EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 1598

NORME EUROPEÂENNE
EUROPAÈISCHE NORM October 1997

ICS 13.340.99

Descriptors: Welding, arc welding, operating stations, work safety, accident prevention, screens (protectors), curtains, specifications,
transmittance, roasting tests, marking

English version

Health and safety in welding and allied processes Ð

Transparent welding curtains, strips and screens
for arc welding processes

HygieÁne et seÂcurite en soudage et techniques Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz beim Schweiûen

connexes Ð Rideaux, lanieÁres et eÂcrans und bei verwandten Verfahren Ð Durchsichtige
transparents pour les proceÂdeÂs de soudage aÁ l'arc SchweiûvorhaÈnge, -streifen und -abschirmungen fuÈr
Lichtbogenschweiûprozesse

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 26 September 1997.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a
national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical
references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to
the Central Secretariat or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German).
A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a
CEN member into its own language and notified to the Central Secretariat has the
same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and
United Kingdom.

CEN
European Committee for Standardization
Comite EuropeÂen de Normalisation
EuropaÈisches Komitee fuÈr Normung

Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 36, B-1050 Brussels

 1997 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national
Members.

Ref. No. EN 1598 : 1997 E

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EN 1598 : 1997

Foreword Contents
This European Standard has been prepared by Page
Technical Committee CEN/TC 121, Welding, the
secretariat of which is held by DS. Foreword 2
This European Standard shall be given the status of a 1 Scope 3
national standard, either by publication of an identical 2 Normative references 3
text or by endorsement, at the latest by April 1998, and 3 Definitions 3
conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at
the latest by April 1998. 4 Requirements 3
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, 4.1 Transmittance 3
the national standards organizations of the following 4.2 Reflectance 4
countries are bound to implement this European
4.3 UV-stability 4
Standard: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, 4.4 Resistance to ignition 4
Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, 5 Marking 4
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
6 Information for users 4
Annex
A (informative) Bibliography 7

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1 Scope 4 Requirements
This standard specifies safety requirements for Transparent welding curtains, strips and screens
transparent welding curtains, strips and screens to be consisting of different materials shall comply with all
used for shielding of workplaces from their requirements for each individual material at any part of
surroundings where arc welding processes are used. the device.
They are designed to protect people from hazardous For optical test methods see EN 167.
radiant emissions from welding arcs and spatter.
Welding curtains, strips and screens specified in this 4.1 Transmittance
standard are not intended to replace welding filters. The luminous transmittance tv , based on the spectral
Appropriate welding filters for intentional viewing of distribution of illuminant A according to ISO/CIE 10526,
welding arcs from a distance of less than 2 m are shall be greater than 0,000 1 %. Scattered light diffused
specified in EN 169. The present standard is not within 18 of the direction of the incident radiation shall
applicable for welding processes where laser radiation be included in the measurement.
is used. The spectral transmittance in the wavelength range
Darker curtains or screens can be used for mutual between 210 nm and 313 nm shall be less than 0,002 %,
separation of adjacent workplaces for reasons of and in the wavelength range between 313 nm
comfort. and 400 nm, less than 3 %.
In the wavelength range from 400 nm to 1400 nm, the
2 Normative references hazard level G shall be less than 1.
This European Standard incorporates by dated or The hazard level is defined by:
undated reference, provisions from other publications. 1400 nm
1
These normative references are cited at the G=
1000 nm l ∑ G(li)t(li)Dl
appropriate places in the text and the publications are i = 400 nm
listed hereafter. For dated references, subsequent where
amendments to or revisions of any of these
publications apply to this European Standard only li is the wavelength;
when incorporated in it by amendment or revision. For t(li) is the spectral transmittance of the
undated references, the latest edition of the publication wavelength li;
referred to applies.
Dl is the wavelength step for the summation,
EN 165 Personal eye-protection Ð Vocabulary and
EN 167 Personal eye-protection Ð Optical test G(li) is the spectral risk factor at the
methods wavelength li.
EN 168 : 1995 Personal eye-protection Ð Non-optical The values of the individual risk factors, g(li),
test methods
where
EN 169 Personal eye-protection Ð Filters for
G(li)
welding and related techniques Ð g(li) = ,
Transmittance requirements and 1000
recommended utilization are given for Dl = 10 nm in table 1. If a larger step
ISO/CIE 10526 CIE standard colorimetric width is used (e.g. 20 nm) the intermediate values can
illuminants be omitted. For other wavelengths the risk factors may
be calculated from the formula:

