In industrial settings, such as oil refineries, power stations, manufacturing plants and even some construction sites where there may be extreme temperatures, heavy machinery or flammable materials, hazards from fire and heat are always a risk, and employers must be vigilant in protecting their workforce from them.
When the appropriate safeguards haven’t been put in place, fires can quickly spread, and severe damage can be caused to infrastructure and equipment that puts workers at a significant risk. Ideally, heat hazards should be prevented from occurring in the first place, but since it’s very difficult to eliminate the threat of fire and heat hazards altogether, the best thing employers can do is keep their workforce safe through such measures as purchasing wholesale FR shirts, devising emergency response plans, and putting fire suppression systems in place.
Below are 5 heat hazards that in the absence of appropriate fire resistant materials, can cause significant risk to employees in the workplace:
1. Heat transfer
There are a number of industrial processes during which extreme heat is generated and spread by way of conduction and radiation. Conductive heat travels through surfaces such as pipes and structural components and can cause burns as well as an increased risk of ignition. Radiant heat, on the other hand, is emitted from boilers and smelting operations, and raises the temperature in the workplace and around it, creating dangerous conditions to work in.
When surfaces that are exposed get extremely hot, workers can burn themselves on them, while prolonged exposure to extreme heat, can make materials weak and vulnerable to fire or mechanical failure.
2. Materials that are combustible and flammable
For industries that regularly deal with vapors, combustible dust and volatile chemicals, the risk of explosions and flash fires is a persistent threat. All it takes is one spark from a piece of equipment to ignite particles in the air, and before you know it, you’ve got flames that are rapidly spreading. In such environments, such hazards must be properly contained with fire-resistant barriers.
3. Risk of electrical fire
Manufacturing plants and power stations, for example, use electrical systems that are high voltage which can create short circuits and arc flashes. Both of which are capable of generating extreme heat that can melt materials and set exposed surfaces alight.
Preventing these incidents from turning into disastrous fires, means using fire-resistant insulation.
4. Welding hazards and molten metal
Producing splatters of white-hot molten metal, operations that weld and cut metals face the risk of fire through the ignition of surfaces that are flammable, and burnt out insulation.
Putting flame-resistant barriers in place can help contain sparks and reduce the risk of fire.
5. Overheating caused by mechanical friction
Capable of generating great heat through mechanical friction, conveyor belts and machinery that rotates must be managed properly to prevent the risk of fire. When such a heat hazard isn’t managed appropriately, components may fail, lubricants might ignite, and motors that overheat, may cause a fire.
The application of heat shields and insulation that’s fire-resistant can keep temperatures safely regulated, while reducing the risk of fire.
How can flame resistant clothing help?Made from materials such as modacrylic fibres and FR-treated cotton blends, flame resistant clothing is designed to be ignition-resistant inherently, without chemicals being added. Capable of self-extinguishing once the ignition source has been removed, wearing the best FR shirts helps prevent employees from burning themselves, and limits the risk of injury should they be accidentally exposed to any sparks or flames.
If your employees are ever exposed to extreme temperatures or open flames, or work in any kind of environment in which there may be a risk of fire, flame resistant clothing should never be an afterthought; it’s a must. Contact ASI Safety today and let us show you our wide selection of fire resistant clothing and equipment.