European standards

The EN 469:2005 standard offers performance requirements for protective clothing for firemen. It demands high performances, which are verified in 20 tests. Essentially, the standard determines 4 key values: X_f (flame), X_r (radiation), Y (waterproofness) and Z (breathability).

Interventions on the road occur much more frequently than fire interventions. To accomplish those tasks in safety, you need high visibility clothing. This type of garment will warn car drivers that you are on the road. Especially in assembly environments high visibility clothing can save lives. For example, when the weather is bad combined with road markings, lights of other vehicles, wet road surfaces, etc.

The brigades’ risk assessment demands that their intervention gear complies with the EN ISO 20471:2013 standard. There are two options to comply with this standard. First, making an EN 469 suit that is also in accordance with EN ISO 20471:2013. Second, you can wear an EN ISO 20471:2013 class 2 jacket.

Garments that comply with this standard are used in environments where there is a risk of explosion (ATEX environments). That means that the outer fabric of the garment has to be anti-static (AST).

This new standard replaces the EN 15614 standard. It also states the different performance requirements wildland firefighter clothing has to comply with.