National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 15493:2019. It supersedes BS EN 15493:2007, which is withdrawn.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee I/-/1, Safety of Candles and Related Products.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 31 October 2019.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 9 September 2019.

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 CEN-CENELEC Management Centre 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 CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.

European foreword

This document (EN 15493:2019) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 369 “Candle fire safety”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by April 2020, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by April 2020.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This document supersedes EN 15493:2007.

EN 15493:2019 includes the following significant technical changes with respect to EN 15493:2007:

terms and definitions have been improved;
a test method for self-extinguishing candles has been introduced;
the requirement for the aftersmoke time has changed;
the test procedure has been defined in more detail and the burn test cycles have been modified;
an informative Annex A for the calculation of the hourly fuel consumption has been added;
an informative Annex B for the analysis of container candle surface temperatures has been added.

According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Introduction

Candles have accompanied mankind for more than 2 000 years serving above all as a light source. Closely connected to the development history of the candle are the efforts made to improve its quality and its safety in use. Discussions in the past and present over possible self-forming, harmful emissions and fires caused by unsafe candles and/or inappropriate use during the burning of candles have led to consumer concern for these issues.

This document helps to ensure a reasonable degree of safety during use, thereby improving personal safety and reducing the risk of fires, deaths and injuries.

1 Scope

This document specifies requirements and test methods for the fire safety of candles intended to be burned indoors.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 Safety requirements

4.1 Stability

4.2 Secondary ignition

4.3 Flame height

4.4 Self-extinguishing

4.5 Behaviour after extinguishing

4.6 Container candles

5 Test equipment and apparatus

5.1

5.2

5.3 Stop watch.

5.4

6 Sampling

7 Sample preparation

8 General test conditions

9 Test methods

9.1 General

9.2 Stability test

9.3 Burning test

10 Test report

Bibliography

BS EN 15493:2019

Candles. Specification for fire safety

Current, Under Review

Published:

31 Oct 2019