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Everything you need to know about the new firefighter PPE cleaning, maintenance and repair standard.

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It has been a long time coming but it’s finally here. As you know, the fear of contaminants has been a hot topic for a while now. This new standard aims to give guidance for cleaning, maintenance and repair of firefighters’ PPE. It covers a lot: inspection, testing, cleaning, decontamination, drying, repairs, replacement, and retirement/disposal. It even covers recording, storage and transportation.

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BS 8617:2019 is applicable to garments, helmets, gloves, footwear and firehoods worn by anyone involved in firefighting and associated activities. If you’re responsible for cleaning, maintaining or repairing firefighter PPE, then listen up.

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Remember, the standard doesn’t specifically explain how to undertake procedures, it simply states what those procedures should be.

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<h3>Let’s start with inspection:</h3>
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There are two types of inspection indicated in BS 8617:2019: <em>routine</em> and <em>advanced</em>. I’ll only talk about the routine inspection here because that is what will apply to most of you and will be conducted far more often. In fact, you’ll be doing a routine inspection every time you get a new piece of kit, at the start of every shift, after you use the kit and any other time you deem an inspection to be required. So, quite regularly, indeed.

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You’ll need to inspect each piece of your kit (Garments, Helmets, Gloves, footwear and firehoods) for the following:

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1. Soiling

2. Contamination

3. Physical damage

4. Missing pieces

5. Damaged reflection strips

6. Kit specific damage (like checking the soles of boots)

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There is a lot of detail for each piece of kit. We’ll be creating “how-tos” which will show how to inspect each piece of kit in accordance with BS 8617:2019, starting with the Jacket, in a few weeks.

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If anything fails the routine inspection, then it’s time to submit that piece of fire kit for advanced inspection. It’s important to have procedures set up to implement this.

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<h3>Testing</h3>
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You can rest assured that if you buy kit from FlamePro, tests have been done to ensure it is fit for purpose. However, each garment goes on a different journey once we hand it over to you. BS 8617:2019 recommends that further testing may be required after the kit has exceeded its expected lifecycle or after a particularly intense event where performance may have been compromised. We’d be happy to organise testing by an independent and specialised organisation if you have any concerns.

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<h3>Cleaning and decontamination</h3>
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This is a very important section of the new standard. This section details how to keep kit clean, on a daily basis by firefighters, and how to avoid cross contamination. There are two types of PPE (soft and hard) and two levels of cleaning (routine and advanced).

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Routine cleaning would ideally take place (or at least begin) at the emergency scene. If that’s not possible there should be a designated area at the station to complete the process.

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<strong>Routine cleaning is very simple (and applies to soft and hard PPE):</strong>

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• A gentle brush or wipe off

• Rinse with water

• Dry (air dry only)

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Please be aware that heavy scrubbing, high pressure water jets and force drying are not to be used.

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<strong>Advanced Cleaning is more complicated:</strong>

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Don’t worry too much about how the cleaning is conducted at this level. This cleaning will be completed off site. the important thing for you to understand is how to prepare for this cleaning:

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After an incident – straight after, before getting in the truck – kit should be presented to trained personnel to determine if level 1 or level 2 cleaning is needed. If it is deemed that level 2 is needed, then the garments must be doffed and double-bagged. If it is soft PPE, then the first bag should be water-soluble. All bagged items should be sent for level 2 cleaning. We offer a fully compliant care and maintenance program; please get in touch to discuss how we can help.

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This segues nicely into the next section:

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<h3>Repair and Replacement</h3>
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All repairs that we would conduct on your garments are done by trained personnel. We ensure we follow the strict guidelines laid out in this standard and make sure our products continue to live up to your expectations.

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<h3>Retirement and disposal</h3>
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How to know when it’s time to retire firefighters’ PPE? If any of the below are true, it’s time to move on.

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1.It’s over 10 years since manufacture.

2. It is after the lifespan as determined by the manufacturer.

3. It’s not possible or cost effective to repair damage to the kit.

4. It has been contaminated by CBRN agents.

5. It’s important to have procedures in place to allow for quick replacement of retired PPE.

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Disposing of firefighters’ retired PPE should be done in such a way that it will not be used in any firefighting or emergency activities, this includes live fire training. It’s also essential that tracking devices and all marks that could identify your organisation, or the wearer, be removed.

