When a flash fire happens, you don’t have time to adjust your clothes—you always need to be wearing them as if a fire could happen at any moment to ensure you’re fully protected. But what does wearing flame resistant garments correctly look like? If you’re seeking a formal standard for guidance, the National Fire Protection Association offers us NFPA 2113: the standard on selection, care, use, and maintenance of flame resistant garments for protection of industrial personnel against short duration thermal exposures. But NFPA 2113 stops short of providing directions for proper wear. In lieu of a formal standard, most employers settle on industry consensus to instruct employees on how to wear their protective workwear. So what’s the consensus?
Proper Fit
FR garments should fit your body well with enough room to create a thin layer of air between the FR fabric and your undergarments. That layer acts as insulation in a flash fire and can reduce the amount of heat that can transfer or pass through the protective garment in a thermal event. But FR clothing should not be so large as to be loose and baggy, which raises the risk of getting clothing caught in equipment and machinery.
Natural Fiber Undergarments
Your FR uniform can perform exactly as it should to protect you in a thermal exposure, but if you’ve got the wrong underwear on, you could be in for a world of trouble. Most man-made fabrics used in athletic undergarments like Under Armour will melt and cause significant injury. You must wear undergarments made of 100% natural fibers like untreated cotton, with a small amount of elastic permitted.
Keep It Clean
You always want to start your day in clean FR clothing, free of any flammable contaminants. This can be difficult if your job involves contact with flammable materials, working in chemical plants, refineries, or oil and gas drilling operations, but the rule of thumb is to always replace soiled FR garments with clean ones. If your FR workwear is doused in a flammable chemical and meets an ignition source, like a spark from a welding activity, that chemical will burn and severely compromise the effectiveness of your flame resistant garment.
Button Up & Tuck It In
You should always wear your shirt or coverall buttoned, zipped, or snapped all the way up as high as possible up the chest. Likewise, button or snap the cuffs of your sleeves at your wrists and never roll your sleeves up. And keep your shirt tails tucked in at all times, too. The more of your body that is covered by your FR garments, the greater your chance for survival in a thermal exposure.
Layer Up Protection
If you have an outer layer that you don’t wear all the time, such as a jacket or raincoat, make sure that too is flame resistant. If you wear non-FR outerwear over your protective workwear, your FR garments will not be able to provide the protection you need in a thermal event if that jacket or raincoat burns or melts.
Remember: your chances of surviving a thermal event are greatly determined by the percentage of body burn and your age. Your garments are designed to give you optimal survival odds by providing maximum body coverage—but if you undercut that coverage by not wearing your FR clothing correctly, you’re severely compromising your safety.
Learn more about how to encourage proper FR garment wear by providing more comfortable options to your team here, or reach out to speak with one of our FR fabric experts to discuss any challenges you’re facing with your workplace safety strategy.