3 Definitions g(li) =  2,25 2 (0,00375l) for l < 600 nm


For the purposes of this standard, the following  0,0015 for l $ 600 nm
definition applies.
transparent In this formula the wavelength, li, has to be inserted in
nanometres (nm).
Curtains, strips and screens are considered transparent
if they allow visibility of the workplace. This does not
imply that they are glass clear.
For definitions, see also EN 165.

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Table 1. Wavelength dependence of the risk 4.4.3 A propane burner having a flame height
factor of 20 mm when put in the upright position
(see figure 2) is used. The burner has to burn for at
Wavelength, li Risk factor, g(li)
nm least 1 min. Then it is turned through an angle of 458.
400 0,7500 4.4.4 The burner is displaced towards the lower end
410 0,7125 of the test sample so that the tip of the flame hits the
420 0,6750 sample in the geometrical centre of its lower end.
During the test no draught shall be in the test room.
430 0,6375
440 0,6000 4.4.5 After 15 s the burner is removed. Carry out
450 0,5625 visual inspection to see if the flame reaches the test
mark 150 mm above the lower end of the sample
460 0,5250 (see figure 1) or whether the sample continues to glow.
470 0,4875
480 0,4500 4.4.6 The curtain, strip or screen material is
considered satisfactory if, for all three samples, the
490 0,4125 flame does not reach the test mark nor continues to
500 0,3750 glow after removal of the burner.
510 0,3375
520 0,3000 5 Marking
530 0,2625
In order to be able to identify and use welding
540 0,2250 curtains, strips and screens as intended, they shall be
550 0,1875 permanently marked.
560 0,1500 The marking shall be clearly visible, with letters at
570 0,1125 least 10 mm high. The marking consists of the number
580 0,0750 of this standard, the certification mark (where
590 0,0375 applicable), the manufacturer's, distributor's or
importer's name or trade mark, and the month and
600 to 1400 0,0015
year of manufacture.
4.2 Reflectance
When measured with an Ulbricht sphere, the spectral 6 Information for users
reflectance between 230 nm and 400 nm shall be less The manufacturer shall provide with each curtain, strip
than 10 %. The luminous reflectance shall be less and screen at least the following information:
than 10 % (based on the spectral distribution of
a) name and address of the manufacturer, distributor
standard illuminant A).
or importer;
4.3 UV-stability b) the number and year of publication of this
The relative change of the luminous transmittance due standard;
to the test in clause 6 of EN 168 : 1995 shall not be c) the model identification;
greater than ± 20 %.
d) instructions for storage, use and maintenance,
4.4 Resistance to ignition including a note that curtains, strips or screens with
defects have to be replaced or repaired;
4.4.1 Testing is done at (23 ± 5) 8C.
e) specific instructions for cleaning;
4.4.2 Three samples 190 mm long and 90 mm wide are f) details of the fields of use, protection capabilities
cut from the curtain, strip or screen. The samples are and performance characteristics, especially the
put in the sample holder (see figure 1). The lower end minimum distance of use;
of the sample shall be 40 mm above the lower end of
the sample holder. g) details of suitable accessories and spare parts,
and instructions for fitting.

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EN 1598 : 1997

a) Test mark
Dimensions in millimetres

Figure 1. Sample holder

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EN 1598 : 1997

1) Mounting device
2) Frame
3) Sample
Dimensions in millimetres

Figure 2. Burner and testing set-up

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Annex A (informative)
Bibliography
The following articles give the background and the
rationale for the use of a risk factor when evaluating
transparent curtains:
E. SUTTER. Die Schutzwirkung von Abschirmungen
fuÈr SchweiûarbeitsplaÈtze, Zbl. Arbeitmed.
42 (1992) 363-371.
D. H. SLINEY, E. SUTTER. Standards for transparent
welding curtains (to be published).

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