Why Flame Resistant Workwear Should Be Worn

There are many workers who benefit from wearing high visibility safety clothing, especially when the clothing is also flame resistant. Flame resistant workwear is available in many different styles and can be worn by workers who perform almost any type of job. It is especially important that people who work around flammable chemicals and in other dangerous environments. Wearing this clothing makes workers feel safer and gives them the ability to do their job without excessive worry.

What Makes Clothing Flame Resistant?

All natural fabrics are combustible, but they can be treated with chemicals to make the clothing almost completely incapable of combustion. Some flame resistant chemicals are embedded into fibers such as cotton, while other fabrics are treated with chemicals after they are manufactured. All chemicals that are added to cloth to make it flame resistant are also water insoluble.

Flame resistant workwear gives the person wearing it more time to get away from an environment that is burning. It also reduces the workers' chance of incurring burn injuries if they are in a burning environment. Wearing clothing that is flame resistant greatly increases a workers chances of surviving if they are trapped in an electric arc or flash fire. Employers who provide flame resistant workwear as part of their employee uniform often increase the morale of their employees as well as employee safety because the employees feel that their employer cares about their safety.

Who Should Wear Flame Resistant Clothing?

Workers in a variety of industries benefit from wearing high-visibility safety clothing that is flame resistant. Workers who are at risk for being injured by fire or explosion include include those who work with substances such as aluminum, petroleum, gas, electricity and other chemicals. Many of these workers are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to wear clothing that is coated with a flame resistant substance.

Flame resistant uniforms are provided by the management at most companies, especially those that are required by OSHA to wear such clothing.

Flame resistant clothing can last for years, but must be replaced when it starts to deteriorate. Most fabric maintains flame resistance for between one and five years. Most of the time these fabrics can be cleaned with normal detergent in a washing machine, but fabric softener should not be used on flame resistant fabrics because it interferes with the fabric's ability to resist combustion.