Tyndale Returns to KEMA for More Live Arc Flash Testing

November 12, 2019

Nothing drives home the importance of wearing arc rated, fire resistant (AR/FR) clothing on the job than seeing what happens when non-FR clothing is subjected to an actual arc flash.

Back in 2017, Tyndale broke new ground by hosting, along with Westex, an utterly unique event at the KEMA – Low, Medium and High Voltage Laboratory in Chalfont, PA. Under the guidance of Scott Margolin, Tyndale VP of Technical – and longtime veteran of arc flash research – Tyndale subjected a variety of FR and non-FR clothing to arc flashes of varying intensity – then we filmed this results.

In October of this year, we went back for a bigger, better, even more explosive event. Over the course of three days, Tyndale and the staff at KEMA unleashed more than 60 arcs at FR and non-FR clothing, a variety of hi-vis garments and rainwear – and even some counterfeit garments claiming to be FR.

As the brief video below shows, the results were eye-opening, to say the least.

Spoiler Alert – it ain’t pretty. See for yourself

Right now, Tyndale is busy editing the video files and we expect to begin making them available for viewing within the next month. So check the video library section of Tyndale’s FR Safety Library regularly to be among the first to see the new footage.

These videos are undeniably spectacular, but it’s about so much more than watching stuff blow up. In addition to the time spent on the test range, Tyndale’s KEMA event included insightful discussion and commentary in seminars featuring such industry safety leaders as Director of Safety and Code Training for the Electrical Training ALLIANCE, Palmer Hickman; Safety Director for Miller Electric, William Watson; arc flash burn survivor, Brandon Schroder; Vice President of Enispro, Rich Gojdics; and of course, Tyndale’s own Scott Margolin.

As with many things in life, when it comes to safety, seeing is believing. And believing in the need to wear FR clothing on the job could someday save your life. If you’re still not onboard, we suggest you watch the video again.