Mark Saner is currently the technical services manager for VF Imagewear/Bulwark Protective Apparel. Previously, he served as the FR technical manager for Workrite Uniform Company from 2006 until early 2018. He brings more than 40 years of experience in the fire and safety industries to his work.
When you’re shivering in the snow, the dangers of heat and flame probably aren’t the first things that come to mind. But even in cold weather, thermal hazards such as arc flash and flash fire pose a serious concern. In fact, when winter brings dry air and strong winds, it can literally help fan the flames.
Producing flame-resistant (FR) fabrics dates back to around 450 B.C. when textiles made from asbestos, which was known to have fire-resistant properties, were used to wrap the bodies of the deceased before they were placed on funeral pyres.
With warmer weather comes an increased risk of heat stress. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015 alone, exposure to environmental heat led to 37 work-related deaths and another 2,830 injuries and illnesses that involved days away from work.
FR, AR, CP, FR/CP — the alphabet soup of protective clothing acronyms is overwhelming in and of itself. And when safety depends on choosing the right products, making sense of the acronyms and the various types of workwear they represent is paramount.
Depending on the level of exposure, chemical burns can cause permanent skin and tissue damage, and even death. And a chemical burn injury can cost your company millions of dollars in OSHA fines, hospital fees, legal costs, lost productivity, increased insurance premiums and reputation damage.
In the best-case scenario, normalization of deviance goes against recommended work practices, but when it comes to safety, this common human tendency can have devastating consequences.
According to Frost and Sullivan’s North American Industrial Protective Clothing Market Forecast to 2020, apparel with multiple protective functionalities is becoming increasingly popular.
Burn incidents don't happen often, so there isn't much to worry about, right? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 16,000 industrial injuries due to thermal burns were reported for the year 2013. From 2000 to 2013, nearly 2,300 workers died as a result of injuries sustained in an industrial fire or explosion.
Contrary to popular thought, gum does not take seven years to digest, bulls do not hate the color red, Einstein did not fail math — and standard blue jeans do not provide adequate protection against arc flash.
Selecting the right FR clothing is a vital part of protecting employees against heat- and fire-related hazards, but if employees don’t wear their FR garments properly, the safety benefits are significantly reduced.
