Antistatic clothing suppresses the static charge, preventing sparks, which in turn can cause fire or explosions. EN 1149-5 is part of a larger system of European Norms that consists of several parts as follows:

• EN1149-1: This part includes test methods for the measurement of a fabrics surface resistance
• EN1149-2: This part includes test methods for the measurement of the electrical resistance through a material (vertical resistance)
• EN1149-3: This part includes test methods for the measurement of charge decay through a fabric
• EN1149-4: This is a complete garment test method but is still under development
• EN1149-5: This part covers the performance requirements for the garment.

About this EN Norm

The pictogram for this EN Norm is a lightning bolt placed above the text EN 1149-5 and specifies requirements for clothing that conducts electricity. When combined with other garments, this complete system forms part of a entirely earthed system which will prevents sparks and therefore an explosion.

• Clothing made to this EN Norm is only accepted in combination with the standard for flame retardant clothing (EN531 – now EN11612). Clothing to this norm is:
• Worn in explosion-hazard environments because if there is a risk of explosion, there is also a risk of fire.
• Should not be worn in oxygen-enriched environments.
• Does not provide any protection against electric shocks/mains voltage.
• These garments are often also used by companies that need to adhere to the ATEX guidelines for explosive environments.

Requirements of this EN Norm

There are various design requirements set out in this EN Norm to which garment manufacturers must adhere to when designing products. The following bullet points are taken from the standards document.

• Garments must meet the requirements specified in EN 340
• Any components in the garment that can carry an electric charge (metal buttons, etc.) must be covered on the outside
• Any non-conductive elements such as reflective strips or logos are permitted, provided they are permanently attached.
• In itself, clothing that complies with EN1149-5 is insufficient. To be entirely compliant, the wearer must also wear shoes that conduct electricity through the soles.
• The outer material must always be in contact with the wearer’s skin. Garment technicians must take this into consideration when designing garments.

About ATEX

ATEX is a guideline.for businesses where there is risk of explosion such as flour producers, chemical works and wood dust producers. There are many requirements covered within the guideline, other than clothing, that companies must comply with including equipment, installation of the equipment, the security of work areas and the protection of employees.

The directive mentions PPE (Personal Protection Equipment), which includes clothing among other things. Garments that are certified according to the EN 1149 standard complie with the requirements of the ATEX directive.

Brubeck Protect produce garments to protect wearers against heat & flame in accordance with this European Standard. This standard replaces the withdrawn EN531 standard and shows their continuous commitment to offer garments certified to the latest specifications.

About this EN Standard

The requirements apply to clothing intended for a wide range of application which offer limited flame spread and provide protection against various hazards including Radiant Heat, Convective Heat and splatters of Molten Metal. The pictogram is the same as the withdrawn EN531 standard. There are several fabric tests within this EN Standard and the results of the tests are represented by the pre-fix letters A, B, C, D, E and F. A number after these letters indicates the performance of the fabric within this test. If a (0) is shown, then the fabric has not been tested or does not acheive the lowest value attainable with the test.

Fabric Requirements

General Requirment : The mechanical strength and heat resistance at a temperature of 180°C: the material shall not ignite or melt and shall not shrink by more than 5%.

Explaining the differentTests and Codes

Letter A (EN 15025)

This test consists of applying a flame to a fabric sample for 10 seconds. To pass the test, the after flame & smoulder times and formation of holes must be within the tolerances within the standard. The application of a flame can take place in two ways:

Code Letter A1 Surface Ignition, ISO15025 A
Procedure A (leads to Class A1), the flame is applied horizontally (similarly to EN470 and EN531)

• No specimen shall permit any part of the lowest boundary of any flame to reach the upper or either vertical edges
• No specimen shall give hole formation of 5mm or greater in any direction, except for an inter-lining that is used for specific protection other than heat and flame protection.
• No specimen shall give flaming or molten debris
• The mean value of after flame time shall be ≤ 2s
• The mean value of afterglow time shall be ≤ 2s

Code Letter A1 Edge Ignition, ISO15025 B
Procedure B (leads to Class A2), the flame is applied laterally.

• No specimen shall permit any part of the lowest boundary of any flame to reach the upper or either vertical edges
• No specimen shall give flaming or molten debris
• The mean value of after flame time shall be ≤ 2s
• The mean value of afterglow time shall be ≤ 2s

Letter B (ISO 9151)

Convective Heat: determination of the heat transmission when exposed to flames. The sample is held above the flame and the rise in temperature on the topside of the sample is measured with a calorimeter. The length of time the sample can remain exposed before its temperature rises by 24 °C is determined.
B1: 4 < 10 seconds, B2: 10 < 20 seconds, B3: 21 seconds and longer

Letter C (ISO 6942)

Exposure to Radiant Heat. In this test, a fabric sample is exposed to radiant heat (infrared rays). The temperature on the reverse (unexposed) side of the sample is registered using a calorimeter. Subsequently, the length of time the sample the sample can remain exposed before its temperature rises by 24°C is measured. The test procedure is the same as ISO 11611, but the classification is different:
C1: 7 < 20 seconds, C2: 20 < 50 seconds, C3: 50 < 95 seconds, C4: 95 seconds and longer

Letter D and E (ISO 9185)

D = Aluminimum
E = Molten Iron
Determining the level of protection against spatters of molten metal. A membrane (with similar properties to human skin) is attached to the reverse of the fabric sample sequentially rising quantities of molten metal (Aluminimum or Iron as applicable) are splashed on the sample. The quantity of molten metal which deforms the membrane is determined.

The classification for molten aluminium is:
D1: 100 < 200 grams, D2: 200 <350 grams, D3: 350 grams and more

The classification for molten iron is:
E1: 60 < 120 grams, E2: 120 < 200 grams, E3: 200 grams and more

Letter F (ISO 12127)

This is a new test to establish a value for contact heat.

The classification in this respect:
F1: 5 < 10 seconds, F2: 10 < 15 seconds, F3: 15 seconds and longer