EN ISO 11611

PPE Category 3

Protective equipment for welding and allied processes

Protection apparel for welding and allied processes
Protection against heat and splash

The international standard EN ISO 11611 specifies the minimum safety requirements for protective equipment to be worn during welding and other technical processes with comparable risks.

PPE category 2, EN ISO 11611 compliant items are intended to protect the user against molten metal splash, short term contact with a flame, radiant heat from an electric arc and minimise the risk of electric shock from  accidental contact with live electrical conductors

The scope of EN ISO 11611 includes hoods, aprons, sleeves and gaiters, intended to protect the body including the head (hoods) and feet (gaiters). Hand protection is excluded from its scope.

Performance levels

According to the performance requirements, EN ISO 11611 distinguishes between 2 classes of protection.

  • Class 1 Protection against low risks

Specifies requirements for welding techniques and situations that cause the least amount of metal splash and low radiant heat.

  • Class 2 – Protection against higher risks

Specifies the requirements for welding techniques and situations causing more metal splash and higher radiant heat.

For full protection against the risks encountered by welders, other items of PPE covered by other standards must be worn in addition in order to protect the head, face, hands and feet.

To define the protection class, various tests are carried out.

  • Flame spread tests
    The method used for these flammability tests depends on the risk that exists during foreseeable use.
  • Spray impact tests
    These tests determine the temperature rise behind a sample receiving a specified number of molten metal droplets.
  • Heat -transfer tests
    These tests determine the time required for a specific radiant heat to pass through the sample.
  • Electrical resistance tests
    These determine the resistance, and therefore the amperage, flowing through the sample when it is subjected to a voltage of 100 V.
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