Page 39 - Occupational Health & Safety, November/December 2019

fit is integral for an effective FR/AR PPE safety program.
Optimizes Comfort
With advancements in FR/AR fabric technology, daily wear gar- ments are softer and more comfortable than ever. The look and style of garments can closely mimic streetwear and are often almost indistinguishable. Providing a FR/AR PPE garment that offers comfort and protection helps create a want-to-wear FR/AR PPE experience, which can help protect employees from second- or third-degree burns that could have life-threatening consequences.
Additionally, many daily wear FR/AR fabrics offer added per- formance benefits, including lightweight feel, breathability and moisture-wicking capabilities, which work to further an employee’s comfort throughout the workday. Providing performance fabrics that help keep workers cool and dry may help to reduce the im- pacts of heat stress in addition to providing a base level of FR/AR protection.
Ensures Key Standards Compliance
The latest edition of NFPA 70E places additional emphasis on ac- counting for human error in workplace risk assessments. Although this standard is key for electrical safety, the emphasis on human performance and its impact on the hierarchy of risk controls is an important consideration for all workplace hazards. Human nature error precursors including stress, assumption, and complacency can cause employees to neglect donning appropriate task-based
FR/AR PPE at the appropriate time and should be addressed in any hazard mitigation program. A FR/AR daily wear program can also help reduce both the likelihood and consequences of human error. FR/AR daily wear acts as a continuous reminder to work safely and don appropriate, task-based PPE as needed, and because daily wear provides some level of body thermal protection, it helps mitigate serious burn injuries should a thermal incident occur.
It is important to note that task-based FR/AR PPE, including gloves and head gear, should always be worn when working direct- ly with known hazards to help prevent injuries. Both daily wear and task-based FR/AR PPE should not be thought of as an impenetra- ble suit of armor and must always be the last line of defense along with all other safety precautions in the hierarchy taken to reduce the likelihood of a thermal event from happening.
When designing a flame resistant, arc-rated personal protec- tive equipment program to combat against combustible dust and related thermal hazards, remember to choose a reputable FR fabric manufacturer that performs third-party verification testing. This market-proven protection helps result in a robust and trusted safe- ty PPE program for a safer work environment.
Scott Francis is the Technical Manager for Westex by Milliken. In- volved in the safety industry since 1991, Scott has extensive expe- rience with protective apparel fabrics and apparel programs. He participates in a number of industry organizations and frequently addresses trade associations regarding relevant safety topics.
STAY SAFE, STAY WARM
While the temperatures outside are dropping, the risk of getting injured remains high for professionals who face thermal hazards at their workplace every day. The CarbonX® UltimateTM Baselayer is designed to keep warmth in when facing winter conditions and keep extreme heat out when facing dangerous conditions.
With a TPP rating of 13.0, an ATPV rating of 12.3, and 0 seconds after flame, the Ultimate Baselayer easily exceeds the standard levels of protection required by NFPA 2112 and ASTM F1506. It is made from a truly non-flammable 8 oz/yd2 knit fabric that provides ultimate protection and maximum comfort in defending against direct flame, extreme heat, molten metal splash, flammable liquids, certain chemicals, and arc flash.
CarbonX is the only choice where and when safety matters most. 207.756.8606 | www.carbonx.com
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