How to Assess Fire Retardant Clothing

Wear the proper protective equipment when working in fire risk areas.

Flame retardant or resistant clothing is an invaluable piece of equipment for those professionals working around open flames, flammable materials or highly electrified areas. These clothes are more expensive than work clothes, but they can reduce serious burn injury and save lives; they also have a longer life because they're more durable. You will need to assess what kind of flame retardant clothing is best for your specific workplace scenario based on all applicable laws and working conditions, but everyone working near a combustible area should wear the proper clothing at all times.

Instructions

1. Inspect the workplace for hazardous materials, flammable materials, open flames, sparks or other possible fire hazards. If you notice multiple hazards or risks, you should wear the proper protective clothing.

2. Contact OSHA to determine what kind of flame retardant clothing you or your employees should wear and what level of protection that clothing needs to give, based on your occupation.

3. Use the standards and regulations you obtained from OSHA to determine what level of thermal protection youl need for your workplace. Thermal protection ratings are based on the amount of heat needed to produce a second-degree burn on the wearer. They are given an APTV value from N/A to 40 (the highest protection), which is determined by the international testing agency ASTM.

4. Use the standards and regulations you obtained from OSHA for your industry to determine what level of ARC protection you need for your workplace. The ARC ratings are included in the APTV value used in the previous step. This is rated by ATSM to determine what amount of energy from a spark will cause a second- or third-degree burn on the wearer.

5. Assess the clothing based on comfort for the wearer. Employees are less likely to wear the biggest, hottest suits and are more likely to wear something more comfortable.

Tips & Warnings

• Use layers of cotton under garments to increase your level of protective.

• Never wear chemically treated, nylon or polyester clothing underneath fire retardant clothing. These will melt to the skin rather than burn away like cotton.

References

• Aramark Flame Resistant Clothes
• NFPA 70E Electrical Safety Summary