Many industries use flame-resistant clothing. Find out more on how this fabric keeps workers safe.
Many industries rely on flame-resistant apparel to keep employees safe on the job. Flame-resistant clothing is specialized equipment that can take many forms to protect those on the job. Workers may be exposed to open flames, high temperatures, and other fire hazards. Industries with the inherent risk of exposure to fire or explosions mainly rely on flame-resistant apparel in addition to other forms of personal protective equipment (or PPE). Some of the industries that require the use of flame-resistant clothing are electric utility maintenance and repair, pharmaceutical or chemical industries, food processing, and paper and pulp manufacturing. It’s vital to making sure your uniforms help keep employees safe, so if you require flame-resistant clothing to carry out work safely, here are a few things you need to know.
Flame-Resistant Apparel Self-Extinguishes
Flame-resistant apparel is self-extinguishing. By definition, it will not fuel a fire. Therefore, flame-resistant clothing keeps people safe from fire hazards by smothering a fire by preventing the flow of oxygen through the material. These materials are naturally flame-resistant, or they are chemically treated to meet flame-resistant standards for clothing.
Some Materials Are Naturally Flame-Resistant
Some fabrics and uniform materials are naturally flame-resistant, meaning they don’t need chemical treatment to meet safety standards for flame-resistant apparel. Tight and dense natural fibers, such as wool, will often make good candidates for naturally flame-resistant clothing because they do not melt and are difficult to ignite. Some synthetic fibers can also be difficult to ignite, including polyester and nylon. However, they tend to melt once they catch fire. One significant benefit of naturally flame-resistant apparel is that the flame-resistance won’t degrade over time like some treated materials.
Some Fabrics Made Flame-Resistant
Some natural fabrics can ignite quickly and cause flames to spread rapidly. Natural fabrics like these include breathable fabrics like cotton and linen. Treating these materials with a chemical compound during production helps chemically extinguish fires. However, over time, UV exposure, abrasions, and general use-wear can cause these chemically-treated fabrics to lose their effectiveness. This regular use affects the longevity of the material, since you may need to replace uniforms a lot more quickly to maintain a high standard of fire safety. It’s also important to consider the environmental impacts of these chemical treatments. Effluents produced in the treatment process can cause harm to the nearby natural environment.
Uniform Services from Ace Uniform
To give your business a clean, professional, and cohesive look, rely on Ace Uniform. Whether you need uniforms in the food, automotive, industrial, construction, medical, security, or you-name-it industry, we can provide you with the uniforms you need for the price you want. Give us a call at 1-800-366-1616 or visit us online to learn how we can help meet your needs. Want to get to know us even better? Visit us on social media on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn.