Caring & Maintaining Arc Flash Clothing by CATU Electrical

Published 14 Apr 2022

Heavy-Duty Arc Flash Clothing

Industrial Washing & Drying

Maintaining Arc Flash Clothing For Long Term Multi-Risk Protection

The CATU range of Arc Flash Clothing Kits are comfortable, lightweight and range from 12 cal/cm² – 40 cal/cm². The Pro Kit gathers a selection of essential garments to guarantee protection against electrical arc risks – should you require guidance on selection and use of an Arc Flash Calculator please call Thorne & Derrick.

Thorne & Derrick stock and distribute an extensive range of arc flash clothing and protection available in a range of sizes and cal ratings to ensure protection against the dangers and risks of arc flash hazards manufactured by market-leading specialists CATU.

The CAT’ARC range now offers multi-risk and Arc-Flash protection from 12 to 40 cal/cm². These comfortable garments are worn on a daily basis and therefore need to be cleaned regularly. CATU helps you to maintain their protection levels, even after many washes.

Technical and innovative, the 12 cal/cm² CAT’ARC garments have been tested according to the ISO 15 797 standard, which certifies that they retain their properties throughout their period of use. This standard verifies that our garments support global industrial maintenance solutions offered by service providers, such as professional laundries.

The arc flash protective garments were subjected to 50 wash cycles at 75 ° C and drum drying at 70 ° C – this makes it possible to check the maintenance of the different protections, the dimensional stability, the behaviour of the colours, the wrinkling, the formation of creases, the pilling and the visual.

12 Cal Arc Flash Protection Kit

• • • • Flame spread (ISO 11612 – A1 A2)
      • Source of heat emmited by convection, radiation, or contact
      • (ISO 11612 B1, C1, F1)
      • Molten metal spatter (ISO 11612 E2)
      • Protection against welding hazards (ISO 11611 class 2)
      • Electrostatic dissipation (EN 1149-5)
      • Arc-Flash resistance
      • box test (IEC61482-1-2 / Box Test APC 1)
      • Mechanical strength (tensile, tear)

The innovative CAT’ARC 25-40 cal/cm² fabric has been subjected to 50 complete wash cycles at 40°C and tumble drying at 60°C, in accordance with ISO 6330, Household Washing and Drying Methods for Textile Testing. This standard verifies that our garments can withstand the care solutions. Thus, the fabric has been tested and validated after 50 industrial wash-dry cycles for the following performances:

25-40 Cal Arc Flash Protection Kit

• • • • Flame spread (ISO 11612 – A1 A2)
        Source of heat emmited by convection, radiation, or contact
      • (cf ISO 11612 B1, C2, F2)
      • Protection against welding hazards (cf ISO 11611 class 2)
      • Electrostatic dissipation (EN 1149-5)
      • Arc-Flash resistance
        box test (IEC61482-1-2 / Box Test APC 2)
      • Mechanical strength (tensile, tear)

Caring & Maintaining Arc Flash Clothing

Some Tips On How To Care For Your Garment

As a reminder, the useful life of clothing depends on the use of the PPE, maintenance, storage, etc. it is therefore important to take good care of your clothing and adapt the frequency of washing to the working conditions and the degree of soiling. To wash your garment properly, there are a few simple tips to follow:

• Close all hook and loop fasteners and zips. Empty all pockets.
• Turn the arc flash garment inside out to avoid damage from rubbing against the machine drum.
• Wash separately the arc flash clothing. Do not mix with ordinary garments without similar protective properties.
• Recommended washing temperature: 40°C (104ºF).
• Do not bleach the clothing.
• Tumble dry possible at 60ºC (140ºF)

Arc Flash PPE & Electrical Safety

Main UK Stockists & Distributors of Electrical Safety Products

Thorne & Derrick provide Electrical Safety Equipment to substation engineers, cable jointers, overhead linesmen and utility workers with PPE and electrical safety equipment including insulating gloves, voltage detectors, insulating matting and portable earthing to ensure worker safety when carrying out maintenance on LV-HV switchgear, substations, cables and electrical equipment.

We protect substation engineers, asset managers, SAPS, cable jointers, overhead linesmen and utility workers with PPE and safety equipment: this includes insulating gloves, voltage detectors, insulating matting and portable earthing to ensure worker safety when carrying out repair and maintenance on LV-HV switchgear, transformers, substations and turbines.

All our Cable Connection & Energisation Accessories including Medium & High Voltage joints, terminations, connectors and cleats are tested to the latest international standards and supporting ranges of professional cabling tools are stocked to reduce incident, accident and downtime to plant and people.