The safety industry is full of initials and numbers. This is particularly apparent in the world of flame/fire resistant clothing, arc flash PPE, and high visibility safety apparel. Below is a glossary designed to help you sort out the alphabet soup that accompanies HVSA, FR, and AR clothing.
Workplace Standards – Governed by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration
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29 CFR 1910.132 – The OSHA regulation that mandates companies perform a hazard assessment and outfit their workers with appropriate personal protective equipment. |
29 CFR 1910.269 – The OSHA regulation specific to electrical power-oriented companies further mandating hazard assessment and appropriate PPE provisions. |
Hazard Standards – Governed by the National Fire Protection Association
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NFPA 2112 – The NFPA standard for protecting personnel in the oil & gas drilling, petrochemical, research lab, and combustible dust industries. |
NFPA 70e – The NFPA standard for protecting workers against electrical hazards in the workplace. |
Testing Standards – Governed by the American Society for Testing and Materials
High Visibility Standards - Governed by the American National Standards Institute
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ANSI 107-2015 – The latest update to the standard established new types and classes for hi vis PPE: |
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| Type: Addresses the kind of worker it is for | ||||||||
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Type O – Off-Road/Non-Roadway Workers  |
Type R – Workers in the Roadway  |
Type P – Public Safety/First Responders  |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will I only need to address one of the FR, AR, or Hi Vis clothing standards at time?
No, your hazardous assessment may reveal multiple hazards that require protection all at the same time.
If I have PPE certified as ASTM F1506 compliant for arc flash protection and discover that flash fire is also a hazard at my workplace, will I have to change gear?
No, something ASTM F1506 compliant necessarily meets NFPA 2112 FR clothing standards.
If I use polyester high visibility gear, will I have to switch it if flash fire or arc flash hazards are present on the job site?
Yes, there’s no such thing as flame resistant polyester.
Can I just use the NFPA 701/ASTM D6413 test methods as my only FR criteria?
No, those by themselves are not sufficient to determine FR compliance.
Can PPE simultaneously comply with NFPA 2112 FR standards, ASTM F1506 arc flash standards, and ANSI 107 high visibility standards?
Yes, newer materials can protect against multiple hazards.
How do I know which, if any, standards my PPE meets?
Compliant garments will all have labels describing their type or performance class, and manufacturers are required to complete a declaration of conformity for each garment. When in doubt, ask to see the declaration of conformity.
Does ANSI/ISEA 207 still exist?
No, it was rolled into ANSI 107-2015 as Type P.
