comparison of ASTM F 1506, NFPA 1975, NFPA 2112, CGSB 155.20

1. Comparison of Requirements in Selected Flash Fire Standards for the Utility Industry
Design or Performance
Property
ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001
proposed)
CAN/CGSB 155.20
(2000)
Certification Not addressed Independent, third party
certification required;
testing must be performed
by certification organization
Independent, third party
certification required;
testing by labs accredited by
certification organization is
permitted
Not addressed in standard;
CGSB considering initiation
of program in early 2001.
Manufacturer quality
assurance
Not addressed Manufacturer must be
registered to ISO 9001 or
9002 by March 2001
Limited requirements for
manufacturer quality
assurance; registration to
ISO 9001 optional
Not addressed
Manufacturer quality
assurance audits
Not addressed At least 2 unannounced
audits per year
At least 1 visit per year Not addressed
Product label design Not addressed Must be permanently
affixed; must include
certification organization
mark; printing must be in 3
mm high letters in English
Must be permanently
affixed; must include
certification organization
mark; printing must be in
2.5 mm high letters in
English
Must be affixed; must be in
both English and French
Product label language Required information:
- Tracking identification
code system
- Meets requirements of
Specification F 1506
- Manufacturer name
- Size
- Care instructions
- Fiber content
- Arc rating (ATPV or EBT)
Required information:
- Specific compliance
statement
- Manufacturer name
- Manufacturer address
- Lot number
- Country of manufacture
- Country of textile origin
- Style name or design
- Date of manufacture
- Size
- Cleaning and drying
instructions
- Fiber content
“DO NOT REMOVE”
Required information:
- Specific compliance
statement
- Model name or style
- Manufacturer name
- Manufacturer address
- Country of manufacture
- ID or lot number
- Size
- Fiber content
“DO NOT REMOVE”
Required information:
- Specific compliance
statement and warnings
- Manufacturer name and
mailing address
- Lot or trace number
- Size
- Cleaning and drying
instructions (procedures
affecting FR properties)
- Fiber content
- Average TPP values for
spaced and contact tests (for
single layer garments)
“DO NOT REMOVE THIS
LABEL”
Page 1 of 6

2. Design or Performance
Property
ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001
proposed)
CAN/CGSB 155.20
(2000)
Classification system Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed 1. Single layer garments
(Type 1)
2. Multilayer garments
(Type 2)
3. Disposable garments
(Type 3)
General requirement
(design)
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed Design can neither adversely
affect protective
characteristics nor
contribute to severity of
burn injury to wearer.
Materials of construction
(design)
Not addressed May be either flame-
resistant fabrics or 100%
cotton or wool
Not addressed Not addressed
Closure system (design) Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed Closure must be constructed
to secure garment to provide
protection consistent with
standard
Hardware finish (design) Not addressed Not addressed Must be free of rough spits,
burrs, or sharp images
Not addressed
Metal components (design) Not addressed Not addressed Contact with body not
permitted
Contact with body not
permitted
Laundering procedure
(preconditioning)
AATCC 135 - 3, IV, Aiii
(permanent press machine
cycle, wash temperature at
49o
C, tumble drying on
permanent press setting)
Multistage industrial
laundering with break,
carry-over, 3 rinse cycles,
sour and extraction; drying
with dryer temperature set at
82o
C (without load)
Multistage industrial
laundering with break,
carry-over, 3 rinse cycles,
sour and extraction; drying
with dryer temperature of
68o
C (without load)
CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 48
Procedure III E (medium
temperature 50o
C, moderate
mechanical action, synthetic
detergent and tumble
drying)
Dry-cleaning procedure
(preconditioning)
ASTM D 2724, paragraph
6.1
AATCC 158 AATCC 158 CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 30
Page 2 of 6

3. Design or Performance
Property
ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001
proposed)
CAN/CGSB 155.20
(2000)
Flame resistance (fabrics) Testing per ASTM D 6413
before and after 25 cycles of
laundering or dry-cleaning;
Afterflame £ 2 sec.
Char length £ 152 mm
No melting and dripping
Not addressed Testing per ASTM D 6413
before and after 100 cycles
of laundering or dry-
cleaning (applies to fabric
and reflective tape);
Afterflame £ 2 sec.
Char length £ 100 mm
No melting and dripping
Testing per CAN/CGSB-4.2
No. 27.10 using edge
ignition (fabric for Type 1
and 3, each layer for Type 2)
before and after 50 cycles of
laundering or 5 cycles of
dry-cleaning;
Afterflame £ 2 sec.
Char length £ 100 mm
No melting or dripping
Flame resistance (primary
closures)
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed Same as fabrics
Heat resistance (fabrics) Not addressed Samples exposed to 260o
C
for 5 minutes in forced air
convective oven; no
melting, dripping, or
separation permitted; applies
to textiles and components,
excluding interlinings, collar
stays, elastic, and hook and
pile fasteners, when not in
direct contact with the
wearer’s body.
Samples exposed to 260o
C
for 5 minutes in forced air
convective oven, before and
after 3 cycles of laundering
or dry-cleaning; no melting,
dripping, or separation
permitted. Applies to fabric,
other textile materials, and
reflective striping;
exceptions include label and
emblems, and interlinings,
collar stays, elastics,
closures, and hook and pile
fasteners, when not in direct
contact with the wearer’s
body.
Samples exposed to 260o
C
for 5 minutes in forced air
convective oven; no
melting, dripping, or
separation permitted;
applies to textile materials
including visibility trim,
reinforcements, wristlets,
collar and closure systems,
binding and hanger loops;
excludes hook and pile
fasteners, labels, interfacing
and emblems, when not in
direct contact with the
wearer’s body.
Heat resistance (hardware) Not addressed Not addressed Same as fabrics but must
also remain functional
Same as fabrics but must
also remain functional
Heat resistance (primary
closures)
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed Same as fabrics
Thermal shrinkage
resistance
Not addressed Same exposure as above;
shrinkage £ 15% in any one
Same exposure as above;
shrinkage £ 10% in any one
Same exposure as above;
shrinkage £ 3% in any one
Page 3 of 6

