ISO 11613:2017

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 11613
Second edition
2017-12
Protective clothing for firefighter's
who are engaged in support activities
associated with structural fire
fighting — Laboratory test methods
and performance
Vêtements de protection pour sapeurs-pompiers engagés dans
des activités de support associées à la lutte structurelle contre les
incendies — Méthodes d'essai et exigences de performance
Reference number
ISO 11613:2017(E)
©
ISO 2017

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ISO 11613:2017(E)

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ISO 11613:2017(E)

Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction .vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 2
3 Terms and definitions . 3
4 Symbols and subscripts . 7
4.1 Symbols . 7
4.2 Subscripts . 8
5 Design and performance requirements . 8
5.1 General . 8
5.2 Design requirements . 8
5.2.1 Configuration . 8
5.2.2 Restriction of movement . 8
5.2.3 Multilayer clothing assemblies . 8
5.2.4 Component assembly . 9
5.2.5 Extension of interlining and innermost layers . 9
5.2.6 Size designation . 9
5.2.7 Hardware . 9
5.2.8 Closure systems . 9
5.2.9 Interface areas . 9
5.2.10 External pocket requirements .10
5.2.11 High-visibility materials .10
5.2.12 Additional requirements .12
6 Sampling, pre-treatment and conditioning .12
6.1 Sampling .12
6.1.1 Samples .12
6.1.2 Exposure surface .13
6.2 Pre-treatment and conditioning .13
6.2.1 Pre-treatment by laundering or dry cleaning .13
6.2.2 Conditioning .13
7 Requirements .13
7.1 General .13
7.1.1 Flame resistance (surface exposure) .14
7.1.2 Flame resistance (Edge ignition) .16
7.1.3 Heat transfer (flame exposure) .16
7.1.4 Heat transfer (radiant exposure) .16
7.1.5 Residual strength of material when exposed to radiant heat .16
7.1.6 Heat resistance .17
7.1.7 Tensile strength .17
7.1.8 Tear strength .17
7.1.9 Water absorption resistance .17
7.1.10 Dimensional Stability .17
7.1.11 Liquid-chemical penetration resistance .18
7.1.12 Water penetration resistance .18
7.1.13 Thermal comfort: Water vapour resistance .18
7.1.14 Seam strength .18
7.2 Photometric requirements of high-visibility retroreflective/combined
performance materials used on garments .19
7.2.1 New materials .19
7.2.2 Performance after exposure .19
7.2.3 Colour requirements of high-visibility fluorescent/combined
performance materials used on garments .20
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ISO 11613:2017(E)

7.2.4 Heat resistance of high-visibility materials used on garments.20
7.2.5 Flame spread of high-visibility materials used on garments .20
7.3 Additional garment testing (Optional) .20
7.4 Marking .21
7.5 Manufacturers’ information .21
Annex A (informative) A recommended approach and considerations for performing a
risk assessment .22
Annex B (normative) Water absorption resistance .27
Bibliography .29
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ISO 11613:2017(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.
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 documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2. www.iso.org/directives
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. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received. www.iso.org/patents
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see the following
URL: http://www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 94, Personal safety — Protective clothing
and equipment, Subcommittee SC 14, Fire-fighters personal equipment.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 11613:1999), which has been technically
revised.
This edition has been completely rewritten as the Scope and tittle of this document have changed.
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ISO 11613:2017(E)

