Building a flame-resistant (FR) garment program that meets all safety requirements and your personal needs is no easy task. The first step is the hazard assessment. Federal regulations require employers to assess the workplace to determine if hazards that require the use of personal protective equipment are present or are likely to be present. Conduct a walk-through survey to identify impacts, combustible dust, fire/heat, and chemical hazards, among others. Be sure to consider workplace, procedural, and environmental hazards.
Once you’ve established the need for FR, determine the degree of protection required. Industry consensus standards can be used to guide selection decisions, based on specific industries.