The Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) has announced that the first certifications have been issued to the new National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) criteria for fire service Thermal Imagers, NFPA 1801, Standard on Thermal Imagers for the Fire Service, 2013 Edition.

The revised NFPA 1801 standard was issued by the NFPA Standards Council on May 29, 2012, with an effective date of June18, 2012.

The 2013 edition of the standard includes design and performance requirements covering various modes of operation (TI Basic and TI Basic Plus) and image quality. Required testing includes Image Recognition Test, Vibration Test, Impact Acceleration Resistance Test, Corrosion Test, Viewing Surface Abrasion Test, Heat Resistance Test, Heat and Flame Test, Product Label Durability Test, Cable Pullout Test, Effective Temperature Range Test, Field of View measurement, Thermal Sensitivity Test, and Durability Test.

The independent testing of Thermal Imaging Cameras used in the fire and emergency services was conducted at SEI’s contract testing laboratory, Intertek Testing Services, located in Cortland, NY. The staff at SEI and Intertek closely monitored the progress of the new standard through participation on the Technical Committee on Electronic Safety Equipment of the NFPA, and are well-equipped for testing to the new standard.

In addition to initial compliance testing of all Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC) models, manufacturers who participate in the SEI certification program must pass a rigorous quality assurance audit of their manufacturing facility and operate in accordance with ISO 9001. Also, all products carrying the SEI label are required to be re-certified annually. This means that all products must be re-tested annually, and the manufacturing facility must continue to successfully meet all SEI quality assurance requirements during follow-up audits.

SEI has issued certifications to the 2013 edition of NFPA 1801 for the following models: