Whether you’re working around dangerous chemicals, electrical systems, or fire-prone areas, you need to make sure you’re wearing the right flame-resistant (FR) clothing. If a fire occurs, FR clothing will minimize the severity of the burns, improving your chances of survival.
In creating an AR/FR PPE program, you should dedicate a fair amount of time researching, selecting and sourcing quality garments to protect your employees. Time is spent on the front end to make sure that the proper garment is designed in order to comply with industry standards and provide acceptable wearer comfort.
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.
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.”
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.
NFPA 70E responds to the latest information about the effects of arc flash, arc blast, and direct current (dc) hazards, and recent developments in electrical design and PPE. It provides vital information that helps you comply with OSHA 1910 Subpart S and OSHA 1926 Subpart K.
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.
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.
