Can Arc Ratings Be Added to Calculate Protection?

Tyndale-made arc-rated and flame resistant (AR / FR) garments feature an external label to indicate the garment’s protective ratings. These ratings explain two critical pieces of information about your AR / FR clothing:

• The Calorie Rating (CAL) – the level of protection the garment delivers
• The PPE Category (CAT) –  the broad category the CAL rating falls under – CAT 1, 2, 3 or 4

Testing according to ASTM F1959 ensures clothing meet safety standards. Arc-rated clothing saves lives and adding arc ratings together is not the proper way to calculate protection. Let’s check in with Tyndale’s Vice President of Technical, Scott Margolin to see how to take the guesswork out of getting dressed:

If you are mixing clothing from different manufacturers for protection, these garments are not likely to have been tested together to determine their combined efficacy. It is important to have a service provider that has tested the effectiveness of layering different products and fabrics together. Tyndale’s layering tool puts this expertise in the palm of your hand and is conveniently available in our mobile app.

While layering is an essential way to stay safe in all kinds of weather, it’s bad math to think simply adding arc ratings together can deliver the required protection in the event of an arc flash incident. Good news: With Tyndale’s layering tool, we’ve done the work for you to understand the calculations and make your layers count – and ensure you and your workers are protected.