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<h3>Recording and traceability</h3>
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BS 8617:2019 makes it very clear that your PPE should be fully traceable. The following records should be kept for each item:

• The person(s) the PPE is issued to

• Date and condition when issues

• Manufacturer and model name/design

• Manufacturer’s identification number

• Month and year of manufacture

• Date(s) and findings of advanced inspection(s)

• Date of level 2 cleaning

• Date(s) of repair(s), who performed the repair(s), brief description of the repair(s) and batch number of repair materials (may be appropriate to take a picture)

• Date of retirement

• Date and method of disposal

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<h3>Storage</h3>
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Don’t store your PPE with sharp objects or anything else that could damage the kit.

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PPE should not be stored in direct sunlight, in airtight containers, vacuum packed, at extreme temperatures (below -32 or above 82) or in contact with contaminates. This is all assuming that the PPE has been cleaned before storage (which it should be if there is intent to reuse). Soiled PPE should be stored in such a way that it cannot cause cross-contamination. Contain this kit as if before laundry (double bagged). Do not store in living quarters or with personal belongings.

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<h3>Transportation</h3>
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When transporting soiled PPE try to avoid doing so in private cars or public transport. Remember, the main aim here is to avoid contaminants to every care must be taken to avoid cross-contamination.

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We know it's important that you make the right choice. If you would like any further advice on what to look for when specifying your new firefighting kit don't hesitate to <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/contact">get in touch</a> or call one of our experts on <strong>+44 (0) 1332 341030</strong>.<iframe style="display: none;" name="captchaFrame"></iframe>

BS 8617:2019 is here, are you ready?

All protective clothing and equipment has to conform to certain UK, European and international standards – EN16689:2017 is the European standard for technical rescue clothing for firefighters.

It’s important that brigades have access to a range of protective clothing for their firefighters, especially as fighting fires accounted for only 28% of firefighting incidents in the UK, <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/the-changing-role-of-firefighters/">according to the latest data</a>.

We thought it would be useful to explain what this standard covers and how it’s different to the other main standards for firefighting clothing.

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<h3>What is technical rescue?</h3>
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In firefighting terms, technical rescue refers to shouts which don’t involve structural fires. The term technical rescue applies to incidents such as road traffic accidents and working around collapsed structures, often as a result of natural disasters such as landslides. Usually there’s limited exposure to heat and flame. Incidents could also involve working in public places or in confined spaces.

As a result of the types of incident that technical rescue clothing is needed for, the specification for this type of kit is different to the usual fire-fighting kit, which needs to primarily protect against heat and flame.

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<h3>What does the standard cover?</h3>
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The standard covers a range of factors including clothing design and performance levels. It also specifies the way clothing meeting the standard should be tested. In particular, EN16689:2017 specifies minimum standards for:

• Flame spread resistance – despite the main intended use for this type of kit not being about fighting fires
• Breathability (referred to in the standard as water vapor resistance)
• Protection from contact heat
• Mechanical resistance
• Resistance to blood-borne pathogens
• Visibility

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<h3>What does EN16689:2017 not cover?</h3>
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The standard is not intended to cover protection for hands, feet or head. And it doesn’t cover protection against other hazards such as chemicals or risks from electrical equipment.

There are other standards for different types of rescue, including <a href="https://www.en-standard.eu/csn-en-469-protective-clothing-for-firefighters-performance-requirements-for-protective-clothing-for-firefighting/">EN469</a>, which is the standard used for protective clothing intended for fighting fires and EN15614:2007, the standard for wildland fires.

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<h3>Buying technical rescue clothing</h3>
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Our <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/rescue">Technical Rescue range</a> all conforms to EN16689:2017, along with <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/certifications-standards">other associated standards</a> covering footwear, helmets and gloves.

Available in a range of colours including red and navy, the range has been carefully designed to ensure that it performs under technical rescue conditions. Our extensive research with firefighters means this kit also has everything you need – from pockets in the right places to reinforced knee pads and adjustable ankle and waist tabs on some garments.

Many of our technical rescue products also double-up as wildfire firefighting gear, meeting <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/explaining-en156142007-wildland-firefighting-clothing/">EN15614:2007</a> as well.

