NOTE: The sponsor of this content may contact you with more information on this topic. Click here to opt-out from sharing your email address with this sponsor. (This link will not unsubscribe you from any other BIC email list).
Protecting workers from flash fires—a type of intense short-term thermal exposure from fire with rapidly spreading flame fronts—requires a multi-faceted approach of both preventative and mitigative measures. As a final layer of defense, flame-resistant (FR) PPE can help mitigate burn injuries if other measures fail, which could prove to be the lifesaving difference should an incident occur. While FR PPE is not a shield or piece of armor, it does protect against a flash fire hazard and offers peace of mind to those on a job site.
Specifying FR garments as part of a PPE program is a seemingly straightforward concept; however, building a robust FR PPE program is complicated by one fact: FR fabrics are not created equal. As the foundational element of FR garments, FR fabric provides protective characteristics and helps shape a garment's functionality. If an FR fabric is lacking in performance or functionality, then the resulting FR garment is also lacking.
Many safety managers rely solely on information provided by an FR garment tag, but the reality is that specifying the FR fabric used within the garment may be the most important decision they make. Terms like “NFPA 2112-certified” are important, but merely relying on these terms is not enough as it leaves a wide margin for how the garment performs on the job. Researching the fabric’s manufacturer, performance in industry standards, wear trials, and quality support programs are vital to selecting fabrics, and thus garments, that ensure a successful FR garment program.
At Westex®: A Milliken Brand, we formulated a helpful approach to evaluating your program needs. By assessing the compliance, certification and comfort of FR fabrics, you can easily evaluate your options and be confident in your selection.
Compliant
If you are building or maintaining an FR garment program in the oil & gas industry, you are likely familiar with NFPA 2112—the governing consensus standard for FR PPE to protect against the flash fire hazard. The standard sets a minimum fabric performance requirement to comply with the standard. Using the ASTM F-1930 test method, the FR fabric must have a maximum of 50% body burn or less after a three-second exposure. Once a fabric achieves this result, it is NFPA 2112-compliant. In recent years, an influx of overseas and generic FR fabrics has flooded the market, clouding the meaning behind NFPA 2112-compliant.
There is no disputing the need for compliant fabrics. NFPA 2112, rightly, sets a bar for the industry and ensures a base level for compliance. However, NFPA 2112 is a pass/fail standard, meaning a fabric can achieve compliance with one successful test. It allows for a wide range of results—with some fabrics achieving 7% body burns and others clocking 49%—so the onus falls on the customer to uncover and understand test results. Westex® prides itself on testing and retesting its fabrics, providing results to customers and garment manufacturers, and educating end-users about the importance of both compliant and certified fabrics.
Certified
Once you assess your hazard risks and understand what you need to achieve compliance, the next element is to consider the benefits of an NFPA 2112-certified garment. To be a certified garment, all garment components, from the fabric to the buttons and trimmings, must be third-party tested and certified to the standard. Certified garments typically signal a higher level of compliance within the FR garment industry, because they are independently reviewed and tested by a third-party to certify performance or to ensure a quality management system. Just because the fabric or garment is compliant doesn’t necessarily mean that it is certified.
Westex® knows that an NFPA 2112-compliant fabric result is just a starting point. We hone in on all key data points, like protection, comfort, durability and shrinkage, to make the case for Westex® brand fabrics. Through comprehensive and ongoing testing, performed by respected third-party labs, we track our fabrics and are always harnessing technological advancements to make FR fabrics work for you. You can always trust Westex® fabrics, enabling end-users to prioritize the specific needs of their workforce without compromising industry-leading protection.
Comfortable
While protection is a critical aspect of any FR garment, comfort plays a key supporting role. Especially when considering a daily wear FR program, comfort can be the difference between workers properly wearing protective garments or not. Garments must be worn, and worn correctly, to achieve protection benefits. Prioritizing a ‘want-to-wear’ experience can ensure that workers meet industry standards and receive the highest level of protection while ensuring they can do their jobs.
The Westex® brand provides a full range of aramid, cotton-rich and blend FR fabrics to meet your worksite needs. We incorporate leading textile technologies to create cutting-edge protective fabrics that offer everything from increased mobility and breathability to enhanced weather fortification.
Westex® draws on more than 50 years of FR expertise and extensive research and design capabilities to develop a comprehensive portfolio of FR fabrics—all offering guaranteed FR protection for the life of the garment. Westex® brand fabrics offer performance, protection and innovation you can trust in, and its range of fabrics helps make the Westex® brand the only FR fabric provider you need.
For more information on Westex® FR Fabrics visit Westex.com/FR-Fabric-Brands or call 864-513-9507.
