For people working within the electric power industry, danger looms around every corner. Fortunately, the right safety gear can minimize the risk of accidents, while reducing the severity of injuries, when accidents do occur. If you want to keep your team safe and reduce liability concerns, learn why flame-resistant clothing is so important.
Understanding the Risk
When workers find themselves in close proximity with petroleum, natural gas or other flammable substances, they could be subject to life-threatening flash fires. When flammable clothing is ignited by a fire, molten metal or arc flash, the hazards become substantially greater, since clothing fires tend to last longer, burn more of the victim's body and increase the risk of lung and airway damage. Flame-resistant clothing can significantly reduce the severity of these injuries by limiting the fire's ability to spread.
What Is Flame-resistant Clothing?
The primary purpose of flame-resistant clothing is to resist ignition. At the same time, FR clothing is also designed to mitigate injuries when unavoidable ignitions occur. By not continuing to burn after an initial fire, FR clothing limits a person's injury to - at most - burns across the skin directly affected by the hazard. By reducing the total surface area of a burn, FR clothing can significantly boost the chances of survival.
The second purpose of FR clothing is to insulate wearers from thermal hazards, which lowers the risk of 2nd or 3rd degree burns through the actual garments. This is where the clothing's arc rating enters the picture. For people who work in the electric power industry, electric arcs are serious safety concerns. A single arc flash or blast can reach temperatures that exceed those found on the surface of the sun. Arc blasts can also come with shrapnel from molten or vaporized metal particles, along with hot gases and intense pressure waves. A serious blast can cause a variety of injuries, including blindness, memory loss, hearing loss, broken bones and deadly burns. When workers are wearing the appropriate safety gear, however, they can drastically reduce the risk of life-altering outcomes.
How Does Flame-resistant Clothing Work?
There are two distinct kinds of flame-resistant fabrics: treated FR and inherent FR. Treated fabrics are created using a chemical application process that allows them to resist ignition. While they do reduce the risk of fire and burns, treated FR fabrics can lose some of their protective capabilities over time, as they are exposed to laundering, UV rays, abrasion and general wear and tear. On the other hand, because flame-resistant properties are built in at the molecular level, inherent FR retains its protective qualities for the life of the fabric. It's also a bit more expensive, although these costs can be recouped since the clothing can be worn longer.
When choosing an FR fabric for their workers, it's a good idea for business owners to determine how much protection they need and how much they can afford to spend. They should also thoroughly investigate industry safety requirements to make sure their gear meets or exceeds the minimum level of protection.
Triple Crown offers a diverse collection of flame-resistant work gear with features that meet the most stringent safety requirements. Explore our available inventory or contact our office to learn more.