Introduction
The purpose of this document is to provide minimum performance requirements for protective clothing
designed to protect firefighters who are engaged in support activities associated with interior attack
firefighting.
This document is intended for firefighters who are engaged in support activities associated with interior
attack firefighting. It is not intended for firefighters who are engaged in interior attack firefighting.
Interior attack firefighting and support activities of firefighting are defined in 3.8.1 and 3.8.2.
It provides guidance on the considerations for conducting a risk assessment of firefighting risks (see
Annex A).
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 11613:2017(E)
Protective clothing for firefighter's who are engaged in
support activities associated with structural fire fighting —
Laboratory test methods and performance
1 Scope
This document specifies test methods and minimum performance requirements for protective clothing
used by firefighters who are engaged in support activities of firefighting. This clothing is not intended
for interior attack firefighting. These support activities of firefighting are defined (see 3.8.2) as
activities such as:
— water and material supply;
— extinguishing fires from the outside of the structure;
— prevention of exterior spreading to adjacencies, preventing enviromental damage and limiting
effect of smoke;
— securing traffic and environment;
— first aid base activities;
— preparing the fire ground for subsequent activities;
— RPD replenishment tasks;
— assessment zone;
— BA communication;
— forward command post;
— evacuation;
— assist planning;
— assist logistics;
— assist communication;
— transportation.
This document covers the general clothing design, the minimum performance levels of the materials
used, and the methods of test for determining these performance levels.
This document is not equivalent to ISO 11999-3, clothing worn by firefighters who are at risk of
exposure to high levels of heat and/or flame while fighting fires occurring in structures. This document
provides lower minimum level of protection.
Selection of the appropriate system of clothing is dependent on carrying out an effective risk assessment
which identifies the hazards to be faced, evaluates the likelihood of those hazards, and provides the
means to reduce or eliminate these hazards. Details of one example of a recommended risk assessment
approach and some factors for consideration are included in Annex A
This document does not cover special clothing for use in other high risk situations such as specialized
firefighting, or clothing for use in long term firefighting operations in high ambient temperature, for
example bush, wildland, or forest firefighting where clothing according to ISO 15384 could be more
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ISO 11613:2017(E)

appropriate. It does not cover clothing for use in high-risk fire exposures, for example reflective
protective clothing according to ISO 15538 could be more appropriate.
It does not cover protection for the head, hands and feet or protection against other hazards, for
example chemical, biological, radiation and electrical hazards. These aspects can be dealt with in other
standards.
NOTE Additional “fit for purpose” personal protective equipment to protect the head, hands, respiratory
system and feet should be worn with clothing specified in this document and in majority of situations appropriate
protection is also required to be worn. Firefighters need to be trained in the use and care of protective clothing
covered by this document including an understanding of its limitations and of the other items of personal
protective equipment that can be required depending on the risks encountered
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 811, Textile fabrics — Determination of resistance to water penetration — Hydrostatic pressure test
ISO 1421, Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics — Determination of tensile strength and elongation at break
ISO 3175-1, Textiles — Professional care, drycleaning and wetcleaning of fabrics and garments — Part 2:
Procedure for testing performance when cleaning and finishing using tetrachloroethene
ISO 4920, Textile fabrics — Determination of resistance to surface wetting (spray test)
ISO 5077, Textiles — Determination of dimensional change in washing and drying
ISO 6530, Protective clothing — Protection against liquid chemicals — Test method for resistance of
materials to penetration by liquids
ISO 6942, Protective clothing — Protection against heat and fire — Method of test: Evaluation of materials
and material assemblies when exposed to a source of radiant heat
ISO 9151, Protective clothing against heat and flame — Determination of heat transmission on exposure
to flame
ISO 13688:2013, Protective clothing — General requirements
ISO 13934-1, Textiles — Tensile properties of fabrics — Part 1: Determination of maximum force and
elongation at maximum force using the strip method
ISO 13935-2, Textiles — Seam tensile properties of fabrics and made-up textile articles — Part 2:
Determination of maximum force to seam rupture using the grab method
ISO 13937-2, Textiles — Tear properties of fabrics — Part 2: Determination of tear force of trouser-shaped
test specimens (Single tear method)
ISO 14116:2015, Protective clothing — Protection against flame — Limited flame spread materials,
material assemblies and clothing
ISO 15025:2016, Protective clothing — Protection against flame — Method of test for limited flame spread
ISO 17493, Clothing and equipment for protection against heat — Test method for convective heat
resistance using a hot air circulating oven
ISO/TR 19591, Personal protective equipment for firefighters — Standard terms and definitions
ISO 20471:2013, High visibility clothing — Test methods and requirements
CIE 054.2, Retroreflection — Definition and measurement
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ISO 11613:2017(E)

