TECHNICAL INFORMATION & TERMINOLOGY:
FR garments are made from a wide variety of fabric. Each offers a combinations of features to be best suited for each job application. There are 2 main types of FR fabric:
FR treated fabrics – fabrics are made flame resistant by a chemical treatment. The treatment is durable to laundering and can meet the requirements of the NFPA 2112 standard for flammability before and after 100 industrial wash and dry cycles.
Inherently FR fabrics – are made with a fiber or a combination of fibers that are flame resistant without additional chemical treatment.
FABRIC & DESCRIPTION
Inherently FR Fabrics
Fabric | Composition | Well-Known Fabric Mfg. | Common Applications |
Nomex IIIA | 93% Nomex IIIA, 5% Kevlar 2% Carbonated Nylon |
Southern Mills dba TenCate, Milliken |
Flash fire protection Fire Service station wear |
Comfort Blend | 65% Nomex IIIA 35% FR Lenzing |
Southern Mills dba TenCate | Flash fire protection Fire Service station wear Electric Arc |
Tecasafe Plus 700 | 48% FR Modacrylic 37% Lyocell 15% Aramid |
Southern Mills dba TenCate | |
Vinex | 85% Vinal 15% Polynosic |
Distributed by Westex Fabric imported fr. Japan |
Molten metal protection |
Notes: *Nomex IIIA is a trademark of FR fiber made by DuPont
FR Treated Fabrics
Fabric | Composition | Well-Known Fabric Mfg. | Common Applications |
FR Cotton (Excel FR, Indura, etc.) |
100% Cotton FR Treated |
Westex |
Flash fire protection Electric Arc Welding |
FR Cotton Blends (Excel FR, UltraSoft) |
88% Cotton 12% Nylon FR Treated |
Flash fire protection Electric Arc Welding |
|
FR Cotton Knit (Excel) |
100% FR Cotton Interlock | Flash fire protection | |
FR Cotton Knit (UltraSoft) |
88% FR Cotton 12% Nylon FR Treated |
Electric Arc |
Arc Rating
Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV): The incident energy, expressed in cal/cm2, on a material or a multilayer system of materials that results in a 50% probability that sufficient heat transfer through the tested specimen is predicted to cause the onset of a 2nd degree burn injury based on the Stoll curve. Source: ASTM F1959.
Breakopen Threshold Energy (EBT): The incident energy on a material or material system that results in a 50% probability of breakopen. Source: ASTM F1959.
Hazard Risk Category (HRC): HRC 1: minimum 4 cal/cm2
HRC 2:min. 8.0cal/cm2
HRC 3: min. 25cal/cm2
HRC 4: above 40 cal/cm2
HRC 3 & 4 are usually seen in outerwear, with multiple layers of FR fabric.
Fabric | Weight (wt./yd2) | Arc Rating (cal/cm2) | HRC (single layer) |
Nomex IIIA | 4.5 oz 6.0 oz 7.5 oz |
4.6 5.7 6.6 |
1 1 1 |
Comfort Blend | 5.5 oz 6.5 oz |
5.2 6.1 |
1 1 |
Tecasafe Plus 700 | 7.0 oz | 8.4 | 2 |
Tecasafe Plus 700A | 7.0 oz | 10.1 | 2 |
Tecasafe Plus 850A | 8.5 oz | 10.4 | 2 |
Vinex | 6.0 oz | 5.6 | 1 |
8.5 oz | 8.5 | 2 | |
FR Cotton (Excel FR, Indura, etc) |
7.4 oz 9.0 oz |
6.3 7.7 |
1 1 |
FR Cotton Blends (Excel FR, UltraSoft) |
7.4 oz 9.4 oz |
8.2 11.1 |
2 2 |
FR Cotton Blends (Excel FR, UltraSoft) |
6.25 oz 6.5 oz |
11 10.9 |
2 2 |
FR Cotton Blends (Excel FR, UltraSoft) |
6.25 oz 6.5 oz |
11 10.9 |
2 2 |