PetroWear
PetroWear
PetroWear
NASCO’s PetroWear™ line of rainwear is designed to provide multi-hazard protection for workers in the Oil & Gas, Pulp and Paper and Petrochemical industries. Workers who are faced with hazards such as flash fire, electric arc flash and chemical splash need to have a product that will protect them for all potential hazards they may face during the work day. PetroWear products arm them with the right protection for the job.
Left: Brand-X rainwear commonly labeled as flame resistant (FR), however demonstrated significant melting, dripping, shrinkage, break open, and ignition in a flash fire test.
Right: NASCO PetroLite™ – ASTM F2733 compliant, no melting, no dripping, no ignition.
For workers needing flame resistant (FR) rainwear, there is often uncertainty about the proper type of rainwear to select for their application. There are specific types of flame resistant rainwear which are designed for specific flame hazards.
Since not all FR rainwear is necessarily the same, it is important to clarify what the “FR” claim in rainwear means. There is a lot of confusion around what is being sold in the market place – some FR claims even can be decieving. To clarify and determine what your needs are, the first step is to determine the type of flame hazard you are trying to protect against.
To help clarify the standards for FR rainwear, it is pretty simple; there are only two.
Electric Arc Protective Rainwear ASTM F1891: Standard and Specification for Arc and Flame Resistant Rainwear
Flash Fire Protective Rainwear ASTM F2733: Standard Specification for Flame Resistant Rainwear for Protection Against Flame Hazards.
FR rainwear meeting one or both of these standards will be identified on the product label. These are the only FR standards that have been developed specifically for rainwear. Therefore, it is important to select the rainwear which has been appropriately tested to the standard which best meets your hazard.
Purchase a copy of the standards from ASTM: ASTM F903, ASTM F1891 and ASTM F2733
This specification covers the minimum performance criteria for flame resistance and other requirements for rainwear used by workers with the potential to be simultaneously exposed to wet weather conditions and either hydrocarbon or petrochemical industrial fires.
The purchaser has the option to perform or have performed any of the tests required by this specification in order to verify the performance of the rainwear.
This specification for rainwear shall not be construed as a requirement for the use of any particular rainwear material.
Scope 1.1 This specification establishes applicable test methods, minimum physical and thermal performance criteria, a suggested sizing guide, and suggested purchasing information for rainwear for use by workers who are potentially exposed to industrial hydrocarbon fires or other petrochemical fire hazards.
1.1.1 This specification does not apply to rainwear used for thermal electric arc flash hazards. Specification of rainwear for these electric arc flash hazards are addressed in Specification F 1891.
1.2 The objective of this specification is to prescribe function and performance criteria for rainwear that meets a minimum level of thermal and physical performance when exposed to a laboratory-simulated fire exposure.
1.3 This specification is not intended to serve as a detailed manufacturing or purchasing specification, but can be referenced in purchase contracts to ensure that minimum performance requirements are met.
1.4 Controlled laboratory tests used to determine compliance with the performance requirements of this specification shall not be deemed as establishing performance levels for all situations to which wearers of this protective clothing are potentially exposed.
1.5 This specification does not attempt to establish in-service care and use of this flame-resistant rainwear.
1.6 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in brackets are mathematical conversions to inch-pound or other units that are commonly used for thermal testing.
1.7 The following safety hazards caveat pertains to Sections 7 and 9 of this specification. This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
This specification establishes applicable test methods, minimum physical and thermal performance criteria, a suggested sizing guide, and suggested purchasing information for rainwear for use by workers who may be exposed to thermal hazards of momentary electric arcs and open flames. It does not however apply to electrical contact hazards or electric shock hazards involved with electric arcs nor to flash fire hazards such as industrial hydrocarbon flash fires or other petrochemical flash fire hazards. The rainwear shall be manufactured of materials and constructed using seams that meet the requirements for leak resistance and shall meet the physical requirements of this specification initially as manufactured and after five cleanings. The specimen shall be subjected to tests to determine conformance to the following requirements: flame resistance, tear strength resistance, waterproofness, electric arc resistance, material average weight, arc rating, arc thermal performance value, breakopen threshold energy, heat attenuation factor, and melting and dripping. The material response characteristics for rainwear material, including afterflame time, breakopen, charring, dripping, electric arc ignition, embrittlement, melting, and shrinkage, shall be reported for two typical exposures at least equal to the arc rating and also for two typical exposures at least two times the arc rating.
This abstract is a brief summary of the referenced standard. It is informational only and not an official part of the standard; the full text of the standard itself must be referred to for its use and application. ASTM does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents of this abstract are accurate, complete or up to date.
Scope
1.1 This specification establishes applicable test methods, minimum physical and thermal performance criteria, a suggested sizing guide, and suggested purchasing information for rainwear for use by workers who may be exposed to thermal hazards of momentary electric arcs and open flames.
1.1.1 This specification does not apply to the electrical contact hazards or electric shock hazards involved with electric arcs.
1.1.2 This specification does not apply to flash fire hazards such as industrial hydrocarbon flash fires or other petrochemical flash fire hazards.
1.2 The objective of this specification is to prescribe fit, function and performance criteria for rainwear that meets a minimum level of thermal and physical performance when exposed to a laboratory–simulated electric arc or flame exposure.
1.3 This specification is not intended to serve as a detailed manufacturing or purchasing specification, but can be referenced in purchase contracts to ensure that minimum performance requirements are met.
1.4 Controlled laboratory tests used to determine compliance with the performance requirements of this specification shall not be deemed as establishing performance levels for all situations to which wearers of this protective clothing may be exposed.
1.5 The in-service care and use of this rainwear is beyond the scope of this specification.
1.6 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The SI units shown in parentheses are for information only.
1.7 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to Sections 7 and 9, of this specification: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
This test method is normally used to evaluate the barrier effectiveness against liquids of materials used for protective clothing and specimens from finished items of protective clothing.
Finished items of protective clothing include gloves, arm shields, aprons, suits, hoods, boots, and the like.
The phrase “specimens from finished items” encompasses seamed and other discontinuous regions as well as the usual continuous regions of protective clothing items.
A substitute challenge liquid (for example, water) is appropriate in some cases. However, it is possible that differences in chemical and molecular properties (for example, surface tension) lead to different results.
Scope
1.1 This test method is used to test specimens of protective clothing and candidate materials and constructions to be used in protective clothing.
The resistance to visible penetration of the test liquid is determined with the liquid in continuous contact with the normally outside surface of the test specimen.
1.2 In some cases, significant amounts of hazardous materials will permeate specimens that pass the penetration tests. For more sensitive analysis use Test Method F739 to determine permeation.
1.3 This test method is not applicable to finger tips or crotch areas of gloves, which are possible failure points.
1.4 The values as stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The values in parentheses are for information only.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific hazards are given in Section 7.