For a conversation about buying your next technical rescue kit that conforms to EN16689:2017, give one of our friendly team a call on +44 (0) 1332 341030.<iframe style="display: none;" name="captchaFrame"></iframe>

Explaining EN16689:2017 – Technical Rescue Clothing

Meet Valiant - New technologies. New designs. New Benchmark.

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Three major components of a fire-fighting structural suit influence its performance and how heavy it is to wear – the outer fabric, the thermal moisture barrier, and the quilted inner layer which provides the heat protection.

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Fire brigades have always had to balance how much thermal protection they want their suits to provide with comfort and wearability for their fire crews – more protection generally makes a suit heavier to wear, meaning fire fighters get hotter, are more at risk of heat stress, and of tiring more quickly.

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That’s not a compromise you have to make any more.

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FlamePro’s new structural turn-out suit, <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/valiant/">Valiant</a>, sweeps away the need to choose between comfort and performance. But how did we create a suit that minimises these compromises?

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<h4>Industry expertise</h4>
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We started by listening to firefighters and assembling the right team. A team of experts in garment design, ergonomics, new product development, and technical fabrics to help us conceive the very best structural fire-fighting suit that would set a new benchmark.

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Then we started from scratch. The new range is not an evolution of existing products, it’s revolution, born from the team’s expertise and access to the best technologies there are.

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Two major innovations allow our new <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/valiant/">Valiant</a> suit to deliver protection, comfort and practicality – a new moisture barrier, and a revolutionised thermal lining.

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<h4>Moisture barrier innovation</h4>
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They say if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got. We knew the traditional Gore-Tex Fire Blocker membrane had been used by fire-fighter PPE companies for more than 15 years. There had to be something better.

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Our fabric specialist, multi-award-winning Stanley Russell knew just where to look.

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The manufacturer of the non-woven product in Fire Blocker had developed a 3D version of the traditional non-woven structure. The fabric structure creates space for air to move, enhancing the speed with which moisture is transferred away from the skin, keeping firefighters cooler for longer.

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We commissioned a version of this which has been combined with a customised version of the Event membrane – renowned as the most breathable ePTFE membrane in the world and used by the US military.

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This exclusive combination, currently only available in <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/valiant/">Valiant</a>, gave us a moisture barrier that:

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• is the same weight as Fire Blocker
• offers increased breathability, moisture management and high-temperature wash durability
• delivers better thermal performance against radiant heat than like-for-like suits

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<h4>A new approach to the fire suit’s thermal lining layer</h4>
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The component that adds the most weight to a structural fire-fighting suit is the thermal lining, which provides the heat protection. Traditionally, barriers are a combination of woven fabric, quilted to spun lace or needle felt, with both fabrics being 100% aramids or aramid blends. This creates a bulky layer which may have high thermal properties but has moderate breathability, lower comfort levels, and could trap moisture.

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We wanted to create a revolutionary new thermal lining layer that reduces bulk, increases breathability but still provides excellent thermal protection.

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The team worked with one of the world’s leading manufacturers to create a 3D woven structure that combines aramid and viscose to create a fabric with market-leading breathability, superior moisture transportation to keep moisture away from the skin, and great thermal performance without being bulky.

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<h4>Market-leading fire-fighting fabric systems and totally new designs</h4>
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We’re shaking up the market with our new <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/valiant/">Valiant</a> range. It allows buyers to combine our innovative and market-leading moisture barrier and lining with a choice of five outer fabrics to create a structural fire-fighting suit that meets the needs of their brigade.

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All of the range features changes to create enhanced comfort, such as Kevlar ® re-enforced knee and elbow pads, lumbar support to make it more comfortable wearing breathing apparatus, and chunky grab tabs to allow you to adjust your suit and access pockets without exposing your hands.

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The <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/valiant/">Valiant</a> suit is also the first on the market to offer fully-certified glow-in-the-dark strips as standard, with different placements on the front and the back of the jacket. This clever idea means if a firefighter is unconscious and needs rescuing in the dark, you’ll not only be able to see them, but you’ll be able to see what position they are in too. And they have been tested through 50 wash cycles.