3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/TR 19591 and the
following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
char
formation of a brittle residue when material is exposed to thermal energy
3.2
collar lining
that part of the collar fabric component assembly that is next to the skin when the collar is closed in the
raised position
3.3
closure system
method of fastening openings in the garment including combinations of more than one method of
achieving a secure closure, for example a slide fastener covered by an overlap fastened down with a
touch and close fasteners
Note 1 to entry: This term does not cover seams.
3.4
component assembly
combination of all materials and hardware of a multilayer garments presented exactly as in the finished
garment construction
Note 1 to entry: This term does not cover reinforced materials.
3.5
coverall
one-piece garment that is designed and configured to provide protection to the torso, neck, arms, and
legs, excluding head, hands, and feet
3.6
drip
to run or fall in drops or blobs
3.7
firefighters’ protective clothing
garments configured as a jacket (3.17), trousers or coverall (3.5) for the protection for the firefighters
upper and lower torso, neck, arms, and legs, but excluding the head, hands, and feet
3.8
firefighting activities

3.8.1
interior attack firefighting
activities of rescue, fire suppression and property conservation generally performed in the interior or
in the immediate vicinity of the fire of the involved structure
3.8.2
support activities of firefighting
activities executed by firefighters, who are not involved in interior attack but support through
activities such as
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ISO 11613:2017(E)

— water and material supply
— extinguishing fires from the outside of the structure
— prevention of exterior spreading to adjacencies, preventing enviromental damage and limiting
effect of smoke
— securing traffic and environment
— first aid base activities
— preparing the fire ground for subsequent activities
— RPD replenmishiment tasks
— assessment zone
— BA communication
— forward command post
— evacuation
— assist planning
— assist logistics
— assist communication
— transportation
3.9
garment
single item of clothing which may consist of single or multiple layers
3.10
hardware
non-fabric components of protective clothing including those made of metal or plastic
Note 1 to entry: Examples include fasteners, closure systems (3.3), rank markings, buttons, zippers, embroideries,
braces, etc.
3.11
HTI
12
heat transfer index to one decimal place calculated from the mean time (measured in seconds, to one
decimal place) to achieve a temperature rise of (12 ± 0,1) °C in the calorimeter
2
Note 1 to entry: When tested according to ISO 9151 with an incident heat flux of (80 ± 2) kW/m .
3.12
HTI
24
heat transfer index to one decimal place calculated from the mean time (measured in seconds, to one
decimal place) to achieve a temperature rise of (24 ± 0,2) °C in the calorimeter
2
Note 1 to entry: When tested according to ISO 9151 with an incident heat flux of (80 ± 2) kW/m .
3.13
impregnation
procedure to maintain or regain the repellent properties of the outer fabric and/or chemical penetration
resistance of the clothing
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ISO 11613:2017(E)

