Electric arc - EN 61482-2:2020

Clothing to protect against thermal hazards associated with an electric arc

Protective clothing covered by this standard must have properties that are resistant to the thermal effects of an electric arc. Clothing should delay the transfer of thermal energy by absorbing as much of it as possible.

Testing methods have been developed and can be applied to fabrics as well as clothing. For clothing to be certified, both the materials and clothing must be tested and meet the requirements. Certification is always given at clothing level.

Protective clothing can be classified as Class 1 (4kA) or Class 2 (7kA). This test is known as the “box test” and provides a positive or negative result. A single-layer protective garment is usually awarded Class 1.