The oil and gas industry is one of the most dangerous when it comes to potential hazards that exist for workers. Thankfully, technology has made it easier to engineer these hazards away and improve safer work practices. However, not all hazards may be engineered away. That is why, as an additional means of protection, there is still a need for personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect workers.
In the oil and gas industry, the potential exposure to hydrocarbon flash fire is a common industry hazard that requires necessary PPE for various worker application and work hazards. Flame Resistant Clothing (FRC) programs are required in the majority of oil and gas worker applications. However, there is often that one forgotten and misunderstood part of the FRC program that exists; that is flame resistant rainwear.
Rainwear is a vital layer of additional protection and used in nearly all oil and gas environments. Its primary use is to protect workers from the elements helping to keep them dry and comfortable while they work. Rainwear is often times used as PPE to keep the dirt and liquids hazards, that is part of the job, off their FR work clothing. But there is one requirement that rainwear, used in the oil and gas industry, should have: flame resistance.
Challenges with FR rainwear programs
Flame resistant rainwear is oftentimes a very difficult topic to address for companies. There are two common challenges associated with implementing an FR rainwear program. The first is knowledge and the second is cost.
- Knowledge has to do with understanding the standards or requirements of FR rainwear and knowing the right product to purchase. Part of the issue is the misconception of why it is even necessary.
- Cost is by far the largest obstacle when it comes to an FR rainwear program.
Both of these topics are difficult to overcome. Knowledge is typically the first of the two to conquer, yet cost is more difficult due to budgets. If one has grasped the knowledge piece, it can help with the justification of the program cost. Is it possible that the cost isn’t as significant as one might initially think? To answer this question, let's explore the knowledge piece to evaluate the true cost of an FR program.
Understanding FR rainwear
If you ask most oil and gas workers, they would be familiar with NFPA 2112 (Standard on Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire) in relation to their work clothing. However, it is rarely understood that rainwear is not part of that performance standard and therefore rainwear is not covered under NFPA 2112. A separate standard addresses rainwear. ASTM F2733 is the Standard Specification for Flame Resistant Rainwear for Protecting Against Flame Hazards. This standard complements NFPA 2112 compliant clothing because it is tested to the same flame and thermal performance testing. However, ASTM F2733 uses test methods that are specific to coated fabrics when testing the integrity of these materials.
The ASTM F2733 standard for flame resistant rainwear has been around since 2009. However, there is still confusion in the marketplace when it comes to flame resistant rainwear. Many rainwear materials simply have a treatment applied to help them pass a vertical flame test rather than using specially engineered materials. They claim to be flame resistant based on that result.
However, the resistance to flame is extremely relative to the type of flame hazard to which it is exposed. For instance, when you take a PVC material that has been treated and then expose it to a Bunsen burner, it may perform well. However, take that same PVC material and expose it to a hydrocarbon flash fire; it will have a very different outcome. The flame intensity of a flash fire is much more intense than a Bunsen burner. This type of flash fire exposure causes normal rainwear fabric to melt, drip, and continuously burn. Put that on top of a worker’s FRC and you now have a burning fuel source even after the main hydrocarbon flash fire has gone away. Testing has shown that anything burning on the outer surface can burn through an FRC product even though it meets NFPA 2112. That is why ASTM F2733 was developed.
Unfortunately, there are rainwear manufacturers that use the term flame resistance on their label even though it is not compliant to ASTM F2733. A common marking is ASTM D6413, which is not a flash fire test. It is a test method only using a vertical Bunsen burner flame. This is very real and unfortunately, there is no way of eliminating manufacturers from making these claims. What it comes down to is that the user must know what to look for. If you check the labels of compliant rainwear, they will be marked accordingly with the standard (ASTM F2733) and burn injury data. So reference the label to make sure it’s compliant.
Today, many companies that have FRC programs specify NFPA 2112 compliant clothing be worn, but stop short of specifying ASTM F2733 compliant rainwear. For some companies, it is a lack of understanding that ASTM F2733 exists. For others, they understand what they should be using yet they still allow workers to wear non-compliant rainwear while doing their jobs. Compliant, flame-resistant rainwear is available, yet there is willful resistance to move their workers into it. Why is that? What factor(s) exist that would cause a company not to require the appropriate and compliant FR rainwear for their employees.
Nasco Native - May 2018
Why does FR rainwear cost so much?
