Comparison of Requirements in Selected Flash Fire Standards for the Utility Industry
Design or Performance ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999)
Property
Certification Not addressed Independent, third party
certification required;
testing must be performed
by certification organization
Manufacturer quality Not addressed Manufacturer must be
assurance registered to ISO 9001 or
9002 by March 2001
Manufacturer quality Not addressed At least 2 unannounced
assurance audits audits per year
Product label design Not addressed Must be permanently
affixed; must include
certification organization
mark; printing must be in 3
mm high letters in English
Product label language Required information: Required information:
- Tracking identification - Specific compliance
code system statement
- Meets requirements of - Manufacturer name
Specification F 1506 - Manufacturer address
- Manufacturer name - Lot number
- Size - Country of manufacture
- Care instructions - Country of textile origin
- Fiber content - Style name or design
- Arc rating (ATPV or EBT) - Date of manufacture
- Size
- Cleaning and drying
instructions
- Fiber content
“DO NOT REMOVE”
NFPA 2112 (2001
proposed)
Independent, third party
certification required;
testing by labs accredited by
certification organization is
permitted
Limited requirements for
manufacturer quality
assurance; registration to
ISO 9001 optional
At least 1 visit per year
Must be permanently
affixed; must include
certification organization
mark; printing must be in
2.5 mm high letters in
English
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”
CAN/CGSB 155.20
(2000)
Not addressed in standard;
CGSB considering initiation
of program in early 2001.
Not addressed
Not addressed
Must be affixed; must be in
both English and French
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
Design or Performance ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001 CAN/CGSB 155.20
Property proposed) (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 Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed Design can neither adversely
(design) affect protective
characteristics nor
contribute to severity of
burn injury to wearer.
Materials of construction Not addressed May be either flame- Not addressed Not addressed
(design) resistant fabrics or 100%
cotton or wool
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, Not addressed
burrs, or sharp images
Metal components (design) Not addressed Not addressed Contact with body not Contact with body not
permitted permitted
Laundering procedure AATCC 135 - 3, IV, Aiii Multistage industrial Multistage industrial CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 48
(preconditioning) (permanent press machine laundering with break, laundering with break, Procedure III E (medium
cycle, wash temperature at carry-over, 3 rinse cycles, carry-over, 3 rinse cycles, temperature 50oC, moderate
49oC, tumble drying on sour and extraction; drying sour and extraction; drying mechanical action, synthetic
permanent press setting) with dryer temperature set at with dryer temperature of detergent and tumble
82oC (without load) 68oC (without load) drying)
Dry-cleaning procedure ASTM D 2724, paragraph AATCC 158 AATCC 158 CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 30
(preconditioning) 6.1

Page 2 of 6
Design or Performance ASTM F 1506-00
Property
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
Flame resistance (primary Not addressed
closures)
Heat resistance (fabrics) Not addressed
Heat resistance (hardware) Not addressed
Heat resistance (primary Not addressed
closures)
Thermal shrinkage Not addressed
resistance
NFPA 1975 (1999)
Not addressed
Not addressed
Samples exposed to 260oC
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.
Not addressed
Not addressed
Same exposure as above;
shrinkage £ 15% in any one
NFPA 2112 (2001
proposed)
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
Not addressed
Samples exposed to 260oC
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.
Same as fabrics but must
also remain functional
Not addressed
Same exposure as above;
shrinkage £ 10% in any one
CAN/CGSB 155.20
(2000)
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
Same as fabrics
Samples exposed to 260oC
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.
Same as fabrics but must
also remain functional
Same as fabrics
Same exposure as above;
shrinkage £ 3% in any one
Page 3 of 6

Design or Performance
Property
Thermal insulation – heat
exposure
Thermal insulation –
electrical arc
Overall garment insulation
Melting resistance (thread)
Breaking strength (woven
fabrics)
ASTM F 1506-00
Not addressed
Testing per ASTM F 1959
on full garments;
Afterflame £ 5 sec.
Report of arc rating
Not addressed
Not addressed
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
direction direction
NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001
proposed)
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
Not addressed 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%
Testing per FTMS Testing per FTMS
191A,1534 at 260oC with no 191A,1534 at 260oC with no
observed melting observed melting
Not addressed Not addressed
direction (10% knits)
CAN/CGSB 155.20
(2000)
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)
Not addressed
Not addressed
Testing per FTMS
191A,1534 at 260oC with no
observed melting
Not addressed
Page 4 of 6
Design or Performance ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001 CAN/CGSB 155.20
Property proposed) (2000)
Burst strength (knit Testing per ASTM D 3786; Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
fabrics) criteria based on fabric
weight:
3.0-8.0 oz/yd2 ³ 179 N
8.1-16.0 oz/yd2 ³ 268 N
Tear resistance (woven Testing per ASTM D 1424; Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
fabrics) 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
Seam strength Not addressed Woven seam testing per Not addressed Not addressed
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;
Seam slippage Testing per ASTM D 434; 6 Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
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
Colorfastness – laundering Testing per AATCC 61, IIA; Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
Class 3
Colorfastness – Testing per AATCC 132; Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed
dry-cleaning Class 3
Dimensional change Testing per AATCC 135 -
3, IV, Aiii (5 cycles) for
laundering or AATCC 158;
shrinkage £ 3% (does not
Page 5 of 6
 apply to knits)
Design or Performance ASTM F 1506-00 NFPA 1975 (1999) NFPA 2112 (2001 CAN/CGSB 155.20
Property proposed) (2000)
Label legibility Not addressed Examination of labels after Examination of labels after Examination of labels after
100 laundry or dry-cleaning 100 laundry or dry-cleaning 50 laundry cycles or 5 dry-
cycles cycles 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