EN ISO 11611
Protective clothing that protects during welding or similar work
EN ISO 11611 specifies requirements for protective clothing for welding and similar work. The standard covers requirements for both the material and the garment’s construction, in order to protect the wearer against risks such as welding spatter and radiant heat. The standard includes two protection classes, where the choice of class is based on the level of risk and the conditions in the working environment.
Read our WELDING guide
WHAT DOES THE STANDARD EN ISO 11611 MEAN?
EN ISO 11611 is the standard for protective clothing used in welding and similar work. The requirements are designed to protect the wearer against:
- Small splashes of molten metal
- Short-term contact with flame
- Radiant heat from the welding arc
- Minor electric shocks from occasional contact with live conductors (up to approx. 100 V DC during normal welding)
In addition to requirements for the protective properties of the material, the standard also sets requirements for the garment’s construction. The garments must be designed to minimise the risk of welding spatter becoming trapped, for example in pockets or other details on the garment.
Classification
The standard is divided into two different classes with different levels of protection:
| Class | Description | Limited flame spread |
Number of tested drops | *Radiant heat, RHTI24 (reaction time, seconds) |
Electrical resistance Ω |
| 1 | Indicates protection in less hazardous situations that cause lower levels of spatter and radiant heat. | A1 / A1+A2* | 15 | ≥ 7 | > 105 |
| 2 | Indicates protection in more hazardous situations that cause higher levels of spatter and radiant heat. | A1 / A1+A2* | 25 | ≥ 16 | > 105 |
* A1: Surface ignition, A2: Edge ignition
To withstand the radiant heat and UV radiation to which protective clothing is exposed, Class 2 garments are often made from heavier materials so that the fabric is not affected.
WELDING TECHNIQUE AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Which welding technique is used
- Work position (for example overhead work)
- The amount and type of spatter
- Whether the work takes place in confined or enclosed spaces
| Choice of protective clothing depending on process | |
| Class 1 | Manual welding technique with light formation of spatter and beads; gas welding, gas tungsten arc welding (TIG), gas metal arc welding (MIG), micro plasma welding, soldering, spot welding, metal arc welding (MMA, with rutile electrode) |
| Class 2 |
Manual welding technique with heavy formation of spatter and beads; metal arc welding MMA (with basic or cellulose electrodes), gas metal arc welding MAG (with carbon dioxide or gas mixture), gas metal arc welding MIG (with high current), arc welding with flux-cored wire, gouging, plasma cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, thermal spraying |
| Choice of protective clothing depending on environment | |
| Class 1 | Handling of machines; oxy-fuel cutting machines, plasma cutting machines, resistance welding, thermal spraying, bench welding |
| Class 2 | Handling of machines; in confined spaces. Welding or cutting above head height or in comparable unnatural positions. |
PRODUCTS WITH EN ISO 11611
Browse our products with welding protection.
EN ISO 11611 CL.1
Browse our products with welding protection.
EN ISO 11611 CL.2
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