ASTM F1891-12

This specification establishes applicable test methods, minimum physical and thermal performance criteria, a suggested sizing guide, and suggested purchasing information for rainwear for use by workers who may be exposed to thermal hazards of momentary electric arcs and open flames. It does not however apply to electrical contact hazards or electric shock hazards involved with electric arcs nor to flash fire hazards such as industrial hydrocarbon flash fires or other petrochemical flash fire hazards. The rainwear shall be manufactured of materials and constructed using seams that meet the requirements for leak resistance and shall meet the physical requirements of this specification initially as manufactured and after five cleanings. The specimen shall be subjected to tests to determine conformance to the following requirements: flame resistance, tear strength resistance, waterproofness, electric arc resistance, material average weight, arc rating, arc thermal performance value, breakopen threshold energy, heat attenuation factor, and melting and dripping. The material response characteristics for rainwear material, including afterflame time, breakopen, charring, dripping, electric arc ignition, embrittlement, melting, and shrinkage, shall be reported for two typical exposures at least equal to the arc rating and also for two typical exposures at least two times the arc rating.

This specification establishes applicable test methods, minimum physical and thermal performance criteria, a suggested sizing guide, and suggested purchasing information for rainwear for use by workers who may be exposed to thermal hazards of momentary electric arcs and open flames. It does not however apply to electrical contact hazards or electric shock hazards involved with electric arcs nor to flash fire hazards such as industrial hydrocarbon flash fires or other petrochemical flash fire hazards. The rainwear shall be manufactured of materials and constructed using seams that meet the requirements for leak resistance and shall meet the physical requirements of this specification initially as manufactured and after five cleanings. The specimen shall be subjected to tests to determine conformance to the following requirements: flame resistance, tear strength resistance, waterproofness, electric arc resistance, material average weight, arc rating, arc thermal performance value, breakopen threshold energy, heat attenuation factor, and melting and dripping. The material response characteristics for rainwear material, including afterflame time, breakopen, charring, dripping, electric arc ignition, embrittlement, melting, and shrinkage, shall be reported for two typical exposures at least equal to the arc rating and also for two typical exposures at least two times the arc rating.