FR Guide

• Not fireproof.
• Self-extinguishes or resists ignition.
• Provides thermal insulation from heat.
• Resists breaking open and exposing skin.
• Does not melt or drip onto skin. Most terminal injuries are caused by Non-FR clothing melting onto skin.
• Provides valuable added escape time. Reduces burn injury and increases chances of survival.

• FR garment should be appropriate for the hazard and meet proper industry standard.
• The outer most layer is the one that provides the most protection. Make sure not to cover your FR garments with Non-FR apparel. 
• Your garments should always be worn correctly meaning the garment is zipped, buttoned, & do not role your sleeves. Also do not alter the garments, like cut the sleeves. 
• All natural, non-melting undergarments should be worn, but FR undergarments are the safest.
• Your garments should be Clean, and not come into contact with flammable contaminates. Keep in mind bug repellent like DEET is highly flammable
• Your garments should be repaired correctly by professional (FR thread, trims ad materials should be used) & removed from service when needed.
• Always follow the care instructions when laundering FR garments and never use chlorine while cleaning.

WARNING, NEVER USE THESE CHEMICALS ON YOUR FR GARMENTS:

• Chlorine Bleach (can affect the flame-resistant properties)
• Hydrogen Peroxide Bleach(can affect the flame-resistance)
• Detergents with Bleach, and Fabric Softener
• Dryer Sheets (Flammable)
• Any Sprays that contains DEET (Flammable)

GENERAL FR LAUNDERING GUIDELINES:

• Always follow the laundering direction on the garment label.
• Sort your garments by color when you wash them.
• Separate your FR garments from normal everyday clothes.
• Wash you garments with soft water, minerals contained in hard water can form insoluble deposits on the fabrics. These deposit may be flammable and can affect the thermal performance of the garment.
• It’s important to not overload the machine when you wash your clothes and never exceed a temperature of 165°. It is more recommended to wash your garments under 140°

Laundry Wash Key

• IL - Industrial Laundering (Washing service done by a commercial laundry)
• LS - Light Soil Wash (A washing preset)
• HW- Home Wash 

ALL STANDARD BIG BILL FR GARMENTS FEATURE:

• Nomex thread for stitching (No polyester, or non-fr threads used).
• Zippers, snaps and buttons are covered by fr material. Zippers are also taped with Nomex fabric.
• Over 100+ UL & NFPA 2112 garment options.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 2112 Standard providesthe minimum requirements for the design,construction, evaluation, and certificationof flame-resistant garments that are worn by the industrial workforce forprotection against flash fire. The difference is found in the garment performance.For a garment to pass NFPA 2112 testing,it must demonstrate 50 percent or less total predicted body burn using a standardized burn injury model.

QUALIFYING GARMENTS

For a garment to qualify as NFPA 2112 thefab-ric, findings(garment components such as zippers,buttons, snaps, reflective materials, etc...)and manu-facturing facilitymust all pass third party testing.An FR Garment can’t be NFPA 2112 without all3 passing third party testing. If one component fails,the garment fails and the quality cannot be insured.NFPA 2112 follows the Tripod rule, without one leg,the tripod falls.There are no short cuts when choosing the best FR uni-form program for your application, do your homework,request to see testing data, and work with garmentproviders to understand what type of garment willprovide the levels of protection your team needsto stay safe!

• Asses the work place and employee safety needs
• Identify potential hazards and situational risks
• Evaluate wearer comfort, appearance, & laundering options

• HIGH HEAT
• SPARKS
• OPEN FLAME
• ELECTRIC ARC
• FLAMABLE DUST
• MOLTEN METALS
• FLAMABLE LIQUIDS, GASES & SOLIDS
• SLAG FROM FLAME CUTTING & WELDING

HOW DO NON-FR FABRICS REACT TO IGNITION?

Non-FR fabrics and apparel will ignite and burn continuously until all flammable material is consumed, even when the source is removed.

HOW DO FR FABRICS REACT TO IGNITION?

Flame-resistant fabrics are NOT FIREPROOF. FR Fabrics are designed to with stand ignition and prevent flame spread, the material self-extinguish when the ignition source is removed. FR fabrics do not melt onto skin, provide thermal insulation against heat & resists breaking open to expose skin. Anything that is exposed to an ignition point long enough will eventually carbonize & burn.

Flammable material on FR apparel will ignite and burn continuously on the FR garments surface. The affected garment should be immediately removed and re-placed with unsoiled FR apparel. If contaminants cannot be removed by laundering, the contaminated apparel should be retired from service.

FR BASE LAYER GARMENTS, THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSEBETWEEN THE FLAMES, HEAT AND YOUR BARE SKIN.

