ASTM F2621 (Arc Flash Garments and Apparel)

Standard Practice for Evaluating Response Characteristics of Safety Products in an Electric Arc Exposure. Once the arc rating of a fabric or composite is established (ASTM F1959), a garment is evaluated using ASTM F2621 in an arc flash exposure as a design test of a finished product using. Mannequins for arc testing are not censored; the garment is exposed at or above the approximate arc rating of the material and the fabric, findings, accessories, etc. are checked for breakopen, melting and dripping, and shrinkage. The closures on the garment are also checked for functionality (an NFPA 70E Requirement).

ASTM F1506 (Arc Rated Fabrics)

Standard Performance Specification for Textile Materials for Wearing Apparel for Use by Electrical Workers Exposed to Momentary Arc and Related Thermal Hazards. The Standard was developed to give minimum performance specifications for protective clothing. The two major requirements of this specification was that the fabric is flame resistant, determined by using the standard vertical flame test (ASTM D6413) and has received an Electric Arc Rating or ATPV.

ASTM F2178 (Arc Flash Hoods and Face Shields)

Standard Test Method for Determining the Arc Rating and Standard Specification for Eye or Face Protective Products. This Standard is used to calculate the Arc Rating (ATPV or EBT) for face shield, hood, and balaclava/goggle PPE products. Testing is performed using the ASTM F2178 Specification and the Arc Rating is determined using a mannequin head mounted with sensors measuring the incident energy and heat transfer through the product as compared to the Stoll Curve. Arc flash hoods are assigned the Arc Rating that is the lowest between the face shield component and the fabric component of the product.

AS/NZS 4602.1 (High Visibility Safety Garments)

High visibility safety garments for high-risk applications. This Standard specifies the visual requirements for high visibility safety garments for occupational wear by people who may be exposed to the hazard of moving traffic, moving plant or equipment in high-risk situations. The Standard covers garments suitable for daytime wear, night-time wear where they will be seen by retroreflected light or for wear under both conditions but excludes garments for use by fire services.

IEC 61482-1-2 Box Testing (Arc Flash Garments and Apparel)

Live working – Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc – Part 1–2: Test methods – Method 2: Determination of arc protection class of material and clothing by using a constrained and directed arc (box test). The box method is performed using a plaster box to focus a short arc toward a panel of fabric or a garment. There are two exposures: 4000 A, 0.5 second (Class 1) and 7000A, 0.5 second (Class 2). The requirements below must be met to pass testing and the end result is a classification of 1 or 2. Testing is performed in accordance with IEC 61482-1-2 Live working – Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc, Part 2 Requirements. This method assigns one of the two Arc Protection Classes (APC) above. This may be used to correlate to any energy level below that of the highest APC.

Box Test Method Acceptance Criteria:

• No melting through to the inner side
• After flame less than or equal to 5 seconds
• No hole larger than 5mm in any direction
• All 8 value pairs in testing must be below the Stoll Curve in the tests of the selected APC

AS/NZS 4836 (Arc Flash Garments and Apparel)

Safe working on or near low-voltage electrical installations and equipment. This Standard outlines principles and procedures of safe work, organisation and performance on or near low-voltage
electrical installations and equipment. It provides a minimum set of procedures, safety requirements and recommendations to manage the hazards associated with electricity, specifically arc
blast, arc flash, electric shock and electrocution and has specific requirements for PPE.

ENA NENS 09-2006 Guidelines (Arc Flash Garments and Apparel)

National Guidelines (Australia) for the selection, use and maintenance of personal protective equipment for electrical hazards around Arc Flash protective clothing. These Guidelines set minimum standards for the selection, use and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when used to protect employees against the electrical hazards within the electricity
supply industry.