UltraSoft Fire Resistant fabrics by Charles Parsons

1. Arc Flash & Flame Resistant
Clothing – Albury Sep. 2012

2. 70E HRC 2 Arc Flash (480v)

3. What does an Arc Flash look like?

4. What is an Arc Flash?
Dangerous release of energy
created by an electrical fault
Release will contain:
• Thermal energy
• Acoustical energy
• Pressure wave
• Debris

5. Arc Flash Events
• Arc temp can reach 35,000 F
• Fatal burns can occur at >10
feet
• Majority of hospital admissions
due to electrical accidents are
from arc flash burns, not from
shock
• Over 2000 people admitted to
burn centers yearly with
severe arc flash burns

6. Arc Energy Basics
• Exposure energy expressed in cal/cm2
• ½ to 1 cal/cm2 = hottest part of lighter in 1 sec
• An exposure of only 1-2 calories will cause second
degree burn on human skin
• Typical non-FR workwear can ignite @ 2 cals/cm2
• Arcs typically release 5-30 cals, and energies of
30-60 cals are not uncommon

7. Arc Thermal Protection Value
• ASTM F1959 Test Method Defines Fabric Performance in Electrical
Arc Flash.
• IEC 61482-1-1A equivalent european test method
• ATPV – Incident energy (cal/cm2) that results in 50% likelihood of
onset of 2nd degree burn under fabric

8. ATPV Testing
• Fabric panels are subjected
to electric arcs
• Calorimeters measure heat
transfer through fabric
• Voltage, amperage, gap and
distance are held constant
• Duration (cycles) are varied
to achieve higher and lower
energies

9. The U.S Experience.
• 1999 improved fatality data
• 80% fatalities burn related.
• Complications from high % body burn.
• NFPA 70E first published in 2000
• OSHA clamping down, making sure employers comply since BP’s
Oil platform disaster in Carribean.
•

10. The US Experience – contd.
• Fatal burns >10 feet
• Majority of hospital admissions are arc flash burns, not shock!
• 30,000 arcs, 7000 burn injuries per year
• Over 2000 people admitted to burn centers yearly with severe arc
flash burns.
• Over 400 fatalities a year

11. BASICS OF NFPA 70E
U.S. STANDARD FOR ELECTRICAL SAFETY
HRC CATEGORY CLOTHING REQ. MIN. ARC SIMPLIFIED FR
DESCRIPTION ATPV CAL/CM2 CLOTHING SYS.
EVERYDAY WORK CLOTHING
ARC RATING >= 8
O NON MELTING, N/A INDURA ULTRA SOFT SINGLE
LAYER S301 SHIRT/COVERALL
FLAMMABLE FABRIC
S451 PANT/COVERALL,
S130 T-SHIRT/HENLEY/POLO
ALL MEET HRC 0,1,& 2
1 FR SHIRT/FR PANTS OR 4
FR COVERALL
2 COTTON U/WEAR + FR 8
SHIRT/PANTS
ELECTRICAL “SWITCHING”
CLOTHING, ARC RATING > 40
3 COTTON U/WEAR + FR
SHIRT/PANTS PLUS FR 25 INDURA ULTRA SOFT S801 OVER
S341 MEETS HRC’S 3&4
COVERALL,OR COTTON U/WEAR
+ 2 FR COVERALLS
4 COTTON U/WEAR + FR
SHIRT/PANTS PLUS MULTILAYER 40
FLASH SUIT

12. Current Situation in Australia
• 100% cotton drill (Non FR) – NENS 09-2006
• New draft including FR has been circulated to
members – yet to be returned for board approval?
• SF-004-06 “Protective Clothing for Electrical Workers”
is not active.
• No draft at this stage – time schedule unknown?
• Objective – to add flame retardant protection as well
as arc protection to limit body burn injuries.
• AS4836 – 2011 “Safe Working on L.V. installations”

13. Other Australian & International Standards
• American/Australian/European
Electrical workers;
• NFPA 70E / AS???? (NENS 09) / EN 61482
Wildlands Firefighting;
• NFPA 1977 / AS4824 / EN 15384
Structural Firefighting;
• NFPA 1971 / AS 4967 / EN 469
Protection against Flash Fire;
• NFPA 2112 / AS???? (AS4824) / ISO 11612
• ISO 11612 (EN 531)- Protection against Heat & Flame
• ISO 11611 (EN 470)– Protection against Welding spatter

14. 100% COTTON IS NOT F.R.

