IEC 61482-2

REQUIREMENTS FOR FABRICS AND MATERIALS FOR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING FOR arc flash

IEC 61482-2 – This standard specifies protection levels that garments and fabrics must meet when presented with arc flash. Protection levels may be used in conformance with the following standards: Open Arc IEC 61482-1-1, which records arc rating levels (ATPV or EBT) and Box Test IEC 61482-1-2 in Class 1 (4 Ka) and/or Class 2 (7 Ka).

IEC 61482-2 CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

TEST METHOD

DESCRIPTION

MINIMUM COMPLIANCE VALUES

ISO 17493

Test at 180ºC for 5 min.

Heat resistance ≤ 5%

IEC 61340-2-3

For garment materials utilising electrically conductive fibres.

Volumetric resistance
≥ 105Ω

ISO 15025
(Procedure A)

Limited flame spread (for all layers)

No sample shall allow any part of the lower edge of any flame to reach its upper part or vertical border.
No sample shall have charred or melted remains.
No holes shall form that are 5 mm in any direction.
Incandescence ≤ 2 s
Flame ≤ 2 s

IEC 61482-1-1
and/or
IEC 61482-1-2

²Thermal arc protection:
– IEC 61482-1-1: or Elim (threshold incident energy attributed to a product under which the entire product is evaluated
answers are under the Stoll curve) ≥ 3.2 cal/cm²
or ATPV (arc thermal performance value) ≥ 4 cal/cm²
or EBT (energy breakopen threshold) ≥ 4
– IEC 61482-1-2:
or APC 1 (arc protection class 1): 4 kA
or APC 2 (arc protection class 2): 7 kA

ISO 13937-2

Tear resistance (for knitted and laminated exterior materials):

10 N for weights up to 220 g/m²
15 N for weights > 220 g/m²

ISO 13934-1

Tear resistance (for knitted and laminated exterior materials):

250 N for weights up to 220 g/m²
400 N for weights > 220 g/m²

ISO 13938-1
o
ISO 13938-2

Resistance to explosions (for knitted exterior materials)

100 kPa when using an area of 50 cm²
200 kPa when using an area of 7.3 cm²

ISO 5077

Dimensional changes

Woven and laminated materials < 3%
Knitted materials < 5%

ISO 13688

Upper part of the item of clothing: sleeves that extend to provide full wrist and neck coverage.
Lower part of the the garment: full coverage from the waist to the ankles.

–

Closures: designed in such a way that the opening function is still available after exposure to an arc flash.

–

Accessories and closures: do not contribute to injuries due to severity.

–

Thread for stitching: must be made of intrinsically flame-resistant thread which must not melt upon performance of the test.
According to the ISO 3146 standard.
Threads in stitches that do not influence protection do not need to be flame-resistant.

–

The front part and sleeves around the arms of garments that cover the torso and arms must meet the same level of thermal arc protection throughout their full length.

–

The front part of garments that cover legs must meet the same level of thermal arc protection throughout their full length.