🧵 Test of limited flame spread on vertically mounted flexible single- and multicomponent materials (coated, quilted, multilayered) — defined flame of a propane burner applied for 10 s to the surface (procedure A) or the bottom edge (procedure B), recording of melting, flame reaching the edges, afterglow, debris, flaming debris and holes, afterflame time and afterglow time, optionally damaged length, PN-EN ISO 15025

Materials and NDT PN-EN ISO 15025

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. We read the text of the standard in two iTeh samples: SIST EN ISO 15025:2017 (English text) — title page, European foreword with Annex ZA, ISO title page, contents, foreword and introduction — and ISO 15025:2016 (English text) — from the title page through Clauses 1–6 to 7.5 (templates) and Figure 1a on page 5 inclusive. Outside the samples remain Clauses 8 (sampling and sample preparation: number of specimens, pin marks, dimensions, multilayer specimens, seams, conditioning), 9 (procedure: burner set-up, test conditions, detection of flaming debris, course of procedures A and B), 10 (test report) and Annexes A–D (burner construction, laboratory techniques, measurement of damaged length, precision).

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF ISO 15025:2016 AND EN ISO 15025:2016 (forewords, introduction, Clauses 1–7.5). The standard was prepared by ISO/TC 94/SC 13 “Protective clothing” in collaboration with CEN/TC 162 (secretariat DIN); CEN approved EN ISO 15025 on 21.11.2016 without modification from ISO, and it superseded EN ISO 15025:2002; Annex ZA linked it to essential requirement 3.6.1 of Directive 89/686/EEC (protection against heat and fire — PPE constituent materials) together with the requirements of the product standard. The second ISO edition replaced ISO 15025:2000: all clauses, several figures and Annex C were revised, Clause 8 on sampling and sample preparation and Annex D on precision were added; to improve precision the specimen width for procedure B was reduced from 160 mm to 80 mm, the gas was limited to commercial propane, definitions of observations were added or revised and the preparation of hemmed, multilayer and seamed specimens was detailed. Introduction: the method arose in ISO/TC 38/SC 19 during the revision of ISO 6940 and ISO 6941 and is closely related to it — it uses the same equipment but narrower holders and templates in one procedure; materials which do not burn to the upper or vertical edges of the specimen may be classified as producing limited flame spread; the method assesses the response of textile fabrics to a short contact with a small flame; the influence of seams can be determined by placing the seam where the flame acts; trimmings should be tested where practicable as part of the fabric assembly on which they are used. Scope (1): two procedures — surface ignition and bottom-edge ignition — for determining flame spread properties of vertically oriented flexible single- or multicomponent materials (coated, quilted, multilayered, sandwich and similar) subjected to a small defined flame; it does not apply to situations with restricted air supply or exposure to large sources of intense heat and is not appropriate for materials that demonstrate extensive melting or shrinkage. There are no normative references (2). Terms (3, according to ISO/TR 11610 and own): afterflame time — duration of flaming after removal of the ignition source, reported to the nearest 1 s; afterglow — persistence of glowing combustion after cessation of flaming (or after removal of the source if there was no flaming), with heat and light but without flame; glowing inside the charred area without combustion, due to release of absorbed heat, is not recorded as afterglow; afterglow time — to the nearest 1 s; char — carbonaceous brittle residue; damaged length — length of the tear in the material after folding along a line through the highest peak of the char and tearing; debris — material falling without flame; flame application time; flaming debris — material falling and igniting the filter paper; hole — break of any size caused by the flame (in multilayer specimens holes are reported in each separable layer); multilayer assembly — two or more fabrics as separate layers (e.g. outer shell, interlining, lining); multilayer material — layers intimately combined before garment manufacture (weaving, quilting, coating, gluing). Principle (4): a defined flame from a specified burner is applied for 10 s to the surface or the bottom edge of vertical specimens; melting, flame spread, afterglow, formation of debris, flaming debris or a hole, as well as afterflame time and afterglow time are recorded; damaged length is optional in the edge procedure; surface tests may be performed on both sides of multilayer assemblies and of single-layer fabrics with different sides; in the edge procedure layers are tested separately or together, and hemming of specimens is decided by the product standard. Health and safety (5): burning produces smoke and toxic gases — a room of adequate size, clearing between tests by an extractor fan. Fuel (6): commercial propane of at least 95 % purity, flow controlled by a fine control valve and flow meter; use of methane, butane or butane/propane mixtures is recorded in the report as a deviation, because it changes the flame temperature and results. Apparatus (7): construction resistant to heat, flame and fumes (some combustion products are corrosive); location surrounded by sufficient volume of air without a cabinet; in an open-fronted fume hood the specimen at least 300 mm from walls; rectangular metal frame 10–20 mm wide with pins at the corners of a rectangle (190 ± 1) × (150 ± 1) mm for procedure A and (190 ± 1) × (70 ± 1) mm for procedure B; pins of (2 ± 0,5) mm diameter and (25 ± 1) mm length (longer for thick specimens); spacer stubs 2 mm in diameter and at least 20 mm long next to the pins, keeping the specimen at least 20 mm from the frame; burner according to Annex A, movable from a standby position (tip at least 75 mm from the specimen) to the horizontal or inclined position; mounting frame holding the holder and burner in the specified orientation; flat rigid templates 200 × 160 mm (procedure A) and 200 × 80 mm (procedure B) with holes of about 4 mm at the corners at the pin spacing, symmetrical about the vertical axis.

