Page 34 - Occupational Health & Safety, March 2017

PROTECTIVE APPAREL
The Need for a Shield Against Steel
It is important to understand the entire spectrum of risks steelworkers are exposed to and consider multifunctional PPE alternatives to protect against each hazard.
BY TIM CASHELL
NFPA 2112 is widely regarded in the industrial safety industry as the governing standard for personal protective equipment (PPE) used in environments where workers are at risk
of flash fire exposure. It mandates for manufacturers and certifying agencies the specifying performance re- quirements and test methods for flame-resistant fabric and garments to “provide a degree of protection to the wearer, and reducing the severity of burn injuries re- sulting from short-duration thermal exposures result- ing from accidental exposure to flash fires.”
NFPA 2112 is specifically written to protect work- ers from the hazards that primarily contribute to burn injuries, namely direct flame and extreme heat, but these are only two of the dangers steelworkers face in the workplace every day. Yet NFPA 2112 is the
standard safety managers in foundries and steel mills across the United States adhere to. Steel companies are in compliance with NFPA 2112 by simply providing flame-resistant wear. But simply meeting the NFPA 2112 requirements does not provide the level of pro- tection needed in all areas of most steel manufactur- ing facilities.
In a time of tight budgets and changing worksites, this leaves steelworkers in a vulnerable position. With basic flame-resistant PPE, they can be inadequate- ly protected against the substance they handle day in and day out: molten metal. With temperatures ranging from 1,300° F to 6,000° F, one small drop of molten metal splash on the skin could result in a se- rious injury.
There are alternatives on the market designed spe-
30 Occupational Health & Safety | MARCH 2017
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