ASTM F1296-08(2015) - 1.2.2015
 
Significance and Use

4.1 The standards under the jurisdiction of Committee F23 and other technical committees can be used individually or as part of an integrated protocol in the development, selection, specification, and use of chemical protective clothing.

4.2 The standards are intended as a means by which information can be requested, generated, and reported in a consistent, comparable manner.

4.3 The suggested evaluation and test methods are recommended guidelines only. Test methods offer procedures for evaluating chemical protective clothing at standardized conditions to allow comparison.

4.4 The information on clothing performance must be combined with professional judgment, and a clear understanding of the clothing application, to provide the best protection to the worker. All chemical protective clothing use must be based on a hazard assessment to determine the risks for exposure to chemicals and other hazards. Conduct hazard assessments in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.132.

4.5 Chemical protective clothing intended for use during hazardous materials emergencies shall be evaluated against and conform to NFPA 1991, Standard on Vapor-Protective Ensemble for Hazardous Materials Emergencies, or NFPA 1992, Standard on Liquid Splash-Protective Ensemble and Clothing for Hazardous Materials Emergencies, as appropriate for the type of emergency. For emergencies involving release of chemical agents during terrorism incidents, chemical protective clothing shall be evaluated against and conform to NFPA 1994, Standard on Protective Ensemble for Chemical/Biological Terrorism Incidents.

4.6 Recommendations for labeling chemical protective clothing are provided in Practice F1301, recommendations for implementing a chemical protective clothing program are provided in Practice F1461, and recommendations for preparing care and maintenance instructions are provided in Practice F2061.

4.7 Appendix X1 is an example of how several of the referenced standards can be combined into a protocol to select the most suitable chemical protective clothing for a given application. Briefly, the process is one of defining the requirements of the application and then (by testing) eliminating those candidates that are unsuitable.

4.8 Appendix X2 provides a chart to cross reference U.S. Standards with European and International Standards. This chart shows only analogous standards for measuring the same property or evaluating the similar chemical protective clothing and does not imply that results from different tests will be comparable.

 
1. Scope

1.1 This guide is intended to aid in the application of standards for the development, specification, and selection of chemical protective clothing with the ultimate goal of maintaining the safety and health of workers who come into contact with hazardous chemicals.

1.2 This guide provides a short description of each referenced standard and then makes specific recommendations for the use of these standards. The referenced standards are organized under the following headings: Material Chemical Resistance, Material Physical Properties, Seam and Closure Performance, and Overall Clothing Performance.

1.3 No protocol can ensure the selection of protective clothing that guarantees worker protection. The purpose of testing is to generate data and information that will allow the selection of the most appropriate clothing. Ultimately, clothing selection is based on technical evaluation of available information and professional assessment of risk.

1.4 The values stated in SI units or in other units shall be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system must be used independently of the other, without combining values in any way.

1.5 This standard does not purport to address the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

 
2. Referenced Documents

D5151-19(2023)

Standard Test Method for Detection of Holes in Medical Gloves

D6413-11

Standard Test Method for Flame Resistance of Textiles (Vertical Test)

F392-93(1999)

Standard Test Method for Flex Durability of Flexible Barrier Materials

F1461-17

Standard Practice for Chemical Protective Clothing Program

F1494-23

Standard Terminology Relating to Protective Clothing

F1790-05

Standard Test Method for Measuring Cut Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing

F2061-17

Standard Practice for Chemical Protective Clothing: Wearing, Care, and Maintenance Instructions

F2130-11

Standard Test Method for Measuring Repellency, Retention, and Penetration of Liquid Pesticide Formulation Through Protective Clothing Materials

ANSI Z41

American National Standard for Personal Protection--Protective Footwear

NFPA 1991

Standard on Vapor-Protective Ensemble for Hazardous Materials Emergencies

F903-18

Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing to Penetration by Liquids

F1001-12(2017)

Standard Guide for Selection of Chemicals to Evaluate Protective Clothing Materials

NFPA 1992

Standard on Liquid Splash-Protective Ensemble and Clothing for Hazardous Materials Emergencies

NFPA 1994

Standard on Protective Ensemble for Chemical/Biological Terrorism Incidents

29 CFR Part 1910.120

Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response: Final Rule, Federal Register, Vol 54, Mar. 6, 1989, p. 9317, as amended in Federal Register , Vol 55, Apr. 13, 1990, p. 14073; Federal Register , Vol 56, Apr. 18, 1991, p. 15382 and Federal Register , Vol 59, Aug. 22, 1994, p. 43270

29 CFR Part 1910.132

General Requirements, of Subpart I--Personal Protective Equipment, Federal Register , Vol 39, Jun. 27, 1974, p. 23502, as amended in Federal Register, Vol 59, Apr. 6, 1994, p. 16334 and Federal Register, Vol 59, July 1, 1994, p. 33910

29 CFR Part 1910.1000

Air Contaminants, Federal Register, Vol. 39, June 27, 1974.

TLVs and BEIs: Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents; Biological Exposure Indices Available from American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, Inc. (ACGIH), 1330 Kemper Meadow Dr., Suite 600, Cincinnati, OH 45240, http://www.acgih.org.

F1052-20

Standard Test Method for Pressure Testing Vapor Protective Suits

F1154-24

Standard Practices for Evaluating the Comfort, Fit, Function, and Durability of Protective Ensembles, Ensemble Elements, and Other Components

F1186-18

Standard Classification System for Chemicals According to Functional Groups

F1194-18

Standard Guide for Documenting the Results of Chemical Permeation Testing of Materials Used in Protective Clothing

F1291-22

Standard Test Method for Measuring the Thermal Insulation of Clothing Using a Heated Manikin

F1301-18(2024)e1

Standard Practice for Labeling Chemical Protective Clothing (Includes all amendments and changes 2/6/2024).

F1342-05

Standard Test Method for Protective Clothing Material Resistance to Puncture

F1358-16

Standard Test Method for Effects of Flame Impingement on Materials Used in Protective Clothing Not Designated Primarily for Flame Resistance

F1359-07

Standard Test Method for Liquid Penetration Resistance of Protective Clothing or Protective Ensembles Under a Shower Spray While on a Mannequin

F1383-20

Standard Test Method for Permeation of Liquids and Gases Through Protective Clothing Materials Under Conditions of Intermittent Contact

F1407-12(2017)

Standard Test Method for Resistance of Chemical Protective Clothing Materials to Liquid Permeation´Permeation Cup Method

F739-20

Standard Test Method for Permeation of Liquids and Gases Through Protective Clothing Materials Under Conditions of Continuous Contact

D751-19

Standard Test Methods for Coated Fabrics

D1630-16(2021)

Standard Test Method for Rubber Property—Abrasion Resistance (Footwear Abrader)

D2582-21

Standard Test Method for Puncture-Propagation Tear Resistance of Plastic Film and Thin Sheeting

D3389-21

Standard Test Method for Coated Fabrics Abrasion Resistance (Rotary Platform Abrader)

D4157-13(2022)

Standard Test Method for Abrasion Resistance of Textile Fabrics (Oscillatory Cylinder Method)

D747-10

Standard Test Method for Apparent Bending Modulus of Plastics by Means of a Cantilever Beam (Withdrawn 2019)

D4966-22

Standard Test Method for Abrasion Resistance of Textile Fabrics (Martindale Abrasion Tester Method)

D5587-15(2024)

Standard Test Method for Tearing Strength of Fabrics by Trapezoid Procedure

D5034-21

Standard Test Method for Breaking Strength and Elongation of Textile Fabrics (Grab Test)