The main factor when it comes to FR rainwear is the price tag. ASTM F2733 compliant FR rainwear can be three, four, or fives times the price of a non-compliant rain suit. Why is it so much more?
To put it very simply, rainwear that meets the requirements of ASTM F2733 have to use materials that are engineered to meet the performance requirements. A coated fabric that can withstand a hydrocarbon flash fire and limit the burn injury to a worker sets the bar very high to achieve. Therefore, special coatings and substrates that a coating is applied to are specialized. On top of meeting the flame challenges, the durability of these materials is also tested. So rainwear that meets ASTM F2733 is not only safer in the presence of a flash fire, but they are also more durable. There is an expectation that the rainwear be durable and effective in holding up to a worker's environment. So, there is a cost associated with using engineered materials in building the rainwear to meet these requirements.
Non-compliant rainwear is not held to this level of requirements. Less expensive materials like PVC, Polyester, Nylons, and other economical materials are found in non-compliant rainwear. As a result, the lifespan of these products is in terms of weeks or days. With compliant FR rainwear, the lifespan is more in the term of months and years.
How to determine the true cost of compliant FR rainwear
Understanding ASTM F2733 compliant FR rainwear increases the protection of workers and their applications, so what is the associated cost? Is it an added expense? If so, is it really as much as you think it is? How can you tell?
Market analysis of rainwear programs has shown that ASTM F2733 compliant rainwear outperforms non-compliant rainwear when it comes to durability, thereby extending its lifecycle. But, one way to prove this is to simply outfit some workers to experience that difference in lifespan. Develop an understanding of what durability in rainwear means. Only after this is done, can a company appreciate and trust the anticipated lifespan of compliant FR rainwear.
Once you have the anticipated lifespan of the garment, you can compare what is currently being used. To do this, you will need some information to effectively evaluate the associated costs.
Information to understand the current (non-compliant) rainwear program:
- What is the total number of employees you are responsible for outfitting?
- How many rainwear suits did you purchase in the past 12 months?
- What is the price per rain suit?
- Is there an FR claim associated with the existing rainwear?
- Has chemical testing been conducted on the existing rainwear?
- Does the current rainwear have a requirement for HiVis compliance to ANSI 107 Worker Visibility?
For the compliant FR rainwear being evaluated, what information is necessary to gather for comparison?
- What is the price per rainsuit of the compliant FR rainwear?
- What is the expected lifespan on average based on a wear test or the manufacturer’s guidance?
- Is there a current FR claim associated with the existing rainwear?
- Has chemical testing been conducted on the existing rainwear?
- Does the current rainwear have a requirement for HiVis compliance to ANSI 107 Worker Visibility?
FR rainwear program cost of ownership
- help companies understand the associated cost of moving to compliant FR rainwear, one should utilize a program calculator. It allows companies to take the information they have gathered above and calculate what the total cost of the compliant FR rainwear program will be.
The results are surprising. In one real case scenario, based on the current non-compliant rainwear, the cost of the compliant FR rainwear was less, despite the increase in unit price. The example case study (fig. 1) shows the purchase cost was close to three times more than the current rainwear, but they were buying three suits a year per person. However, the compliant rainwear was able to last 13 months before replacement. This led the company to realize that the cost per employee was less, even though there was a significant cost difference in the two products studied (fig. 2).
The scenario could be that the cost of the compliant rainwear is higher but not to the point where it is unmanageable. Let’s say the purchase cost was the same difference as in the above example but they do not replace the rainwear quite as often. Therefore, it may be more expensive, but it does not bust the budget. It is relative to each company’s usage patterns and compliant FR rainwear selection.
With all of this information considered, the main point is showing the cost of compliance and safety. There is a cost associated with worker safety. When it comes to a worker injury, the cost incurred could be from hospitalization, workers' compensation cost, legal fees, and other associated expenses. Injury cost could easily escalate into the millions of dollars. What is your company’s associated cost of compliance?
To see how compliant FR rainwear might affect your cost of compliance, visit this link to gain access to NASCO’s FR Rainwear Cost of Ownership Tool. This tool was developed to serve as a guide to help you look at the true cost of ownership in a way you may not have looked at in the past.
Please contact NASCO Industries to learn more about compliant FR rainwear and explore your options. Call us at 800-767-4288 or email sales@nascoinc.com.
