ASTM F1959 per F1506 - Arc Ratings for Materials

ASTM F1959, Standard Test Method for Determining the Arc Rating of Materials for Clothing, is a large-scale arc flash evaluation used to determine the Arc Rating (ATPV or EBT) of a fabric or a multi-layer combination of fabrics. Prior to testing, samples are laundered three times and dried once in accordance with AATCC TM 135. ASTM F1959 is one part of the ASTM F1506 specification; full initial testing and ongoing testing of the small-scale methods is required for compliance with ASTM F1506, which is cited by NFPA 70E.

This standard was originally developed at Kinectrics for the North American utility industry but with the research behind IEEE 1584, the standard (and it’s IEC 61482-1-1 equivalent) is not the ipso facto international standard for matching PPE to arc flash hazards.  Our continuing research on real incidents and the correlation to arc ratings informs the industry improvements that protect workers.  While our certification and testing may be “in a flash” our research is protecting people.

 

See important papers that assist in worker protection:

Authors: Hugh Hoagland, Claude Maurice, Marcia Eblen and Jim Phillips
Publication: IEEE Electrical Safety Workshop Conference Record 2020
Awards: Honorable Mention Paper of 2020 conference

Author(s): Elihu “Hugh” Hoagland, Mikhail Golovkov,  R. Pailing, L. Smith, C. Burton and C. Maurice Publication: IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 159-162, Jan.-Feb. 2015

Author(s): D. R. Doan, E. Hoagland and T. Neal
Publication: 2010 IEEE IAS Electrical Safety Workshop, Memphis, TN, USA, 2010, pp. 80-87
Awards: Best Conference Paper 2010

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