Overview
EN ISO 17621:2015 (ISO 17621:2015) specifies requirements and laboratory test methods for length-of-stain detector tubes and their associated detector tube pumps used for short‑term measurements of specified chemical agents in workplace air. Published by CEN and identical to the international ISO version, this standard covers performance, test procedures, uncertainty assessment, and marking for detector tube measurement systems. It is intended for short‑term sampling and is not applicable for demonstrating compliance with long‑term personal exposure limits with reference periods greater than 15 minutes.
Key Topics
- Scope & applicability: Short‑term detector tube measurement systems for workplace atmospheres; supersedes EN 1231:1996.
- Detector tube requirements:
- Specified measuring range and scale
- Evaluation and reading of stain length
- Shelf life, packing and transport stability
- Mechanical strength and environmental influences
- Interferences and overloading behavior
- Required instructions for use
- Detector tube pump requirements:
- Stroke volume and leakage performance
- Mechanical strength and durability
- Explosion hazard considerations for electrically driven pumps
- Pump instructions for use
- Test conditions & methods:
- Prescribed laboratory conditions, reagents, apparatus and independent reference methods
- Generation of test gas mixtures and defined test sequences
- Detailed test procedures for tubes and pumps (visual checks, mechanical tests, leakage, durability)
- Measurement uncertainty:
- Identification of uncertainty sources and estimation methods (stain variability, pump stroke, temperature/humidity effects, etc.)
- Calculation of combined and expanded uncertainties
- Reporting & marking:
- Required content for test reports and product marking for tubes, pumps and packaging
- Supporting annexes: Test sequences, test instruments list and an example calculation for expanded uncertainty
Applications
EN ISO 17621:2015 is used to:
- Verify performance of detector tubes and pumps for occupational air monitoring
- Support manufacturers in product development and declaration of performance
- Guide industrial hygienists, occupational health professionals, testing laboratories and regulatory bodies in selecting and validating short‑term measurement systems
- Provide a harmonized test protocol for consistent assessment of portable, rapid field methods used in workplace atmospheres
Related standards
- EN ISO 17621:2015 aligns with ISO/TC 146 work on air quality and CEN/TC 137 guidance on assessment of workplace exposure. It replaces EN 1231:1996 and should be used alongside national occupational exposure limit guidance and measurement standards for longer‑term sampling.
Keywords: EN ISO 17621:2015, ISO 17621, workplace atmospheres, detector tubes, detector tube pumps, short‑term measurement, occupational exposure, air quality, measurement uncertainty, test methods.
