70E Solutions

It requires more energy to ignite flame resistant clothing than non-flame resistant clothing and flame resistant clothing will extinguish very quickly while non-flame resistant clothing will continue to burn long after the event is over, again adding to the severity of a person’s injuries. FR clothing is designed to resist break open much more than non FR clothing, thereby reducing injury though ignition of non FR undergarments. So we can see from the test methods that injury can occur if wearing flame resistant clothing but by wearing non-flame resistant clothing our potential severity of injury is much greater. In summary, in a momentary thermal event such as arc flash or flash fire, the difference between life and death may very well hinge on the decision to wear FR clothing or non FR clothing in daily activities.

Now this flame resistant fabric can be tested to specific hazards such as flash fire, arc flash, fire fighter bunker gear, wild land fire protection, etc. CAT 2 or PPE 2 is a label put on clothing that has been arc rated using a test method known as ASTM F1959 and is designed for protecting workers in an electrical arc flash. In short many companies, only concerned with flash fire protection, incorrectly assume the garment will only protect the worker if that garment has a CAT 2 or PPE 2 label and will not approve clothing that does not have a CAT 2 or PPE 2 rating even though this label is for electrical arc flash protection and has nothing to do with flash fire. In this case the clothing or fabric has been tested to ASTM F1959 for arc rating and ASTM F1930 for flash fire to ensure the worker’s safety in either arc flash or flash fire hazards.

To avoid this we need to know what the potential incident energy level is during a particular arc flash event and label that measurement in Cal/cm². The ATPV number tells us the point at which 1.2 Cal/cm² of incident energy is transferred through the fabric and, as we discussed earlier, is the point at which a 2nd degree burn can be expected. Cal/cm² is a rating for what level of incident energy we might expect should an arc flash occur and is directly related to equipment. The Cal/cm² number is displayed on the equipment and the ATPV or EBT value is displayed on the garment label.

As a Firefighter/EMT in the racing industry I can be in a SFI rated fire suit for up to 16 hours a day, 3-4 days per week, and in a myriad of weather ranging from cold, wind, occasional snow, especially rain, and yes extreme heat and humidity. Initially fire resistant undergarments were recommended for use; after that incident, ANY Pit Road Team Member with even the potential of crossing the pit road wall MUST wear SFI rated fire resistant underwear from head to toe. The Oakley CarbonX Underwear, long sleeve shirt and long pants, were much safer than the average athletic apparel that I used to wear underneath my fire suit; and even though I was wearing long Although any FR undergarments are safer than the athletic apparel that I wore when I started out; DRIFIRE Prime beats out Nomex or Oakley CarbonX for any day or any incident, on or off track.