Currently, the industry standard for Flame-Resistant apparel does not require you to wear FR base layers & undergarments, however wearing these garments during an electric arc or flash fire exposure greatly decreases your chance of body burn & seriously increases your chance of survival. They provide much needed added protection to your most important parts! Wearing base layers also has several performance & comfort enhancing benefits, giving you peace of mind & allowing you to focus on the job. Although FR fabrics & garments have come a long way in the last decade, the extreme conditions most people wearing FR are working in requires a great deal of mobility and physical performance. Being weighed down by bulky outerwear or fabrics that don’t breathe simply won’t cut it. This reality leaves a lot of workers to dangerously alter their FR clothing systems, such as cutting off sleeves, or wearing subpar lighter garments that do not meet the standards.

The best solution for comfort is base layer layering systems. Base layers come in so many different weights and fabrics, each is specialized for a particular environment and application. They can keep you warm in arctic environments, handle the changes in transition temperatures and help manage the heat in the driest environments. They allow you to quickly add or remove a layer. FR Base layering systems are customizable to your needs, and provide just as much protection as the bulkier alternatives.

Non-FR cotton base layers & undergarments while inexpensive, have some serous downsides. Cotton fabric absorbs moisture and holds it in close to your skin, causing discomfort and leaves you vulnerable to steam burns. Non-FR polyester layers will melt onto your skin during an incident. If you wear these during an electric arc or flashfire exposure, they will burn, melt onto skin and cause further injury.

FR BASE LAYER PERFORMANCE:

• Available in wide array of protections.
• Has performance benefits for all climates (including transitioning temperatures). Allows for layering customized to your needs.
• Allows you to quickly add, or remove a layer.
• Increases move-ability
• Superior wicking action amd moisture management solution
• Highly breathable and quick drying
• Comfortable next-to-skin
• Stretch-ability
• Odor-Resistant
• Shrink & Fade Resistant
• Available in water resistant, various insulation options.

Inherent flame resistant fabrics use fibers that have flame resistancebuilt into their chemical/natural structures. The actual structure of thefabric itself is not flammable.The terms “treated” and “surface treated” refer to a manufacturingprocess whereby a special mixture of chemicals is applied to a flam-mable fabric, such as cotton or cotton/nylon blends, to make the finalfabric flame-resistant (FR) and permeable to allow some breathability.

Importance of the Layering SystemCurrently, the industry standard for Flame-Resistant apparel does notrequire you to wear FR base layers and undergarments, however wearingthese garments during an electric arc or flash fire exposure greatly decreasesyour chance of body burn and significantly increases your chance of survival.These layers provide additional valuable protection for your most important parts!

Wearing base layers also has several performance and comfort enhancing benefits,giving you peace of mind and allowing you to focus on the job. Although FRfabrics and garments have come a long way in the last decade, the extremeenvironmental conditions where most employees are wearing FR garments hasincreased the additional demand for better mobility and physical performance.Being weighed down by bulky outerwear or fabrics that do not breathe simply willnot cut it. This reality leaves a lot of workers to dangerously alter their FR clothingsystems; such as cutting off sleeves, or wearing ineffective lighter garmentsthat do not meet the standards.

These dangerous alterations significantly increase the risk of injury to theemployee. Layering Systems with wicking properties are the best solution todiscomfort and mobility concerns. Layers come in many different weights andfabrics, each is specialized for a particular environment and application. Theycan keep you warm in arctic environments, handle temperature transitions andhelp manage the heat in the driest environments. They allow you to quicklyadd or remove layers as temperatures change. These layering systems arecustomizable to your needs and provide just as much protection as it’s bulkiercounterparts. Cotton and non-FR base layers while inexpensive, have someconsiderable downsides.

•Increases mobility

•Inherent wicking action

•Inherent protection•Highly breathable and quick drying

•Comfortable next-to-skin•Hypoallergenic

•All Weather proof

•Inherent High Visibility

•Peace of mind, assurance of compliance

Cotton and non-FR base layers while inexpensive, have some serious consequences.You’ve heard it before. Cotton kills performance! Why is that? Because it ab-sorbs a substantial amount of water. —up to 27 times its weight— and does notrapidly evaporate. Cotton’s limitations can lead to considerable discomfort inwarm conditions and its inability to evaporate moisture that can lead to poten-tially life-threatening hypothermia in cold conditions.In addition, moisture against the skin can significantly increase possible steamburn injuries. The latest arc flash test results show that sweat is more danger-ous than a hydraulic fluid soaked garment

NFPA 70E / CSA Z462 Standard for Electrical Safetyin the Workplace provides the minimum requirementsfor the design, construction, evaluation andcertification of Arc-Rated garments. These standardshelp to ensure the industry’s best practices.

For a garment to be Dual hazard it needs to protect againstflash fire and arc flash, meeting both the NFPA 2112 standard as well as the NFPA 70E & CSA Z462 standard. This helps to protect workers from multiple hazards andensures the best overall protection for the worker.