Overview - ISO 11999-9:2016 (Fire hoods)
ISO 11999-9 specifies minimum design and performance requirements and test methods for fire hoods as part of personal protective equipment (PPE) for firefighters exposed to high heat and/or flame in structural firefighting. The standard defines hood classification (Class 2 and Class 3), sizing, interfaces with breathing apparatus and turnout garments, sampling/pretreatment (laundering or dry-cleaning), and required laboratory performance tests.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Classification: Fire hoods are classified as Class 2 or Class 3, with progressively stricter performance limits for Class 3.
- Design basics: Close-fitting hood with facial opening to interface with facemask, a yoke interface to the protective garment, flexible fit, and robust seam construction.
- Sampling & pretreatment: Test specimens are subject to conditioning and, where specified, five cleaning cycles (wash: ISO 6330 procedure 2A at 60 ± 3 °C; tumble dry) or dry-cleaning (ISO 3175-1).
- Flame resistance: Tested per ISO 15025 - Class 2 uses surface ignition tests (Procedure A), Class 3 uses bottom-edge ignition (Procedure B) with limits on after-flame time (mean ≤ 2 s), char length, and absence of molten debris.
- Heat resistance: Exposed per ISO 17493 at specified temperatures: Class 2: 180 °C, Class 3: 260 °C; limits on shrinkage (≤5% / ≤10%) and no melting/dripping/ignition.
- Heat transfer performance:
- Flame exposure (ISO 9151): HTI minimums (Class 2 ≥ 8 s; Class 3 ≥ 11 s) and secondary HTI24–HTI12 requirements.
- Radiant exposure (ISO 6942): RHTI minimums (Class 2 ≥ 11 s; Class 3 ≥ 14 s).
- Combined flame + radiant alternative: ISO 17492 using TTI (Class 2 ≥ 700 J/m²; Class 3 ≥ 900 J/m²).
- Mechanical integrity: Residual burst strength after radiant exposure (ISO 13938-2) - Class 2 ≥ 300 kPa at 10 kW/m²; Class 3 ≥ 450 kPa at 20 kW/m². Seam burst strength ≥ 450 kPa.
- Dimensional controls: Hood opening size retention - change ≤ ±20% and not exceed 145 mm after don/doff cycling; dimensional change after laundering ≤ 5%.
- Thread resistance: Threads must not ignite, melt, or char when tested at 260 °C (ISO 3146).
Applications - who uses ISO 11999-9
- PPE manufacturers designing and certifying fire hoods
- Independent test laboratories conducting performance verification
- Fire service procurement and safety officers specifying compliant hoods
- Regulatory bodies, standards committees, and conformity assessment organizations
Related standards
- ISO 11999 (other parts: Part 1 General; Part 2 Compatibility; Parts 3–10 covering clothing, gloves, helmets, footwear, face/eye, hearing, respiratory protection)
- ISO 15025, ISO 9151, ISO 6942, ISO 17492, ISO 13938-2, ISO 3146, ISO 6330, ISO 5077, EN 960
Keywords: ISO 11999-9, fire hood standard, PPE for firefighters, firefighter PPE testing, flame resistance, heat transfer, HTI, RHTI, TTI, seam burst strength, hood opening retention.
Open preview (PDF)PPE for firefighters — Test methods and requirements for PPE used by firefighters who are at risk of exposure to high levels of heat and/or flame while fighting fires occurring in structures — Part 9: Fire hoods