Flame resistant clothing saves lives
People working in any industry that has a hazard of clothing igniting should wear flame resistant clothing. The bottom line is that Fire Resistant clothing saves lives!
Most serious burns from industrial mishaps are caused by regular work clothing igniting and burning off the wearer's back. Thousands of clothing-related injuries due to fire occur each year. The most severe burns are often not caused by the original hazard, but rather are the secondary result of clothing igniting. Fire Resistant clothing does not ignite and continue to burn. Even single-layer Fire Resistant work clothing can significantly protect employees.
Fire Resistant clothing is essentially worn as insurance. In the unlikely event of a flash fire, electric arc, metal splash or other catastrophe, Fire Resistant work clothing reduces burn injury, provides escape time, and increases chances of survival. Even though a person caught in a flash fire or electric arc will likely have some injuries, Fire Resistant clothing can dramatically reduce their severity. This can mean the difference between life and death.
Survivors often consider burn injury treatment to be worse than the burn itself. Treatment and recovery is extremely painful and can take months if not years. Burn victims can be severely debilitated and permanently disabled. A survivor's quality of life is dramatically affected by the extent and severity of burn injury. Fire Resistant clothing not only increases the chances of survival, but also significantly enhances the quality of life after the injury.
Fire Resistant Clothing Can Save Money
Flame resistant clothing costs more than everyday work clothes. But Fire Resistant clothing can be a great investment that saves money in the long run. Some Fire Resistant fabrics last considerably longer than standard work clothing, helping to offset a higher purchase price. Often, the cost of a single burn injury can exceed the cost of a complete Fire Resistant clothing program.
The cost of a serious burn injury can be staggering. Direct costs include medical (including expensive burn units), prolonged recovery and rehabilitation, disability, and job retraining. Indirect costs include workers compensation, lost work time, increased insurance premiums and potential liability.
One electric utility company reports the total cost of a single burn injury before Fire Resistant clothing at over $2 million, and after Fire Resistant clothing at less than $50,000 for a comparable arc exposure. In the first incident before Fire Resistant clothing, the employee never returned to work. In the second incident after Fire Resistant clothing, the employee lost minimal work time.
Comply with OSHA Laws and Standards
Fire Resistant clothing programs helps protect employees from injury and death. Fire Resistant clothing can protect the company as well.
State and federal OSHA organizations require employers to protect employees from hazards in the workplace. OSHA has cited and fined numerous companies for not providing Fire Resistant clothing under 1910.132 "Occupational Safety and Health Standards: Personal Protective Equipment". OSHA deals specifically with Fire Resistant clothing in the 1910.269 "Maintenance Standard" for electric utilities. OSHA expects to add more stringent requirements for Fire Resistant clothing in future OSHA regulations, including revisions of existing laws.
In addition to laws, numerous voluntary consensus standards address the need for Fire Resistant clothing in a variety of environments and industries. Standards are published by such well-respected organizations as American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM) and National Fire Protection Associations (NFPA). While compliance is voluntary, OSHA considers a good-faith attempt to comply with standards as being evidence of an employer trying to protect its employees. Further, OSHA bases future laws in part on published standards, so what's voluntary today can become law tomorrow.
Often, industry practice is the best guide for companies considering an Fire Resistant clothing program. For many industries, Fire Resistant clothing has become the norm, just like safety glasses and hard hats. A company can experience many benefits by following industry practice, including improved employee morale, protecting employees, reduced liability, complying with OSHA and standards, etc.
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