3.14
innermost lining
lining on the innermost face of a component assembly (3.4) which is intended to be nearest to the
wearers skin
Note 1 to entry: Where the innermost lining (3.14) forms part of a material combination, the material combination
is regarded as the innermost lining.
3.15
interface area
area where openings interrupt the continuity of material(s) or garments (3.9)
3.16
interlining
layer between the outermost layer and the innermost lining (3.14) in a multilayer garment (3.9)
3.17
jacket
long sleeved garment (3.9) incorporating materials meeting the requirements covering the areas of the
neck, shoulders, and torso, upper and lower back extending to the waist or the hips
3.18
main seam
outer-shell seam assemblies where rupture could reduce the protection of the garment (3.9) by exposing
the moisture management component, thermal barrier (3.32), the wearer’s station/work uniform, other
clothing, or skin
3.19
manufacturer
entity that assumes the liability and provides the warranty for the compliant product
3.20
materials
substances, excluding hardware (3.10) and labels, of which an item of clothing is made
3.21
material combination
material produced from a series of separate layers, intimately combined prior to the item’s
manufacturing stage
3.22
melt
to liquefy a material, usually by heat resulting in an non-reversible change
Note 1 to entry: For the purpose of this document, melting is observed as the response to heat as evidenced by
flowing or dripping.
3.23
moisture management component
fabric or membrane used in a component assembly (3.4) to achieve the properties of hydrostatic pressure
and water vapour permeability
Note 1 to entry: Moisture management component may not prevent the passage of some chemical (except
incidentally), biological or radiological agents. Appropriate PPE should be provided to protect the wearer in such
incidents.
3.24
multilayer clothing assembly
series of layers of protective clothing arranged in the order as worn
Note 1 to entry: It may contain multilayer materials, material combinations or separate layers of clothing material
in single layers.
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ISO 11613:2017(E)

3.25
non-woven
sheet of fibres, continuous filaments, or chopped yarns of any nature or origin, that have been formed
into a web by any means, and bonded together by any means, with the exception of weaving or knitting.
Note 1 to entry: Felts obtained by wet milling are not non-wovens.
3.26
outer material
outermost material of which the protective clothing is made
3.27
outer shell
outside facing portion of the component assembly (3.4) with the exception of trim (3.33), hardware
(3.10), reinforcing material, and wristlet (3.35) material
3.28
protective garment
single item of clothing which can consist of single or multiple layers of material
EXAMPLE Protective jacket (3.17), protective trouser, or protective coverall (3.5).
3.29
pre-treatment
standard way of preparing the samples before testing
Note 1 to entry: This might include e.g. a number of cleaning cycles, submitting the sample to heat, mechanical
action or any other relevant exposure and is finished by conditioning.
3.30
RHTI
12
radiant heat transfer index to one decimal place calculated from the mean time (measured in seconds,
to one decimal place) to achieve a temperature rise of (12 ± 0,1) °C in the calorimeter
2
Note 1 to entry: When tested according to ISO 6942 with an incident heat flux of 40 kW/m .
3.31
RHTI
24
radiant heat transfer index to one decimal place calculated from the mean time (measured in seconds,
to one decimal place) to achieve a temperature rise of (24 ± 0,2) °C in the calorimeter
2
Note 1 to entry: When tested according to ISO 6942 with an incident heat flux of 40 kW/m .
3.32
thermal barrier
that portion of the component assembly (3.4) designed to provide thermal protection
3.33
trim
retroreflective and fluorescent material attached to the outer shell (3.27) for visibility enhancement
Note 1 to entry: retroreflective materials enhance night-time visibility, and fluorescent materials enhance
daytime visibility.
3.34
undergarment
garment (3.9) designed to be worn separately under an outer garment in order to provide thermal
insulation
3.35
wristlet
circular, close-fitting part of a garment that encircles the wrist or ankles tightly
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ISO 11613:2017(E)

4 Symbols and subscripts
4.1 Symbols
Ar total retroreflective trim surface area
A total surface area of the plate
p
C coefficient of luminous intensity
l
C coefficient of reflectivity
r
H heat power input
I permeability index
m
I heat transmission index
Q
I thermal protection index
T
m mass
p water pressure
p water pressure of the ambient environment
a
p water pressure at the plate surface
p
R evaporative resistance
e
R intrinsic evaporative resistance of the test specimen
e,in
R evaporative resistance of the bare plate
e,p
R total evaporative resistance
e,tot
R thermal resistance
T
R intrinsic thermal resistance of the test specimen
T,in
R thermal resistance of the bare plate
T,p
R total thermal resistance
T,tot
...