In many countries, arc flash incidents are one of the leading causes of death or injury for electrical technicians.
Given that more than half of all risks and injuries related to arc flashes affect the area above the neck, Sofamel has created different hoods that provide extremely effective personal protection: the Armour-1, Armour-2, and Armour-2 ATPV36.
Armour-1
With a clear polycarbonate shield for low-intensity arc flashes
Armour-1 provides adequate protection for class 1 as defined by the European standard GS-ET-29
This is the most common type of protection. It protects against convective heat, some shrapnel fragments, and molten particles that can be generated by an electric arc incident with low heat intensity.
It is of sufficient thickness and height to conform to code 8 of EN 166 and it provides adequate protection for class 1 as defined by the European standard GS-ET-29. It is suitable for electrical work where arcing incidents up to 4 kA/0.5 sec (3.2 cal/cm2) may occur (as determined by the enclosed arc flash test).
Armour-2
Specialized arc flash protection with a shield for high-intensity discharges
A high-intensity arc flash incident typically generates high levels of electromagnetic radiation, as well as high-energy visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light. This hood has a special polycarbonate shield that meets the protection requirements of GS-ET-29 class 2: it provides a greater level of protection for workers in environments where there is a high risk of electric arc discharges (7 kA/0.5 sec - 10.1 cal/cm2 BOX TEST).
The hood protects against convective heat and electromagnetic radiation, as well as high-energy visible light and ultraviolet and infrared spectra. The ARMOUR-2 ATPV36 shield is tested further using the “Arc-Man” system and is rated category 3 according to ASTM F2178. (36 cal/cm2).
