Overview
ISO 16900-10:2015 is part of the ISO 16900 series on respiratory protective devices (RPD). This part specifies standardized test methods and equipment to assess RPD resistance to ignition, flame, radiant heat and heat. It provides procedures for whole devices or specific components and is intended as a supplement to performance standards that define the exact test conditions and pass/fail criteria.
Key topics
- Scope and prerequisites
- Specifies that the applicable performance standard should define test type, RPD exposure area, number of specimens, exposure temperature/time, preconditioning and mounting/orientation.
- General test requirements
- Ambient testing conditions, nominal values and tolerances, and measurement uncertainty (see Annex A).
- Resistance to hot particles
- Nichrome wire apparatus heated to about 500 °C, applied to each test location for 3 s to detect melting or ignition.
- Resistance to flame
- Multiple flame exposure methods including:
- Six-burner static test: array of six propane Teclu burners at (950 ± 50) °C, typical exposure 5 s; burners adjusted so burner tip to specimen distance is 250 mm; total propane flow to burners typically (21 ± 0.5) l/min.
- Six-burner dynamic test: rotating specimen through an array at (800 ± 50) °C to observe flame effects under motion.
- Additional configurations: single-burner dynamic, flame engulfment and fabric material flame resistance options.
- Test observations include dripping, burn-through, after-flame duration, and leak-tightness changes for respiratory interfaces.
- Radiant heat
- Procedures for radiant heat exposure at defined levels (Level 1–3) to evaluate material and assembly performance under radiant thermal loads.
- Reporting
- Test reports must include parameters from Clause 4 (test conditions) and outcome details (ignition, melting, burn-through, leak results).
Applications
ISO 16900-10:2015 is used by:
- RPD manufacturers for product design validation and compliance testing.
- Independent test laboratories and conformity assessment bodies performing type approval and certification.
- Standards developers and safety regulators referencing harmonized test methods for occupational protective equipment.
- PPE procurement specialists and safety engineers evaluating equipment for high-heat or fire-prone environments (fire service, petrochemical, welding, mining).
Keywords: ISO 16900-10:2015, respiratory protective devices, resistance to ignition, flame resistance testing, radiant heat testing, RPD test methods.
Related standards
- ISO 16900 series (Parts 1–14) - complementary RPD test methods
- ISO 16900-5 (headforms, breathing machines)
- ISO 16972 (terms and definitions)
- ISO 6941, ISO 13506 and ASTM D6413 - referenced textile and protective clothing test methods