EN 469 — Firefighter protective clothing
Also known as: Firefighter clothing standard, EN 469:2020
European standard for protective clothing worn by firefighters during structural firefighting and similar activities.
Description
EN 469 sets minimum requirements and test methods for protective clothing worn by firefighters during structural firefighting and similar activities (excluding wildland fires and chemical incidents). Current edition is EN 469:2020, superseding EN 469:2005.
The standard grades three protection dimensions as letter-number pairs: X = heat transfer through flame, Y = water penetration resistance, Z = water vapour permeability. Each has level 1 (basic) and level 2 (enhanced). Garments carry a pictogram set such as Xf 2 · Xr 2 · Y 2 · Z 1.
- X — heat/flame protection, levels 1/2 for flash-of-flame and radiant heat
- Y — water penetration, level 2 = waterproof
- Z — water vapour permeability (Ret value)
- Also tested: tensile strength, seam strength, visibility of markings
Properties
| Issued by | CEN — European Committee for Standardization (Brussels) |
|---|---|
| Current edition | EN 469:2020 (supersedes EN 469:2005+A1:2006) |
| Rating dimensions | X (heat/flame), Y (water penetration), Z (vapour permeability) — each level 1 or 2 |
| Scope | Structural firefighting — not wildland (EN 15614) or chemical (EN 14605) |
| Typical materials | Nomex® aramids, PBI, Kermel — multi-layer with membrane liner |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- CEN — EN 469:2020 (Katalog) standards.cencenelec.eu https://standards.cencenelec.eu/dyn/www/f?p=CEN:110:0::::FSP_PROJECT,FSP_ORG_ID:70036,6103&cs=1BC1D3B4EE0CBA84027A4A4C6B0F9AB47
- Wikipedia: Structural firefighting Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunker_gear
