FIRE & ELECTRICAL SAFETY
FIGHTING WITH FIRE
Elaina Harvey, protective clothing and Nomex® specialist at DuPont, offers expert guidance on all there is to know about heat and flame protective clothing.
They say ‘variety is the spice of life’ and when choosing anything a few different options are always welcomed. It’s no different when it comes to choosing heat and flame protective garments to keep an employee safe, so fully understanding the difference between these options is absolutely crucial.
RESISTANT OR RETARDANT? At the moment there is no clear distinction between the terms ‘resistant’ and ‘retardant’, which often leaves some buyers and end-users puzzled. Currently, the European Man-Made Fibres Association (CIRFS) is attempting to create an official definition for the various combinations of terminology that use resistant, retardant, inherent or treated in the name to clear up confusion. As a rule of thumb, the following definitions are widely accepted.
Flame resistant and flame retardant are two terms that are used to describe a material that is self-extinguishing after removal of an external ignition source. The distinction between inherent and non-inherent fibres of fabrics is whether the flame resistant or retardant properties are built-in to the fibre or whether a flame retardant or resistant chemical treatment was applied after production. The flame resistance of a fabric is primarily
44
a consequence of the properties of the fibre. Different yarn properties and fabric construction may help to increase flame resistance.
INHERENT OR COATED? When a fabric offers inherent protection, this is because it is manufactured with fibres, such as Nomex®, whose intrinsic structural properties make them naturally flame resistant. Because the properties are part of the structure, they cannot be washed out or removed by cleaning processes or wear and tear, and will continue to offer the same level of protection throughout the garment’s lifetime. The advantage of these types of protective fabrics is that the performance is robust despite the probable non-observance of the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
Non-inherent fabrics, sometimes known as coated FR or coated flame retardant fabrics, use a chemical treatment to achieve protection. The treatment chemicals are frequently ‘activated’ by intense heat, producing char and gases that inhibit combustion for a certain time. The limitations of flame retardant treated fabrics are that the added chemicals may be affected or removed by external factors such as washing, exposure to heat or exposure to other chemicals.
The non-inherent fabrics are also limited in that the heat and flame protective properties are maintained for the indicated wear life, i.e. for up to an indicated maximum number of cleaning cycles. However, this will only stay true as long as the user strictly adheres to the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions; otherwise, there is risk of damage to the flame protective properties, potentially putting the wearer at risk.
EUROPEAN LEGISLATION The end goal of the garment is to offer thermal protection to the wearer. The garment should not burn, melt or disintegrate on exposure to flame throughout its lifetime. It should also provide a level of thermal protection consistent with the potential risk to which the wearer might be exposed.
Before being placed on the EU market, garments must undergo specific tests and surpass a set level to ensure the wearer will be adequately protected. Under the first directive of the EU legislative framework, the user must have conducted a risk assessment to determine the appropriate level of protection required to be effectively protected by PPE. In addition, the PPE purchased must be compliant with the second directive, which specifies the procedures for placing PPE on the market.
www.tomorrowshs.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62