fr suggestions

[ibew17hopeful]

looking for advice as to where to get some fr clothing and what type/brand to get. I am currently working distrubution as a first step apprentice and am looking to get into some fr. I have been to a few websites and they all claim to be comfortable, but I would rather take some suggestions from you guys wearing the stuff every day. I gotta believe some brands are more comfortable than others. Any input?

[Linemo]

check out Tyndale i think the website is www.tyndaleusa.com they are in pipersville pa. great clothes great service we have been using them since 1st of the year great selection if any questions email me at bmoughon@villagepop.com and I will try to help

[HighPotter]

looking for advice as to where to get some fr clothing and what type/brand to get. I am currently working distrubution as a first step apprentice and am looking to get into some fr. I have been to a few websites and they all claim to be comfortable, but I would rather take some suggestions from you guys wearing the stuff every day. I gotta believe some brands are more comfortable than others. Any input?

http://www.workrite.com/


This is the brand my company provides. Been wearing this brand for 6 years now. Not bad to wear, even in the So. Cal summer heat.

HP

[mscheuerer]

looking for advice as to where to get some fr clothing and what type/brand to get. I am currently working distrubution as a first step apprentice and am looking to get into some fr. I have been to a few websites and they all claim to be comfortable, but I would rather take some suggestions from you guys wearing the stuff every day. I gotta believe some brands are more comfortable than others. Any input?


BULWARK FR or CARHARTT FR make some pretty decent FR rated clothing and apparrel. Check them out.

http://www.bulwark.com

http://www.carhartt.com

[ibew17hopeful]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help.

[electric squirrel]

Hey why are you worried about that stuff yet,you are a first step, unless you are breaking all kinds of rules you dont need FR clothes yet.Unless Iam wrong (which I could be)first step ap's arent even allowed to work hot secondarys! Besides if you are working for a company thats on the up and up they provide you with FR shirts and they cant make you buy your own!E.S.

[Mike-E]

I'm one of your neighbors over in 876(if you did get 17, because it says "hopeful") and we get tyndale fr shirts, wind breakers, and winter carharrt coats provided by the hall and the contractors through a fund. I don't know if 17 has this kind of set up but they should.

Also, in our area for NECA and the IBEW, the employer and the local say wether you can work hot secondary or not. But, the apprentice program, ALBAT says we can work on anything under 500 volts. You need to be a third step apprentice(one year) to work primary in alot of areas for ALBAT. In 876 you need to be a fourth step and I THINK you need to be a fifth step in 17, but I could be wrong.

[loodvig]

We use Bulwark. It's OK but most is pretty hot in the summer.

[JRT]

There are some Made in USA FR clothing providers out there, even union made, union labeled. Workrite is not, Bulwark is not, most Carhartt is (for now, some shirts are made in Mexico), but Tyndale offers a union made, made in the USA line, and some non-union made in the USA (good company) There is the American Wear FR company (Rochester, NY) with all union made garments. There are just a few FR materials available, and a lot of stichers and vendors, but they all use the same materials, except for American Wear FR - they use Indura Ultra Soft exclusively. Indura ultra soft is union made in Chicago.

[PK270]

We get our FR clothing from Bulwark. Our company stipulates that the clothing must be Nomex and not a chemically treated fabric. The chemically treated clothing will lose its FR rating if not cared for properly. Bulwark sells a 4.5 oz Nomex shirt that is pretty light. I have seen a 3 year old Nomex shirt that was being worn when a flash occured and all that happened was a little discoloration of the material. Personal preference would be Nomex.

[Hurricane Harry]

Had to wear nomex splicing lead in a refinery down in Lousiana, it was incredibaly hot, stiff, and itchy. If I get a choice its Indura.

[Electriceel]

Nomex is an excellent material, whom has FR outerwear Nomex?
Carhartt no longer provides it

[ibew17hopeful]

Mike e , hello 876 neighbor. Yes, i did make it into local 17 as an albat apprentice. I have emailed the moderator here to see how to change my name here and have not heard back yet. I worked in local 17 as a tree trimmer for the past 13 years, and have been trying to get into the albat program thru 17 for the past 6 years. This October was finally it! We are able to work voltages under 500 volts as you said, and primary voltages arent supposed to be for awile yet, but I want to be prepared. The rules differ from district to district, and all of Michigan is the same. I believe you are right having to be 4th step to work primary here. I am just starting and learning how things go, but the way I understand it is we get money on our check to get the fr stuff on our own.

[paul1703]

Tyndale has a good selection of different FR clothes. Union Made, Carhart, & a couple of others. & all different arch ratings. They have summer, winter & spring clothes. also like Linemo said they have great service. www.tyndaleusa.com

[PK270]

Sorry about not replying, I have been hunting for a few weeks. Bulwark has Nomex gear. Have worn this stuff in CA, FL, TX and NM. No hotter than the rest, they have a 4.5 OZ shirt that is pretty light and there is no special washing requirements. Nomex will stand up better in a flash than cotton ever will, molten metal flying will cause material to burn slightly. I have welded with these shirts and the holes are much smaller than when you are wearing a cotton shirt. I am partial to Nomex because you cannot wash the FR out.