UltraSoft Apparel
Premium Multi-Hazard FR/AR Protection: Electric Arc, Flash Fire, Molten Ferrous Metal, Welding, Heat, Flame
WESTEX ULTRASOFT® FR/AR
UltraSoft® was designed with both comfort and safety in mind. UltraSoft® is a unique blend of 88% FR Cotton and 12% High-Tenacity Nylon, providing a soft feel for greater comfort, enhanced wear life and protective performance. In fact, the fabric is engineered to focus the excellent abrasion resistance of the Nylon on the outer surface to prolong garment wear life, while the Cotton fibres are focussed towards the skin to optimise comfort.
In the Westex engineering process, a high quality phosphonium salt precondensate flame retardant chemical is applied and polymerised with gaseous ammonia forming a long-chain flame retardant polymer impregnated into the core of each cotton fibre.
This flame retardant polymer acts as a catalyst promoting charring of the fabric. This accelerated charring prohibits the support of combustion by reducing the fuel source.
Westex UltraSoft® is certified NFPA 2112 for flash fire and NFPA 70E PPE Category 2 for arc flash. Westex guarantees the flame resistance of UltraSoft® fabric for the useful life of the garment when proper care procedures are employed. This guarantee has been demonstrated in laboratory testing through the auditing of samples from the millions of garments in the protective clothing marketplace for over two decades.
Providing exceptional comfort from breakthrough technology, this market-proven protection makes UltraSoft® the fabric that employees will want to wear.
ULTRASOFT® FABRIC STYLES
STYLE | TYPE | COMPOSITION | ATPV CAL/CM2 | NFPA 70E CAT | NFPA 2112 | WEIGHT GSM/OZ | LAUNDRY | SUITABILITY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
301 | 3x1 Twill | Cotton (88%), HT Nylon (12%) | 8.7 | 2 | Yes | 237/7.0 | Industrial, Home | Lightweight Shirts, Lightweight Coveralls |
451 | 3x1 Rugged Twill | Cotton (88%), HT Nylon (12%) | 12.4 | 2 | Yes | 305/9.0 | Industrial, Home | Trousers, Jackets, Coveralls, Bib Overalls |
HOW ULTRASOFT® PROTECTS
ELECTRIC ARC
NFPA 70E
The intense energy and very short duration of an electric arc represents a very unique exposure - one that requires flame resistant clothing durable enough to withstand an arc flash or flash fire. Once ignited, regular cotton or poly-cotton workwear can continue burning even after the source of ignition is removed.
The outstanding feature of UltraSoft® is its ability to provide unparalleled protection against the risks and hazards associated with electric arc. ASTM F1506 electric arc flash testing undertaken by Kinectrics Inc. of Toronto, the world's leading authority on electric arc flash testing of textile materials, found that UltraSoft® exceeds the minimum requirements of NFPA 70E PPE Category 2 (minimum 8 cal/cm2).
FLASH FIRE
NFPA 2112
Flash fires have a heat flux of approximately 84kW/m2 and typically last less than three seconds. Wearing flash fire flame resistant workwear that self-extinguishes can give workers much-needed time to escape a flash fire and dramatically reduce burn injuries. NFPA 2112 (Flame Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire) provides minimum performance criteria and sets out guidelines for testing on instrumented mannequins. NFPA 2112 requires flash fire testing to be conducted at three second intervals with a pass/fail rate of 40% total predicted body burn under ASTM F1930.
Flash fire testing conducted by Westex at the University of Alberta's PCERF laboratories found that UltraSoft® meets the requirements of NFPA 2112, providing unmatched protection against flash fire hazards. PCERF is a protective clothing and equipment research facility and is one of the world's foremost flash fire laboratories.
MOLTEN METAL
ASTM F955
UltraSoft® has the unique ability to shed molten ferrous metals. While some charing may occur, the flame resistant properties of UltraSoft® will preclude ignition and continued burning (ASTM F955). It should be noted that protection from second-degree burns in ferrous metal processing is highly dependent on the quantity of molten metal exposed to and the number of layers and weight of the fabric worn: thus, different weights should be evaluated. A minimum fabric weight of 305gsm/9oz is recommended for light welding and cutting operations while 407gsm/12oz or heavier weights are recommended for most other foundry and molten metal applications. In general, heavier weights will provide better insulation from heat transfer however end users should determine the appropriate weight for their particular application.
THE ULTRASOFT® DIFFERENCE
This Westex UltraSoft® video (1:43) highlights the three qualities that matter most in FR fabric - guaranteed flame resistance for the life of the garment, shrinkage control and superior comfort.
Engineered for proven protection against arc flash and flash fire.
