As an employer, it’s not always easy to know whether you should be supplying your workforce with ‘flame resistant’ or ‘fire retardant’ clothing. Safety labels can be confusing, and it can be hard to differentiate between the two main types of PPE, hence this brief guide to the difference between the two types of safety clothing, should be helpful:
Why is the difference between the two so important?
For workers exposed to flammable materials or conditions, such as contractors, firefighters, oil and gas technicians among many, many others, wearing the right kind of wholesale fr shirts, isn’t just important, it can be lifesaving.
Let’s look at the differences between flame resistant and flame retardant, to see why wearing the right material, is so important:
· Flame resistant clothing
This type of clothing is classed as PPE and while it will keep workers protected from flames, it isn’t fire-proof. If a worker wearing flame resistant clothing catches alight, the clothing will prevent them from suffering severe burns and injuries that could be life threatening.
Although flame resistant clothing will catch alight when it comes into contact with flames, those flames will be almost immediately extinguished thanks to the materials the clothing is made from.
It is generally more expensive than fire retardant clothing, due to the unique materials that it’s made from.
· Fire retardant clothing
Another type of PPE, fire retardant clothing works in a similar way to clothing that’s flame resistant, by immediately stopping it from burning when it catches alight.
Made in a different way to flame resistant clothing, and from ordinary materials - items of clothing that are fire retardant aren’t naturally resistant to flames and must be chemically treated to make them fire retardant. Sewn in the regular way for regular clothing, the materials are simply treated with chemicals to protect the wearer from burns.
Due to the fact that this type of clothing can be made from a wider range of materials, and that it’s simply treated to make it flame resistant, fire retardant clothing is usually less expensive than flame resistant clothing, and can easily be bought in bulk for large workforces.
However, while this is a good option for employers to buy for their workers, it’s important to read and follow all care instructions given by the manufacturer, as with every wash, the fire retardant chemicals become weaker, and less effective. If your workforce needs to wash their fr jackets frequently, this may be a deciding factor when choosing between the two types of specialized PPE.
Having a thorough understanding of the environment in which your employers will be working, and the tasks they will be carrying out, can go a long way towards helping you decide which type of protective clothing to opt for. While both types of clothing have their pros and cons, if your budget is slim and your employees don’t deal with flammable substances on a daily or regular basis, buying clothing that’s simply flame retardant might be the best option.