ASTM F1506

ASTM F1506 (Standard Performance Specification for Textile Materials for Wearing Apparel for Use by Electrical Workers Exposed to Momentary Arc and Related Thermal Hazards) was developed to give minimum performance specifications for protective clothing. The major requirement of this specification was that the fabric used in garments is flame resistant and has been tested to ASTM F1959 to receive an Arc Rating or ATPV (Arc Thermal Performance Value). ASTM F1959; Standard Test Method for Determining the Arc Rating of Materials for Clothing exposes panels of flame resistant fabrics to electric arc flashes of varying energies. Both the heat transmission through the fabric and the energy released by the electric arc is measured. The data is evaluated against the Stoll curve (or second degree burn curve) through logistic regression techniques to determine the probability of burn injury. The arc rating of the fabric or fabric system is then determined.