If you are buying workwear for electrical, utilities or industrial work, you will meet terms like FR, arc-rated, EN ISO 11612 and ATPV. They are not interchangeable, and picking the wrong garment can leave a real gap in protection. This guide keeps it simple and points you to where the real decision sits: your risk assessment.

Flame-resistant vs arc-rated: not the same thing

Flame-resistant (FR) clothing is made from fabrics that resist ignition and do not continue to burn once the heat source is removed. It is aimed at flash fire and general heat and flame hazards.

Arc-rated clothing is FR clothing that has also been tested against the specific hazard of an electric arc flash, and given a measured performance value. All arc-rated clothing is flame-resistant, but not all FR clothing is arc-rated. If your hazard is an electric arc, you need garments that are specifically arc-rated, not just FR.

The standards you will see on the label

Garments carry certifications that tell you what they were tested against. The common ones in the UK and Europe include:

• EN ISO 11612 — protection against heat and flame. A general standard for garments protecting against brief contact with flame and various types of heat.
• IEC 61482 — protection against the thermal hazards of an electric arc. This is the arc-rating standard, and garments tested to it carry a stated arc performance value.
• EN ISO 14116 — limited flame spread, for lower-risk situations where full FR protection is not required.
• EN 1149 — electrostatic properties, relevant where a static discharge could be a source of ignition.

A single garment can be certified to more than one of these, and many are. The label and the manufacturer's information will list what a specific product has been tested to.

What the arc numbers mean

Arc-rated garments are given a performance value, usually described as an ATPV or EBT figure, and grouped into classes. In plain terms, a higher value means more thermal protection against an arc. The important point is not to memorise the numbers, but to understand that the garment's rating must be matched to the level of hazard you have identified. That match is an engineering and safety decision, not a shopping one.

How to choose the right level

This is the part no supplier can decide for you. The level of protection your team needs comes from a risk assessment of the actual work: what the hazard is, how severe it could be, and how it is being controlled. For arc work in particular, an incident-energy assessment by a competent person is the recognised way to establish the rating required.

Once you know the level you need, matching garments to it is straightforward, and that is where we can help.

Keeping the protection intact

FR and arc garments keep their protection only if they are looked after and repaired correctly. Follow the manufacturer's care and repair guidance, do not use fabric softeners or bleach unless the guidance allows it, and take garments out of service when they are damaged or heavily contaminated. Adding branding should also follow the garment guidance so it does not affect the protection.

Need the garments themselves? See our arc-flash and FR workwear range, or read our electricians' workwear page for standard day-to-day kit.