Flame Resistant Clothing

Avoid Burn Injuries on the Job with Carthartt Flame-Resistant Clothing

Flame-resistant clothing from Carhartt can help protect workers at risk for severe or fatal burn injuries in the line of duty. Carhartt flame-resistant clothing can be just the barrier needed for those who work in a profession where they’re exposed to electric arc and flash fires, such as electricians and workers in the utility, oil, gas and petrochemical fields including electric linemen, pipeline and refinery workers and industrial electricians.

Carhartt flame-resistant clothing offers the durability and comfort workers have come to expect in its line of protective coats, jackets, vests, coveralls, overalls, shirts and pants.

Carhartt Flame-Resistant Clothing Works

While not flame proof, the flame-resistant features of this clothing line offer several benefits:

  • Chemicals in the flame-resistant clothing extinguish flames and help char the fabric.
  • This provides thermal protection which will self-extinguish after the source of ignition is removed.
  • The flame-resistance limits the degree of burn and body burn percentage when a burn is incurred.

The flame-resistant chemicals can’t be washed out. Carhartt flame-resistant clothing is guaranteed to be flame-resistant for the useful life of the garment as long as the garment care instructions are followed. This applies whether clothing is washed industrially or at home.

Flame-Resistant Clothing Standards

Carhartt flame-resistant clothing meets the requirements of ASTM F1506, NFPA-70E and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269. Following is a little more information on these standards.

ASTM F1506 is the Standard Performance Specification for Flame Resistant Textile Material for Wearing Apparel for Use by Electrical Workers Exposed to Momentary Electric Arc and Related Thermal Hazards. Developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials, this pass/fail standard requires a sample of flame-resistant fabric to self extinguish with a <2 second afterflame and a <6" char length. In addition, the standard requires that the flame-resistant clothing must also stand up to these requirements after 25 washes or dry cleanings.

NFPA-70E is the National Fire Protection Agency's (NFPA) Standard for Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces. It is widely accepted throughout general manufacturing and electrical industries. NFPA70E requires employees to wear flame-resistant protective clothing wherever there is possible exposure to electric arc flash. OSHA will fine companies under its general duty clause, which requires employers to take the appropriate steps to protect workers, when this standard is not followed.

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's standard that covers the operation and maintenance of electric power generation, control, transformation, transmission and distribution lines and equipment. Part (l) (6) (iii) states: "The employer shall ensure that each employee who is exposed to the hazards of flames or electric arc does not wear clothing that, when exposed to flames or electric arcs, could increase the extent of the injury that would be sustained by the employee." This is the only federal law relating to flame-resistant clothing for electrical purposes. It is currently being rewritten and is expected to closely mirror the NFPA70E above. Once approved, flame-resistant clothing requirements would become law.

Carhartt flame-resistant clothing is not specifically designed to be worn while welding or performing similar jobs that involve exposure to spark and flames. In addition, Carhartt flame-resistant clothing is not recommended for wildfire fighting as it hasn’t been tested to meet the requirements of NFPA 1977 (the Standard for Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting). While it can give some protection over regular cotton or synthetic clothing due to its self-extinguishing feature, Carhartt flame-resistant clothing can still get holes and burns from sparks.

Arc Thermal Performance Value/Hazard Risk Categories of Flame-Resistant Clothing

You’ll see all our Carhartt flame-resistant clothing carries HRC (Hazard Risk Categories) and ATP (Arc Thermal Performance Value) ratings. The ATPV/HRC protection level required for specific jobs and work environments should be determined by the user's employer. The employer must do a hazard risk assessment for the user's job and inform the employee of the protection level needed.

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