15. POLY/COTTON IS NOT F.R.

16. BUT THIS IS – EVEN AFTER 100 I/L’S

17. What Is a Burn?
• A chemical process which
progressively injures skin; severity
relates to depth
• 1st : redness, pain – not permanent
• 2nd: blistering – skin will regenerate
• 3rd: total skin depth destroyed. Will
not regenerate – requires grafting
• 4th : Underlying muscle damaged

18. Survival Factors
• Survival odds fall with increasing % burn
• Survival odds fall dramatically over 50% body burn
• Odds of survival fall as age increases

19. Why is FR Needed?
• Most severe burns injuries and
fatalities are caused by non-
flame resistant clothing igniting
and continuing to burn
• Flame resistant clothing will self-
extinguish, thus limiting the injury
• Body area under non-FR clothing
is often burned more severely than
exposed skin

20. What is Flame Resistant Clothing?
• Clothing made from fabrics
that self-extinguish
• Fabrics may be natural or
synthetic
• Designed to limit (not
eliminate) burn injury
• Survival, extent of injury,
recovery time and quality of life
are all dependent on FRC
performance

21. Keys to Choosing a Successful Program
What hazard's are present? Purchase, Lease or
Protection Rent?
What performance standards are
available for the hazard? What options will
have reasonable
What product options are available durability at their
that protect to the level of our comparative price?
hazard's?
What fabric offer the
best value equation
combining
performance,
comfort & durability?
Comfort Value
What is the maximum level of
protection that our personnel will
voluntarily wear?
What choices can we allow?

22. Inherent vs. Treated Flame Resistant Fabrics
Really just a marketing term used to differentiate competitive products.
• All Flame Resistant fabrics have been engineered to be Flame
Resistant – its just that it can be engineered at different stages in
the fabric manufacturing process;
• At the fibre stage, eg. FR modacrylic vs Nomex
• At the yarn stage, eg. PFZ wool
• At the fabric stage, eg. UltraSoft, Proban, Pyrovatex
Flame resistance must be durable to launderings,
wear, the environment, etc. for the service life of the
garment.
Look for proven products!

23. PYROVATEX PROBAN ULTRASOFT NOMEX/KERMEL TECGEN TECASAFE
100% Cotton & 100% Cotton & 88%Cotton/ 12% HT 100% Aramid ???Carbonised 45%fr-m odacrylic/
Cott on ri ch Cotton rich nylon fibre/Aramid??? 35% lyocel l /20% arami d
F.R. System Treated Treated Treated Inherent Inherent/ blend Inherent/flamm-able blend
Advantage Colour Range 50 wash Q.A. FR guaranteed FR guaranteed FR guaranteed FR guaranteed
Price Price Soft handle High performance High performance Soft handle
Good durability High durability
75 °C wash
Range of weights.
Colourfast
Inc. arc rating
Cotton comfort
Local stock
Market proven
Excellent value
Disadvantage Stiff handle - Poor comfort Poor seam slip Poor colourfastness
Low durabilility Low durability Can be UV sensitive Limited colours – Appearance retention/pilling
limited information
- No stock supply No stock supply No stock supply
Lack of Q.A. Not market proven Poor performance QFS/NSW
No Acid Sour - Expensive Expensive Not for flash fire
Hydrolysis

24. STOP,DROP & ROLL !

25. WHICH BANK?