Full Description

1.1This performance specification identifies minimum flame resistance, construction, durability, and labeling requirements of textiles and subassemblies used in the manufacture of protective clothing worn by electrical workers to protect against exposure to momentary electric arc flash and related thermal hazards.

1.1.1This performance specification does not address coated or laminated fabrics commonly used for rainwear applications in an arc hazard environment.

1.2This performance specification defines minimum garment manufacturing and labeling requirements to allow users to select garments with appropriate electric arc ratings for protection from their determined electric arc flash hazard environment.

1.2.1A prior determination of the electric arc flash hazard environment is required in order to select appropriate protective garments. This prior determination is outside the scope of this specification.

1.2.2The care and maintenance requirements for electric arc flash protective garments are outside the scope of this standard.

1.3This standard should be used to evaluate and describe the properties of materials, products, or assemblies in response to heat and flame under controlled laboratory conditions. It should not be used to describe or appraise the fire hazard or fire risk of materials, products, or assemblies under actual fire conditions.

1.3.1The results of this evaluation may be used as elements of a fire-risk assessment that takes into account all of the factors that are pertinent to an assessment of the fire hazard of a particular end use.

1.4The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.

1.5The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the test methods portion, Section 7, of this performance specification: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.6This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.