POWER February 2021 - 36

SAFETY
Flame-Resistant Clothing:
Everything You Need to Know
Flame-resistant (FR) garments are an important safety item for workers in the power
industry. However, protection varies based on the arc rating of the clothing. Wearers
must understand how the FR clothing they select can and cannot protect them.
Nick Warrick
or many professionals, flame-resistant
(FR) clothing is an essential tool
of the job. High-quality, specially
engineered FR garments protect the
wearer from burns caused by flash fires,
electric arcs, and combustible dust. This
allows professionals in a number of industries
to tackle potentially dangerous
tasks. Over the years, FR clothing has
saved countless people from serious injury
and even saved lives.
Flame-resistant clothing refers to any
garments that are specifically designed
to protect the wearer from flames and
thermal injury. FR clothing resists ignition
and self-extinguishes once the
source of the ignition is removed. This
helps to prevent burns from both initial
exposure to the flames and from residual
heat transfer.
Flame-resistant clothing is used in a
large number of professions including
the fire service, research labs, electrical
utilities (Figure 1), and oil and gas. Workers
in all of these areas often face the
potential for explosions, open fires, and
other thermal incidents, so it's essential
they're properly protected when they're
on the job.
F
What Is Flame-Resistant Clothing?
When exposed to fire or an explosion,
a lot of fabrics will ignite and continue
to burn. Some will also melt onto the
wearer's body. This can cause significant
injuries as textile fires often burn
longer and result in more damage than
the initial incident.
Flame-resistant clothing is specially designed
so that it's less likely to catch fire
when exposed to combustion and high
temperatures. In cases where the fabric
does ignite, it won't continue to burn once
the heat source is removed. This gives the
wearer valuable escape time and helps to
minimize injuries. However, it's important
to remember that flame resistant doesn't
mean fireproof, and all flame-resistant
clothing will burn if it's heated for a long
36
1. Workers in the power industry face many hazards while on the job. Among the most serious
dangers is exposure to an arc-flash. Flame-resistant clothing is vitally important to a worker's
protection during such an event. Courtesy: All Seasons Uniforms
enough period of time.
Clothing that is flame resistant is generally
also designed so that it doesn't
break open when heated. Open areas in
the fabric would expose the skin to further
hazard and potentially increase the
severity of injuries.
How Does Flame-Resistant Clothing
Work?
Most FR clothing is made from material
that is designed to be resilient to heat.
Materials like Nomex, Kevlar, and Modacrylic
have excellent flame-resistant
qualities and are commonly used to
make elements of FR garments. Other
fabrics, such as cotton, are naturally resistant
to flames and can be treated with
specialist chemicals to boost their heat
resistance and their protective qualities.
Materials that are naturally flame
resistant, and those that are treated
with specialist chemicals, will behave
in broadly the same way. These materials
won't keep burning when the source
of combustion is removed, won't ignite
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easily, and won't melt. This last point is
very important, as burning, melted fabric
can do a lot of damage and cause serious,
lasting injuries.
Different flame-resistant materials
offer different benefits. What protects
a person in one setting might not be
suitable for another, so it's essential
professionals and employers always
check which products are best for their
workplace.
How Flame-Resistant Clothing Is
Rated?
When buying flame-resistant clothing,
it's important to know exactly how much
protection each garment offers. FR clothing
is categorized using an arc rating, or
an Arc Thermal Protective Value (ATPV).
This rating indicates how much heat will
be transferred through the fabric in the
event of an arc flash, and therefore, how
much protection the clothing will offer
the wearer.
Preventing heat transfer can significantly
reduce the impact of a fire or arc
POWER | February 2021

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POWER February 2021

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