NFPA 2113: Standard on Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire (latest edition 2015, next revision 2020) guides you to avoid risks associated with incorrect selection, use, and maintenance, as well as contamination and damage of flame-resistant (FR) garments.

NFPA 70E® Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace® provides requirements for establishing a workplace that is safe from unacceptable risks associated with using electricity while working. Safety processes, policies, procedures and program controls reduce the risks associated with using electricity to an acceptable level.

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.

Petroleum refineries are laden with various thermal and chemical hazards. Adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) is instrumental in providing a safe work environment for employees to complete the task at hand.

Workplace burn injury and fatalities are frequently the result of the worker’s clothes catching on fire from two primary workplace hazards: flash fire and electric arc flash also referred to as “thermal incidents.”

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 apparel today is more stylish, functional and performance-driven. Workers transition from work to date night, working out, doing chores around the house in their FR clothing and they want to look good. They also demand performance.

Private sector companies could take a few lessons from the U.S. Navy when it comes to implementing and managing their flame resistant (FR) clothing programs. Earlier this year, the Navy announced a new piece of FR apparel for sailors stationed aboard ships and submarines.

In the past few decades, there have been high-profile combustible dust incidents with substantial injuries and mortalities, leading OSHA to reissue the National Emphasis Program (NEP) in March 2008.