographs program for a meeting in Lyon
— After thoroughly reviewing the available scientific literature, the Working Group classified occupational
exposure as a firefighter as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), on the basis of sufficient evidence for
cancer in humans.
ISO/TR 21808 provides guidance on how to carry out a risk assessment, the guidelines were developed
previously based on the work of CEN Technical Committee TC 162, Joint Working Group for firefighters
personal protective equipment and has been modified to encompass PPE worn by all emergency service
personnel.
During incidents being undertaken by emergency service personnel, many different hazards may be
encountered, including exposures to a range of chemicals that are biproducts of fires occurring in the urban
and wildland environment. Where possible, the level of risk that each hazard presents to firefighters must
be eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level. The guidance given in ISO/TR 21808 indicates how to carry
out a risk assessment by acknowledging the hazards that may be present, the likelihood of the firefighters
becoming exposed to them and possible consequence of such exposure if not addressed.
This document provides minimum design and performance requirements for respiratory protective devices
(RPD) worn by firefighters
...