STATUS (as of 03.10.2026). The PKN search (term “PN-EN ISO 15025”, 03.10.2026) shows PN-EN ISO 15025:2017-02 in the Polish and English version (both “Introduces: EN ISO 15025:2016 [IDT], ISO 15025:2016 [IDT]”) without a withdrawal note and the withdrawn PN-EN ISO 15025:2005 (Polish version, replaced by 2017-02) and PN-EN ISO 15025:2003 (English version, replaced by 2005); the result PN-EN 15025:2010 concerns copper and copper alloys — a different document. In the iTeh catalogue (read on 03.10.2026) ISO 15025:2016 has the status “Published”, stage 90.20 (periodical review) since 15.07.2026; SIST EN ISO 15025:2017 is linked to Regulation (EU) 2016/425.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, load up to 17.09.2026, read on 03.10.2026). The number 15025 appears in 6 records at 5 laboratories: AB 029 (2), AB 154, AB 198, AB 1421, AB 1501. In the current PCA documents (read on 03.10.2026, issues from 16.01.2026 to 08.07.2026) the number appears in 6 rows of the same laboratories (AB 029 — 2, the others 1 each); in each of the five documents the number of page markers equals the number of PDF pages, without repetitions. The form “PN-EN ISO 15025:2017-02” (AB 029, AB 198, AB 1421), “PN-EN ISO 15025:2005” alongside “PN-EN ISO 15025:2017-02” (AB 154 — the withdrawn edition, in which the procedure B specimen was 160 mm wide) and “PN EN ISO 15025” without year and hyphen (AB 1501; recorded in the database copy as “EN ISO 15025”); at AB 029 for gloves PN-EN 407:2020-10 stands alongside. None of these items is suspended. The “Laboratories” tab (term “PN-EN ISO 15025”) shows 4 laboratories: AB 029, AB 154, AB 198 and AB 1421; AB 1501 is under “EN ISO 15025” — checked with tab queries on the production server labcoda.pl on 03.10.2026.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (items in PCA). Protective clothing and materials for its manufacture (AB 029), gloves and materials for their manufacture (AB 029), protective clothing — flat textile products (AB 1421), flat textile products (AB 154, AB 198), protective clothing (AB 1501). Characteristics: flammability or limited flame spread — flame reaching the edge, afterflame time, afterglow time (AB 029), afterflame and afterglow time (AB 1421), limited flame spread (AB 154), resistance to ignition (AB 198), flammability — burning time, edge burnt, occurrence of burning droplets and particles (AB 1501); at AB 029 “single flame method”. No scope indicates procedure A or B.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. With the gas: only commercial propane ≥ 95 %; another gas is a deviation to be reported (6). With the width of specimen B: 80 mm according to the 2016 edition — the old edition had 160 mm (foreword; frame 70 mm, template 200 × 80 mm in 7.2.1, 7.5). With mounting: specimen at least 20 mm from the frame on spacers, frame at least 300 mm from the hood walls (7.1, 7.2.3). With the burner: at standby at least 75 mm from the specimen (7.3). With afterglow: glowing inside the char without combustion is not afterglow (3.2). With multilayer assemblies: surface tests on both sides, holes in each separable layer (3.9, 4). With meltable materials: the method is not appropriate for those that melt or shrink extensively (1). With the reference: PN-EN ISO 15025:2005 is withdrawn.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not read the number and dimensions of specimens, the preparation of hems, seams and multilayer specimens, the conditioning conditions, the height and position of the flame, the course of procedures A and B, the criteria and report form, the burner construction, the measurement of damaged length or the precision (Clauses 8–10, Annexes A–D). We do not give classification requirements for clothing (product standards, e.g. for clothing protecting against heat and flame).

Method principle

A specimen of protective clothing material mounted vertically on pins is exposed for 10 s to a defined flame of a propane burner — on the surface (procedure A, specimen 200 × 160 mm) or on the bottom edge (procedure B, 200 × 80 mm). It is observed whether the flame reaches the upper or side edges, whether the specimen melts, forms a hole and falling (flaming) particles, and the afterflame time and afterglow time are measured to the nearest second; a material not burning to the edges produces limited flame spread.

Applications

• Flexible single- and multicomponent protective clothing materials: coated, quilted, multilayered, sandwich (1)
• Influence of seams and trimmings on fabric behaviour in flame (introduction)
• Protective clothing, gloves and flat textile products — flammability and limited flame spread in the accreditation scopes of 5 laboratories in PCA

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN ISO 15025:2017-02

Title (PL)

Odzież ochronna — Ochrona przed płomieniem — Metoda badania ograniczonego rozprzestrzeniania płomienia

Title (EN)

Protective clothing — Protection against flame — Method of test for limited flame spread

Step-by-step procedure

1. Specimens and conditioning

   According to Clause 8 (not read): specimens 200 × 160 mm (A) or 200 × 80 mm (B), with holes from the template. PN-EN ISO 15025:2017-02 without a withdrawal note (03.10.2026).

2. Mounting

   Vertically on the holder pins, at least 20 mm from the frame; frame ≥ 300 mm from walls (7.1, 7.2).

3. Flame

   Propane ≥ 95 %; burner moved from standby to the surface (A) or bottom edge (B) for 10 s (4, 6, 7.3).

4. Observations

   Flame reaching edges, melting, hole, debris, flaming debris; afterflame and afterglow time to 1 s (3, 4).

5. Report

   Results of both sides for multilayer assemblies; deviations (e.g. gas); damaged length optional in B (4, 6; Clause 10 not read).

Required equipment and apparatus

Reagents, media and consumables

Health and safety (OHS)

• Smoke and toxic gases from burning — ventilation of the test location between tests (5)
• Open flame and propane — protection against burns and gas leaks
• Combustion products may be corrosive — choice of apparatus materials (7.1)

Frequently asked questions