I was reading an excellent article in Netaworld Magazine, “Arc-Flash Clothing and PPE, What does NFPA 70E Have to Say?” However, I did notice a reference to ASTM F1505 (Standard Specification for Insulated and Insulating Hand Tools) which I think was intended to be to ASTM F1506 (Standard Performance Specification for Flame Resistant and Arc Rated Textile Materials for Wearing Apparel for Use by Electrical Workers Exposed to Momentary Electric Arc and Related Thermal Hazards).
Simple errors in referencing documents are made all the time. We’ve worked hard to provide you with tools to find the right document in spite of these kinds of mistakes. In this case, you’ll want to know about the resources Document Center Inc. has available on our website to help people like you find the standards you need on PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Here’s how you can effectively use our website on this topic:
Search for Standards by Regulation:
European Union Directive 89/686/EEC, Personal Protective Equipment – PPE, has a list of harmonized (harmonised) standards that support the self-certification process for sales of products into the European market. It’s a great place to start when looking for European Standards on this topic.
Search by Subject:
The ICS classification system has made it possible to organize standards at the International, Regional and National levels by subject matter. For personal protective clothing, the Classification Code is 13.340.10, Protective Clothing. On this page, you’ll find standards from a number of different organizations, all having to do with Protective Clothing.
To see the various codes that cover PPE in total, go to our page for the Classification Code 13.340, Protective equipment. There you’ll find additional links for 3.340.01 (Protective equipment in general), 13.340.20 (Head protective equipment), 13.340.30 (Respiratory protective devices), 13.340.40 (Hand and arm protection), 13.340.50 (Leg and foot protection), 13.340.60 (Protection against falling and slipping), 13.340.70 (Lifejackets, buoyancy aids and flotation devices) and 13.340.99 (Other protective equipment).
Another suggestion in this area is the link to Popular ESD Standards – A list of frequently purchased ElectroStatic Discharge Control Documents. These are standards that relate to electrical PPE.
Search for Standards by ASTM Volume:
ASTM has organized their complete set of standards into volumes based on subject area. Volume 10.03 specifically addresses Standards for Electrical Insulating Liquids and Gases, Electrical Protective Equipment. It’s a great place to start to review many ASTM Standards on this topic, including ASTM F1506 and ASTM F1959/F1959M (Standard Test Method for Determining the Arc Rating of Materials for Clothing) mentioned in the NETAWorld article.
The ASTM Volume 11.03, Standards for Occupational Health and Safety; Protective Clothing, is also of interest. It covers the balance of PPE standards for non-electrical hazards.
As you can see, there’s lots of ways that our website, www.document-center.com, can help you find and purchase the standards you need. And if you would prefer to have a real person help you out, you can always contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). Our goal is to make sure that you’re using the standards you need to develop and sell products that meet the requirements of today’s international marketplace.