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Choose from male or female cuts in XS to 4XL and from extra small to XX tall – 96 choices for the perfect fit for all your firefighters.

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Get in touch to chat to one of our friendly experts by calling <strong>+44 (0) 1332 341030</strong>.

Fabric innovations for the new 770/775 suits

The European standard for firefighter protective clothing – BS EN469 – has been revised and published in 2020. The new standard makes several key changes and improvements on the 2005 version, which we thought it would be helpful to explain for you here.

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<h4>Key changes in BS EN469 2020</h4>
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The updated standard increases the requirement for flame spread and heat resistance testing of:

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• Any reinforcement material

• Anti-wicking barrier – which also has size limitations added

• Drain mesh – which also has size limitations

• Hardware – must be tested for heat resistance only

• Any label (&gt; 10cm<sup>2</sup>), badges and retro reflective materials must be tested for flame spread as part of the whole garment

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It also sets a design requirement and specifies performance testing for external pockets and gives detailed instructions about how to test hardware. The heat resistance of sewing threads must now be tested to 260°C.

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But the biggest change in the new standard relates to testing the ability of a garment to perform in its “as received” state. The previous standard – BS EN 469:2005 – only required garments to meet the standard after <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/aftercare">having been laundered five times</a>. The new standard makes it clear that garments need to provide relevant protection against heat transfer and radiant heat from day one of use.

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<h4>Why testing “as received” is important</h4>
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It’s critical that firefighters have confidence in their kit and it’s ability to protect them from the extreme conditions they can face. In theory, the fibres of fabric fluff up and fabrics open up during laundering, increasing the heat protection a garment can provide.

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As the previous standard stated garments had to meet the requirements after being laundered five times, it is technically possible that a brand new garment didn’t meet the standard.

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The impact of this change to testing might be that garments need more insulation to ensure they pass the test parameters in new condition. This could make garments heavier, so needs careful consideration when specifying new kit.

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Aiming for a lower HTI (Heat Transfer Index) value will deliver the same heat protection to your crews. A value of 18 should be the new expectation, where 20 might have been the previous spec. There will be a weight difference between garments delivering 18 and 20 when tested as new.

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<h4>Changes to chemical repellancy testing added to BS EN 469:2020</h4>
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Firefighters’ protective clothing needs to provide a level of protection against chemicals by repelling them to stop them soaking into the garments and potentially getting on to firefighters’ skin.

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BS EN469:2020 makes a couple of changes to the requirements for testing a garment’s ability to repel chemicals, reducing the list to just two for outer fabrics – H2SO4 and O-xylene – and adding a new requirement for testing the deterioration of a garment’s ability to repel chemicals due to cleaning.

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There have also been a number of changes to the annexes in BS EN 469:2020:

• <strong>Annex A</strong>: Assessment, evaluation, and determination of the property values for rating and performance classification

• <strong>Annex B</strong>: Contamination during use: guidance on cleaning and risk prevention

• <strong>Annex C</strong>: Summary of the clothing heat and flame protection; selection, use, care and maintenance guidance

• <strong>Annex D</strong>: Updated information on the optional whole garment test for level 2 garments using EN ISO 13506-1:2017 (currently under revision)

• <strong>Annex E</strong>: Information on the new test method available for assessing the physical impact of the suit using a sweating torso

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<h4>The timeline for changing to all firefighter garments complying with BS EN469:2020</h4>
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As when all standards change, the new standard is not retrospective, so it is not the case that PPE has to immediately meet the new standard.

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Here at FlamePro we’re making sure that all of our new launches will meet the 2020 standard and we’ll re-test and re-certify any <a href="https://www.flame-pro.com/catalogue/">items in our range</a> as part of our ongoing certification updates. So you can continue to buy FlamePro firefighter PPE with confidence knowing that it will protect your crews the way it needs to.

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If you want some help with explaining the changes to BS EN469:2020 – the firefighter protective clothing standard, give one of our friendly team a call on <strong>+44 (0) 1332 341030</strong>.<iframe style="display: none;" name="captchaFrame"></iframe>

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BS 8617:2019 is here, are you ready?

Explaining EN16689:2017 – Technical Rescue Clothing

Fabric innovations for the new 770/775 suits

Explaining the changes to BS EN469:2020

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