March 29, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

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Flame-resistant clothing is a necessity for employees working in environments where flash fires or explosions are a concern. There is a wide variety of fire retardant fabrics available to meet the needs of an HRC 1 or HRC 2 situation. Knowing the difference between these fabrics and their uses can help save your life.

DuPont Nomex

DuPont Nomex is an inherently flame-resistant anti-static fabric that has been engineered to reduce nuisance levels of static. It will not ignite, melt, drip, or burn, and is self-extinguishing. These qualities make it ideal as an all-around fabric for applications in the petrochemical, gas, electric, and fire service industries, as well as for other professional uses. A single layer of 4.5 ounce Nomex has an NFPA 70E arc rating of 4.6, and qualifies as HRC 1 protection.

TenCate Advance

TenCate Advance combines the dependability of Nomex in situations that require flame resistance with the rugged strength and durability of Kevlar to form a uniquely hardworking fabric that provides uncompromising performance when you need it for strength and durability far surpassing either alone. A single layer of 7.0 ounce Advance has an NFPA 70E arc rating of 8.5, and qualifies as HRC 2 protection.

TenCate TecaSafe Plus

TenCate TecaSafe Plus is an inherently flame-resistant fabric that delivers NFPA 70E category 2 electrical arc protection while remaining comfortable and lightweight. It also meets the performance requirements of the NFPA 2112 - Standard on Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire. This fabric gives exceptional value due to its excellent after wash appearance, good color fastness, durability, and long life cycle. A single layer of 7.0 ounce TecaSafe Plus has an NFPA 70E arc rating of 8.4, and qualifies as HRC 2 protection.

Reliant

Reliant EMC (engineered modacrylic cotton) is an inherently flame-resistant knit fabric designed to smother flames when exposed to fiber. The protective qualities of modacrylic fiber are locked in and cannot be washed or worn out regardless of usage. This knit fabric combines the comfort, softness, and breathability of combed cotton with uncompromised fire resistant protection. Reliant has not currently been rated under NFPA 70E standards.

Indura

Indura is a 100% cotton fabric treated with a permanent flame-resistant finish. Indura offers affordable, comfortable protection and is most popular in industrial applications for protection against potential risks associated with welding and similar activities. Indura retains the properties of natural cotton for comfort and absorbancy purposes. A single layer of 7.0 ounce Indura has an NFPA 70E arc rating of 7.7, and qualifies as HRC 1 protection.

Indura Ultra Soft

Indura Ultra Soft is a cotton / nylon blend of fabric treated with a permanent flame-resistant finish. The addition of high tenacity nylon increases the wear life of the garment significantly without compromising the garment’s comfort. Indura Ultra Soft fabric is designed to withstand regular industrial launderings and provides excellent protection from flash fires as well as electrical arc flash exposure. A single layer of 7.0 ounce Indura has an NFPA 70E arc rating of 8.7, and qualifies as HRC 2 protection.

FireWear

FireWear is an inherently flame-resistant fabric blended from cotton and fibrous flame-retardant fiber designed to smother flames when exposed to fire. The FFR Fiber is designed to emit a noncombustible gas through microscopic pores in the fiber when the fiber is exposed to flame. This gas smothers flames much like a fire extinguisher. Firewear fabrics are blended with cotton and thus have many of the same benefits as cotton, including breathability and lightweight comfort. A single layer of 5.5 ounce FireWear has an NFPA 70E arc rating of 7.0, and qualifies as HRC 1 protection.

There are many choices for the user looking to purchase a flame resistant garment. Verify that the material you are purchasing is rated for the task you intend to perform; HRC 3 or 4 requirements usually require additional full layered suits, whereas one or two layers of the fabrics listed here is usually sufficient for HRC 1 or 2 requirements. For a more in-depth explanation of hazard risk categories, see my previous article, Understanding Hazard Risk Categories.

Some of the information in this article was provided with the assistance of Topps Safety Apparel, manufacturers of flame-resistant coveralls, jumpsuits, public safety uniforms, and other apparel. Anchortex Corporation is a full line leading distributor of Topps Safety Apparel.

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March 29, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

We’ve recently updated our selection of protective apparel from Topps Safety Apparel! If you haven’t visited in a while, drop in and check out our categories. We particularly recommend you check out our flame resistant coveralls, favored by our commercial and public safety customers and open to a wide variety of reflective customizations. Call for volume quotes on flame resistant embroidery and patches; minimum quantities may apply.

Anchortex is a full line distributor of Topps Safety Apparel, a leading manufacturer of public safety and flame resistant industrial apparel. 

