Flame resistant clothes are like built-in firefighters, acting as preventative protection for workers in industries where the exposure to flame hazards is a real threat to safety. From electrified equipment to machines powered by diesel fuel, the risk of fires is a prevalent reality for many employees across many different types of jobs.
Though flame resistant clothing cannot make workers completely invulnerable to the dangers of heat, it does, nevertheless, have protective qualities that can safeguard those exposed to flames to a certain extent. This type of apparel is usually manufactured with fire resistant fibers and materials or treated with a special defensive coating. In order to maintain its effectiveness, flame-resistant clothing has to be washed and cared for according to the manufacturer instructions – it helps to outsource a work uniform service company to mitigate the chances of workers wearing clothing isn’t being properly preserved.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), industrial apparel cannot play a hand in worsening the severity of a burn incurred while working. Improper clothing made up of synthetic materials like polyester, rayon, and blends can exasperate burns and fires, oftentimes melting onto the skin when exposed to high levels of heat. Cotton and natural fibers are known to fuel fires further once started, increasing the risk of exposing workers to bad burns.
Synthesizing the National Fire Protection Association 70E standard (NFPA) in addition to the National Electric Safety Code (NSEC), the OSHA has implemented its own 1910.269 standard, which gives guidelines that rate industrial apparel’s ability to thwart harm from happening to employees exposed to flames and high heat.
Lord Baltimore Uniform Supply in Maryland offers an extensive line of flame retardant garments (often deemed FR Garments) for rental, lease or purchase. Our rental program comes packaged with a laundering and delivery service to keep your flame-resistant clothing in the best possible shape to help contribute to the safety of employees in industries exposed to flames.
Lord Baltimore Uniform’s FR garments are manufactured by Bulwark Protective Apparel, the largest producer of flame resistant apparel in North America. Bulwark designs, tests, and produces occupational apparel of uncompromising quality for individuals exposed to flames, electric arcs, and flash fire.
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