ISO 15011-1-2009 PDF

Full title and description

Health and safety in welding and allied processes — Laboratory method for sampling fume and gases — Part 1: Determination of fume emission rate during arc welding and collection of fume for analysis. This International Standard specifies a laboratory procedure for measuring the emission rate of particulate fume produced by arc welding and for collecting fume for subsequent chemical analysis.

Abstract

ISO 15011-1:2009 defines a laboratory method (fume box / chamber technique) to determine the emission rate of welding fume generated during arc welding and gives procedures for sampling and preparing collected particulate for analysis. The methods are applicable to open arc welding processes (except tungsten inert gas — TIG — welding, which produces little fume) and are intended to support evaluation of electrodes, wires, welding parameters and shielding gases with respect to fume generation.

General information

• Status: Published (confirmed international standard).
• Publication date: 2009 (Edition 2, October 2009).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 13.100 (Occupational safety / Industrial hygiene); 25.160.10 (Welding processes).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2009).
• Number of pages: 20 (ISO bibliographic record).

Scope

This part of ISO 15011 specifies a laboratory method for measuring particulate fume emission rates from arc welding and for collecting particulate fume for subsequent chemical analysis. It is intended for use with open arc welding processes (manual, mechanized or automatic) but excludes TIG welding because of its low fume generation. The method can be used to compare electrodes/wires, processes, shielding gases and welding parameters and to characterise fume composition for health and safety assessments.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of the test principle for emission-rate measurement using a laboratory fume box or chamber.
• Requirements for test equipment and materials, including fume collection media and flow measurement instrumentation.
• Detailed test procedures (preparation, welding conditions, sampling duration and repetition) and calculation/reporting of emission rates (mass per work-unit or mass per minute as appropriate).
• Procedures for collection, handling and preparation of particulate samples for subsequent chemical analysis and reference to suitable analytical techniques.
• Guidance on possible designs of test chambers/hoods, informative notes on equipment, and annexes with test procedures and a sample test report.
• Limitations and exclusions (e.g., TIG welding) and cautions about extrapolating laboratory emission rates directly to workplace exposure without considering environmental and positional factors.

Typical use and users

Primary users include occupational hygienists, laboratory personnel performing fume characterisation, welding consumable manufacturers (electrode and wire suppliers), research institutions studying welding emissions, and regulators or certification bodies assessing product safety and preparing fume data sheets. Laboratories use the standard to generate comparable emission-rate data and to support material safety data sheet information and risk assessments.

Related standards

ISO 15011 is a multi‑part series addressing laboratory methods for welding fume and gases. Relevant parts include: ISO 15011-2 (determination of emission rates of gases other than ozone — revised in 2009), ISO 15011-3 (determination of ozone emission rate during arc welding — 2009), ISO 15011-4 (fume data sheets — 2017) and ISO 15011-5 (identification of thermal-degradation products by pyrolysis-GC-MS — 2011). Earlier 2002/2003 editions of parts 1–3 were revised by the 2009 editions.

Keywords

welding fume; emission rate; fume sampling; laboratory method; arc welding; particulate analysis; fume box; occupational hygiene; ISO 15011; welding safety.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 15011-1:2009 is an ISO International Standard that specifies a laboratory method to determine the emission rate of particulate fume produced during arc welding and to collect that fume for subsequent chemical analysis.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the test principle, recommended equipment and materials, detailed sampling procedures, calculation and reporting of emission rates, and guidance on sample collection and preparation for analysis. It is applicable to open arc welding processes but excludes TIG welding.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Occupational hygienists, accredited testing laboratories, welding consumable manufacturers, researchers studying welding emissions, and regulators preparing fume data sheets or assessing health and safety risks use this standard.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2009 second edition (ISO 15011-1:2009) replaced the 2002 edition. According to the ISO bibliographic record this edition has been reviewed and confirmed (i.e., it remains current as the published edition). Users should check their national adoption notices for any regional amendments.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 15011 is a multi‑part series covering laboratory methods for sampling welding fume and gases; other parts address gases, ozone, fume data sheets and identification of thermal-degradation products. See parts 2–5 for complementary methods and data-sheet requirements.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Key keywords are welding fume, emission rate, sampling, fume box, particulate analysis, arc welding, occupational hygiene, and fume data sheet.