Flame Retardant Clothing: Which is best?

As far as protective clothing for industry is concerned, we recommend the use of Flame Retardant Clothing in order to protect you from the large sources of heat that are inherent in the professional activity in question.

In many industries, it is common for professionals to be exposed to various risks – such as fires, burns, accidents when handling tools, shocks, among many others. When these hazards are not prevented, they can have a number of consequences for employees and companies. That’s why wearing Flame Retardant Clothing is extremely important when working near flame sources or in contact with very high temperatures that could cause some kind of burn or fire.

The industrial sectors where these accidents occur most frequently are the petrochemical sector, as there are volatile gases in the environment which, in high concentration, combined with a spark, can cause an explosion and cause serious burns to workers. It is therefore essential that they are “equipped” with Flame Retardant Clothing and other PPE capable of protecting them effectively. Another sector where these accidents can occur more frequently is the electrical sector and more specifically where medium and high voltage elements are worked on.

What is Flame Retardant Clothing?

Flame retardant clothing is clothing specially designed to protect workers from heat sources or brief contact with flames.

Depending on the tasks performed, Flame Retardant Clothing must have specific properties depending on the type of Industry in which it will be used. For example, working in a fire department is not the same as working in a foundry or in the electrical sector. Of course, as a general rule, this type of workwear has to comply with at least one of the three types of heat spread that exist, although there are now garments that do so against a possible combination of all of them.

What types of heat transmission are there?

There are three types of heat transmission, depending on how they spread:

• Conductive: This is generated by direct contact with hot surfaces, such as metals, but also by splashes of molten metal or a combination of both
• Radiant: That produced by a high heat source (fires, controlled flames) where the heat spreads through the mass and not through the surrounding air.
• Connective: That which comes from the burning of fluids and whose heat spreads through the surrounding air.

Flame retardant clothing must have several characteristics. Thus, these PPEs must be made of flexible materials to protect the body, be comfortable for the worker and facilitate their mobility.

But what is flame retardant material?

Flame retardant materials are materials that can contain or delay combustion. As such, they are widely used in the fields of clothing, the chemical industry, metallurgy, the shipbuilding industry, fire control and military defense.

After exposure to flame and hot objects, this type of clothing can prevent ignition or incandescence and protect wearers from fire or heat damage. The so-called flame retardant does not mean that the fabric with this finish will not burn when it comes into contact with fire, but it does mean that the fabric can slow down the rate of spread.

Characteristics of a good flame retardant fabric

• When the fiber is placed in contact with fire, it releases little smoke and no toxic gases
• Good thermal insulation thus providing good thermal protection
• Excellent flame retardant performance. Washing (as long as it respects the recommended washing time) and rubbing will not affect the flame retardant properties.
• Fabric with an excellent degree of protection but which also gives the garment lightness and comfort

How to choose this type of professional clothing?

To choose this type of clothing, you need to consider four important factors:

• What care should be taken when washing Flame Retardant Clothing?
• Is the degree of wear high or low?
• What material is Flame Retardant Clothing made of?
• What other risks do you need to consider, e.g. high visibility or antistatic?

What precautions should be taken when washing this type of clothing?

• Wash separately on a normal cycle at any water temperature up to a maximum of 40 °C. Use any typical household detergent. Do not use soap.
• Turn clothes inside out before washing to reduce scratches caused by abrasion. Fill the washing machine no more than 2/3 full and use a high water level.
• Don’t use chlorine bleach
• Don’t use fabric softeners, as they can coat the fibers and mask the performance of the flame retardant and/or serve as fuel in the event of the garment igniting.
• It is important that all dirt and other contaminants are completely removed from the garments
• Do not over-dry Flame Retardant Clothing
• Always consult the manufacturer of the Flame Retardant Garment for detailed instructions and precautions.

Is the degree of wear high or low?

The Professional Clothing you need will depend on the type of activity you perform.

• With a low degree of wear, the worker can perfectly well wear flame retardant clothing. This clothing will be more durable. Low-wear clothing is ideal, for example, for operators.
• For workwear with a high level of wear and tear, more attention needs to be paid to the right clothing. In this case, uniforms often wear out more quickly, leading to the flame-retardant finish disappearing during washing.

This type of finish can be most effective between 50 and 100 washes. In many professions or activities, clothing has tears or other types of wear long before this stage.

In this situation, it’s best to contact us so that we can provide you with the most suitable solution for your activity.

What material is Flame Retardant Clothing made of?

Next, check the material used to make the flame retardant clothing. In this regard, some important points should be considered:

The choice between inherently flame-retardant materials and treated materials has a significant difference in price, durability and quality.

Consider the risks and the application, but also other dangers besides heat and flame.

Flame-retardant clothing can be made from:

Modacrylic fiber is a synthetic fiber that:

• is inherently flame retardant;
• is easy to dye in bright colors and is therefore also suitable for high visibility (EN ISO 20471);
• is very resistant to acids;
• retains its shape after frequent washing;
• is soft and comfortable

Aramid:

• is even more durable than modacrylic fiber;
• is much more expensive than modacrylic fiber;
• is widely used in the petrochemical industry, by the military and firefighters;
• is more difficult to obtain

Flame retardant (treated)cotton:

• in many cases, Flame Retardant Clothing is made from cotton. The cotton is then treated during the production process with a special finish
• this material: is less expensive than modacrylic or aramid fiber
• maintains its flame retardancy on average for 50 to 100 washes;
• is very comfortable and breathable

What other risks do you need to consider, e.g. high visibility or antistatic?

In industry, we don’t always deal with a single risk. Often risks are interrelated or a particular risk causes another hazard.

The danger of explosion is one of them. Flame-retardant clothing is therefore often also antistatic to prevent sparks. In ATEX environments (explosive atmospheres), for example, it is essential to wear clothing that is not only flame retardant, but also antistatic.

In many workplaces there are large machines, cranes and motorized vehicles (e.g. forklifts).

In such cases, it would be wise to invest in high-visibility clothing that offers you greater visual prominence and protection.

What is the difference between flame retardant clothing and flame retardant clothing?

Flame-retardant workwear is made from an inherently flame-resistantmaterial. This means that the threads and fibers will naturally extinguish themselves. This protection is defined as something that is inherently fire-resistant and does not melt or drip when directly exposed to extreme heat.

On the other hand, Flame Retardant Clothing gains this property by applying a treatment to the fabric in order to slow down the spread of flame in the garment.

As you can see, the major difference between these two concepts lies mainly in the type of material used in each type of clothing, as well as the degree of protection offered in the event of flame propagation in that same professional clothing.

We believe that the most important thing is to let us know the context in which this type of clothing will be used, so that we can advise you on which type of finish or fabric is best for your company and your employees.