FR Clothing

[rob8210]

We get 50% paid by the company. I just got 1 pair of bib overalls and 2 pair of pants, grand total of $225.00. I order mine from AGO industries. I have had them last me well over 2 years before they needed to be replaced. I'd love to get Carhartts but I would have to order them from the US and the shipping really drives the price up.

[wudwlkr]

We get all ours supplied . And we throw out heaps coz they give us too much. ITS THE LAW in the uk that your company has to supply your P.P.E. (Personal protective equipment)

Different in US. OSHA currently only says that clothing cannot catch on fire and continue to burn thus making injuries worse. They don't have to protect/prevent burns so they are technically not PPE and thus companies don't have to pay for. This was based on the fact that when the rule was originally written, 1994, no one really knew how much heat from an electric arc any type or weight of clothing could block. This was just beginning to be researched. OSHA is way behind on the state of the art. Today we know how much protection clothing can provide. When (IF ever) OSHA updates their utility safety rules I believe you will see the rule change so that clothing will have to provide protection from arc heat. At that time it will become PPE and companies will have to start paying for it.

[thrasher]

There are a wide variety of fabrics and blends of fabrics used for FR clothing. Our company allows only inherently fire retardant fabrics to be used for basic protection, i.e. shirt and pants. These fabrics include Nomex, Firewear, Reliant, and PBI. We had one guy brought in a old firewear shirt that was ready for the rag heap and he hit it with a propane torch. Each time as soon as he moved the torch away it went out even on the thinest areas. For our other FR clothing, jackets etc. the company allows any FR fabric to be used.
We have a list of items an employee can get each year that they can mix and match. Similar to an allowance but they are all bought thru the company and have a similar look.