Why have a garment certified ISO 11611?
The ISO 11611:2015 standard is an internationally recognized design and manufacturing standard for these types of work.
“This international standard specifies the minimum basic safety requirements and test methods for protective clothing, including hoods, aprons, sleeves, and gaiters, designed to protect the wearer’s body, including the head (hoods) and feet (gaiters), and which are to be worn during welding and allied processes with comparable risks.”
It has been adopted by the CNESST and has been in effect since 2020. Essentially, the ISO 11611 standard, following a precise protocol, subjects the garment to molten metal droplets, and the garment must demonstrate durability performance as established by the standard.
Therefore, a garment certified ISO 11611 offers better performance against welding sparks and droplets than the NFPA 2112 garment, which only offers performance against open flame.
STANDARDS
ISO 11611:Class 2, A1 + A2 (BNQ Certified)
NFPA 2112-2018 certified by UL
Standard for flame-resistant garments for protection of industrial workers against flash fires
CAN/CGSB 155.20-2017 (compliant)
Protective workwear against hydrocarbon flash fires
NFPA 70E
Compliant with ASTM F1506
CSA Z462-18 (compliant)
Workplace electrical safety
Acceptable under OSHA 1910.269 final rule
ATPV:17 cal/cm², ARC 2
Arc Thermal Performance Value
Thermal Protection Performance (TPP): 10.9 cal/cm²
How to identify if a garment is properly certified?
Example of a label containing the information required by the
ISO 11611:2015 standard.
- Name, brand, or identification of the manufacturer or distributor.
- Trade name, model code, or style code of the protective garment.
- Reference to ISO 11611:2015, class of the protective garment (Class 1 or Class 2), and limited flame spread test method (A1 or A1 + A2). The example concerns a Class 1 protective garment tested with both limited flame spread methods (A1 + A2).
- Welding pictogram.
- Size designation of the protective garment. The example indicates a large protective garment (LG) for a person measuring between 1.76 m and 1.82 m (176-182), with a leg length from the waist of 1 m to 1.08 m (100-108).
- Pictogram indicating to read the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Cleaning codes. The example concerns a protective garment that can be washed in water at 60°C, should not be bleached, can be tumble dried at medium temperature, ironed at medium temperature, and can also be dry cleaned.
- Certification body information.
The identification of the certification body is the best way for the user or buyer of the protective garment to ensure that the product complies with the ISO 11611:2015 standard. If the manufacturer of the protective garment has obtained certification of conformity to this standard from a recognized certification body, it is their responsibility to affix the mark of this body and the certificate number issued to them on the protective garment.
In the absence of this certification mark, it is not assured that the garment meets all the requirements of the ISO 11611:2015 standard.
Protective garments intended for sale in the member states of the European Union bear the “CE” logo followed by a four-digit number (e.g., CE1234) identifying the certification body responsible for performing the examination, monitoring, and verification of the finished product.
The Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) is a recognized certification body in Canada and is identified by the conformity mark illustrated above.
What is the difference between Class 1 and Class 2?
Class 1 protective clothing is suitable for welding techniques and work situations that produce light quantities of sparks and molten metal droplets, and low radiant heat.
They are suitable for processes such as:
- Gas welding (OFW)
- Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW)
- Plasma arc welding (PAW)
- Spot resistance welding (RSW)
- Soft soldering (S)
- They are also suitable for grinding and sanding work.
Class 2 protective clothing withstands a greater quantity of sparks and molten metal droplets. They offer greater protection against radiant heat.
They are suitable for processes such as:
- Arc or torch gouging
- Plasma cutting (PAC)
- Oxy-fuel cutting (OC)
- Arc cutting with carbon electrode and air jet (AAC)
- Gas metal arc welding (GMAW)
- Flux-cored arc welding (FCAW)
- Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)
- Metal-cored arc welding (MCAW)
- Thermal spraying
They are also suitable for work in situations that increase concentrations of sparks or molten metal, such as in confined spaces or for overhead work.