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Companies are required by the EPI 89/686 European directive to analyse the risks incurred by workers at their place of work. Where there is a risk of electric arcs occurring, precise information must be supplied: arc intensity (current, voltage, distance between electrodes), arc duration, environment, etc. These parameters can then be fed into computer programs that calculate the energy released by the arc. DuPont is equipped with such software to help firms in evaluating the risks induced by certain working posts. To provide protection against electric arcs, a protective garment must exhibit sufficient flame-resistance, must not ignite or melt. It must nor break open and must provide insulation against radiating heat. Two test methods are available for simulating the effect of an electric arc on textiles: Cenelec ENV 50354 (2001) and IEC 61482-1 (2002). The first test does not quantify the incident energy produced by the electric arc on the textile, whereas the latter quantifies the incident energy value and provides a means of classifying protective systems. DuPont de Nemour's Arc-Man test bench is based on this IEC test and is used for testing fabrics (on sample holders) and complete garments (on a manikin). Tests on fabric samples enable measurements of the protection factor offered by fabrics or multi-layer assemblies. Tests on dummies provide a visual indication of the flame resistance of garments and a means of inspecting garment integrity under a flow of heat. (Bilingual document: French/English)