ASTM_F_2621_-_12.pdf

Designation:F262112Standard Practice forDetermining Response Characteristics and Design Integrityof Arc Rated Finished Products in an Electric Arc Exposure1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2621;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This practice provides procedural guidelines for con-ducting arc testing on finished products intended for use asthermal protection by workers who may be exposed to electricarcs.1.1.1 This practice is intended to provide procedural guide-lines to improve consistency across testing groups.Thispractice is not intended to define the end points,parameters,ormeasures to be studied by the tester.1.1.2 This practice is supplemental to Test Methods F1959/F1959M and F2178.Protective materials used to manufacturearc rated finished products shall be tested according to TestMethod F1959/F1959M prior to being tested according to thispractice,and face protective products shall be tested accordingto Test Method F2178 prior to being tested according to thispractice.Test Methods F1959/F1959M and F2178 providedefinitive numeric arc ratings for materials intended for use infinished products worn by workers exposed to electric arcs.1.1.2.1 DiscussionFace protective products such as faceshields and hoods are tested as finished products using TestMethod F2178.These items may be subsequently tested usingthis practice in order to determine the performance of theinterface area between the face protective product and the arcflash PPE worn on the torso.1.1.3 The test specimens used in this practice shall be in theform of arc-rated finished products.These arc-rated finishedproducts may include,but are not limited to,single layergarments,multi-layer garments or ensembles,cooling vests,gloves,chaps,rainwear,balaclavas,faceshields,and hoodassemblies with hood shield windows.Non-arc rated finishedproducts shall not be used except that flammable under-layersmay be included when part of a flame resistant system or fordetecting heat transmission level through the finished productand flammable finished products may in some cases beappropriate for incident reenactment.1.1.4 The arc rated finished product specimens are newproducts as sold or products which have been used for theintended purpose for a designated time period.1.1.5 Fabrics,fabric layered systems,sewing thread,find-ings and closures used in arc rated finished products testedunder this practice shall meet the requirements of SpecificationF1506.1.1.6 Rainwear materials,findings and closures tested underthis practice shall meet the requirements of SpecificationF1891.1.2 This practice shall be used to measure and describe theresponse characteristics or design integrity of arc-ratedmaterials,products,or assemblies in the form of finishedproducts when exposed to radiant and convective energygenerated by an electric arc under controlled laboratory con-ditions.1.3 This practice can be used to determine the integrity ofclosures and seams,the protective performance of arc-ratedproducts in areas where garment overlap occurs or whereheraldry is used,and response characteristics such as after-flame time,melting,dripping,deformation,shrinkage,electricarc ignition,or other damage,or combination thereof,offabrics,systems of fabrics,flammable undergarments whenincluded as part of a system,sewing thread,findings andclosures.1.4 This practice can be used to identify the effectiveness offinished product specimens in attenuating heat,sound orpressure waves,or combination thereof.1.5 This practice can be used for incident reenactment,training demonstrations and material/design comparisons.1.6 The values stated in either SI units or in other units shallbe regarded separately as standard.The values stated in eachsystem may not be exact equivalents;therefore,each systemmust be used independently of the other,without combiningvalues in any way.1.7 This standard shall not be used to describe or appraisethe fire hazard or fire risk of materials,products,or assembliesunder actual fire conditions.However,results of this test maybe used as elements of a fire assessment,which takes intoaccount all of the factors,which are pertinent to an assessmentof the fire hazard of a particular end use.1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F18 on ElectricalProtective Equipment for Workers and is the direct responsibility of SubcommitteeF18.65 on Wearing Apparel.Current edition approved Oct.1,2012.Published November 2012.Originallyapproved in 2006.Last previous edition approved in 2006 as F2621-06.DOI:10.1520/F2621-12.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 1.8 This standard does not purport to describe or appraisethe effect of t