With frequent onsite fieldworker accidents, tragic deaths in various industries like oil and gas and fire service, growing concern over lab safety in schools, and the significant financial costs these occurrences have on organizations, flame-resistant (FR) clothing has literally become a "hot topic" issue. The reason to invest in FR clothing is simple: it saves lives. But do you know what to look for when making your FR purchase?
To help kick through the clutter and get down to what matters, following are the "Top 10 Things to Consider When Buying FR Clothing." Read on to learn how you can make sure your FR clothing is working as hard as you.
TOP 10 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING FR CLOTHING:
1. PROTECTION
Your FR clothing should offer the correct level of protection against common hazards, such as electric arc, flash fire or molten metal splatter.
2. GUARANTEE
Protection should be guaranteed for your FR clothing for the life of the garment.
3. MEETS STANDARDS
Your FR clothing should meet or exceed safety and performance standards, such as ASTM F1506 and NFPA 2112.
4. COMFORT
Your FR clothing should be comfortable to wear (soft, smooth, supple, in line with industry fashions) and doesn’t interfere with job performance standards.
5. MANAGES MOISTURE
Your FR clothing should provide moisture control, with sweat-wicking and fast-drying properties.
6. RETAINS FIT
Your FR clothing should have a good level of fit retention with low shrinkage rates when laundered.
7. DURABLE FABRIC
Your FR clothing should be made with durable fabric that’s also abrasion resistant.
8. GARMENT STRENGTH
Your FR clothing should be built to withstand wear, including strong seams and reinforcement in high-stress areas.
9. RETAINS COLOR
The color of your FR garments should be retained for the life of the garment, even after laundering.
10. SUPPORT
Whether you have questions, concerns or feedback on your FR clothing, the company should be equipped as an FR resource with friendly, available, expert staff ready to support all of your FR needs.
All FR products have a balance of properties, including protection, cost, comfort, appearance, color selection and wear life. Each company should select the product that provides the best protection for its specific workplace hazards.
News Release provided by:
Aaron Jett
G&K Services
800-GKCARES