In the world of flame-resistant (FR) clothing, the arc-rated garments market is relatively new, yet it has grown (and evolved) at an impressive rate. FR clothing, as we know it today, is also fairly recent, but arc-rated FR clothing has quickly become a distinct category of its own.

In 2018 alone, there were 103,600 recorded incidents in commercial buildings. Electrical malfunctions are a leading cause of these events, and they cost businesses $373,400,000 in 2018.

Electrical wires pose hazards for people working on or around them. Fortunately, there are numerous safety standards in place.

Industrial worksites — like factories, power plants and warehouses — are often dangerous environments for workers. Large equipment and heavy objects, among other threats, pose severe safety risks.

According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), in 2018, nearly one in ten workplace electrical injuries were fatal, and more than half of these occurred in the construction industry.

Flame-resistant (FR) doesn’t last forever. Since FR clothing can be expensive to replace, it’s usually best to repair these garments whenever possible. But if your FR clothing is beyond repair, your only choice will be to replace these garments.

January of 2018 saw the most recent update to 70E- the workplace electrical safety standard developed by NFPA. While the standard itself is not a law, it was developed at the request of OSHA, which uses much of its language when assessing organizations for compliance. Many organizations also follow 70E to comply with specific OSHA regulations.

An unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage, but had the potential to do so — are common but generally underreported. Knowledge is power, and information provided by near-misses is a tool to evaluate and improve safety.