4. direction direction direction (10% knits)
Design or Performance
Property
ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001
proposed)
CAN/CGSB 155.20
(2000)
Thermal insulation – heat
exposure
Not addressed Not addressed TPP measured using
procedures similar to NFPA
1971 in both spaced and
contact sample
configurations, before and
after 3 cycles of laundering
or dry-cleaning;
Contact TPP ³ 3.0
Spaced TPP ³ 6.0
Samples tested before and
after 3 cycles of laundering
or dry-cleaning
TPP measured using
modified version of ASTM
D 4108 in both spaced and
contact sample
configurations as received;
Spaced TPP ³ 6.0
No requirement for contact
TPP (report only);
Samples tested as received
(without preconditioning)
Thermal insulation –
electrical arc
Testing per ASTM F 1959
on full garments;
Afterflame £ 5 sec.
Report of arc rating
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
Overall garment insulation Not addressed Not addressed Testing of material in
standard coverall design per
ASTM F 1930 for 3 sec
exposure at 84 kW/m2
with
100% cotton underwear on
manikin, after 1 cycles of
laundering or dry-cleaning;
percent total body burn £
50%
Not addressed
Melting resistance (thread) Not addressed Testing per FTMS
191A,1534 at 260o
C with no
observed melting
Testing per FTMS
191A,1534 at 260o
C with no
observed melting
Testing per FTMS
191A,1534 at 260o
C with no
observed melting
Breaking strength (woven
fabrics)
Testing per ASTM D 1682;
criteria based on fabric
weight:
3.0-5.9 oz/yd2
³ 134 N
6.0-8.4 oz/yd2
³ 179 N
8.5 oz/yd2
or higher ³ 223 N
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
Page 4 of 6

5. Design or Performance
Property
ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001
proposed)
CAN/CGSB 155.20
(2000)
Burst strength (knit
fabrics)
Testing per ASTM D 3786;
criteria based on fabric
weight:
3.0-8.0 oz/yd2
³ 179 N
8.1-16.0 oz/yd2
³ 268 N
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
Tear resistance (woven
fabrics)
Testing per ASTM D 1424;
criteria based on fabric
weight:
3.0-5.9 oz/yd2
³ 11 N
6.0-8.4 oz/yd2
³ 18 N
8.5 oz/yd2
or higher ³ 22 N
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
Seam strength Not addressed Woven seam testing per
ASTM D 1683; knit seam
testing per ASTM D 3940;
Class I major woven seam
strength ³ 245 N; Class II
major woven seam strength
³ 180 N; Class I and II
major knit seam strength ³
180 N;
Not addressed Not addressed
Seam slippage Testing per ASTM D 434; 6
mm allowed at force based
on fabric weight:
3.0-5.9 oz/yd2
= 134 N
6.0-8.4 oz/yd2
= 179 N
8.5 oz/yd2
or higher = 223 N
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
Colorfastness – laundering Testing per AATCC 61, IIA;
Class 3
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
Colorfastness –
dry-cleaning
Testing per AATCC 132;
Class 3
Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
Dimensional change Testing per AATCC 135 -
3, IV, Aiii (5 cycles) for
laundering or AATCC 158;
shrinkage £ 3% (does not
Page 5 of 6

6. apply to knits)
Design or Performance
Property
ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001
proposed)
CAN/CGSB 155.20
(2000)
Label legibility Not addressed Examination of labels after
100 laundry or dry-cleaning
cycles
Examination of labels after
100 laundry or dry-cleaning
cycles
Examination of labels after
50 laundry cycles or 5 dry-
cleaning cycles
Personal Safety Products Department
3M Safety and Security Systems Division
3M Center, Building 225-4N-14
St. Paul, MN 55144-1000
800-328-7098 Ext. 2
Page 6 of 6