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March 19, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

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The 2009 edition of NFPA 70E requires employers to label any electrical equipment likely to require maintenance or examination while energized with clearly visible warning labels that alert personnel to the hazard before they can be exposed to it. The most common way of doing so is to list a HRC (Hazard Risk Category) of required personal protective gear needed to service the equipment in question. So what does this mean?

Hazard Risk Category is defined within NFPA 70E as a general classification of hazard involved in performing specified tasks. HRC typically ranges from zero to four, with zero denoting minimum-risk activities and four denoting high-risk activities. Each category includes minimum safety equipment required, the minimum number of layers required to meet this requirement, and the minimum arc rating of all required equipment in cal/cm2. The arc rating, in turn, is a value of the energy required to pass through a given material and cause a 50% probability of second to third degree burns. Arc ratings from multiple layers are not cumulative.

Hazard Risk Category 0 (HRC 0)
Minimum Clothing Requirements: In order to qualify as covered under HRC 0, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants made from natural fibers (untreated cotton, silk, wool, rayon, or blends of these fibers), with a minimum fabric weight of 4.5 ounces per square yard, is required. Polyester, poly/cotton blends, and other artificial fibers are not permitted, as they will melt in an arc flash incident, increasing the potential damage.
Additional PPE Equipment: Employees in HRC 0 situations are also required to at minimum be wearing leather safety shoes, safety glasses, and a hard hat.
Minimum Layer Requirements: HRC 0 only requires one layer of protective clothing.
Minimum Arc Rating in cal/cm2: None. HRC 0 has no minimum requirements on arc rating of material.

Hazard Risk Category 1 (HRC 1)
Minimum Clothing Requirements: In order to qualify as covered under HRC 1, an employee must at minimum wear one of the following: denim jeans and a flame-resistant long-sleeved shirt, OR a flame-resistant long-sleeved sirt and pants, OR flame-resistant coveralls. (Examples)
Additional PPE Equipment: Employees in HRC 1 situations are also required to at minimum be wearing leather safety shoes, safety glasses, and a hard hat with an arc-rated face shield.
Minimum Layer Requirements: HRC 1 only requires one layer of protective clothing.
Minimum Arc Rating in cal/cm2: 4 cal/cm2

Hazard Risk Category 2 (HRC 2)
Minimum Clothing Requirements: In order to qualify as covered under HRC 2, an employee must at minimum wear one of the following: flame-resistant long-sleeved shirt and pants, OR flame-resistant coveralls. (Examples)
Additional PPE Equipment: Employees in HRC 2 situations are also required to at minimum be wearing leather safety shoes, safety glasses, and a hard hat with an arc-rated face shield. In certain circumstances, an 8+-cal/cm2 stocking hood or multi-layer switching hood may also be required.
Minimum Layer Requirements: HRC 2 requires one to two layers of protective clothing.
Minimum Arc Rating in cal/cm2: 8 cal/cm2

Hazard Risk Category 3 (HRC 3)
Minimum Clothing Requirements: In order to qualify as covered under HRC 3, an employee must at minimum wear one of the following: a multi-layer flash suit over FR long-sleeved shirt and pants over natural fiber short-sleeved T-shirt and pants, OR a multi-layer flash suit over FR coveralls over natural fiber short-sleeved T-shirt and pants. (Examples)
Additional PPE Equipment: Employees in HRC 3 situations are also required to at minimum be wearing leather safety shoes, safety glasses, hard hat, hearing protection, and a multi-layer switching hood OR arc-rated goggle and stocking hood.
Minimum Layer Requirements: HRC 3 requires two to three layers of protective clothing.
Minimum Arc Rating in cal/cm2: 25 cal/cm2

Hazard Risk Category 4 (HRC 4)
Minimum Clothing Requirements: In order to qualify as covered under HRC 4, an employee must at minimum wear one of the following: a multi-layer flash suit over FR long-sleeved shirt and pants over natural fiber short-sleeved T-shirt and pants, OR a multi-layer flash suit over FR coveralls over natural fiber short-sleeved T-shirt and pants. (Examples)
Additional PPE Equipment: Employees in HRC 4 situations are also required to at minimum be wearing leather safety shoes, safety glasses, hard hat, hearing protection, and a multi-layer switching hood OR arc-rated goggle and stocking hood.
Minimum Layer Requirements: HRC 4 requires at least three layers of protective clothing.
Minimum Arc Rating in cal/cm2: 40 cal/cm2

Depending on the specific tasks performed, employees may also be required to wear voltage-rated gloves and use voltage-rated tools appropriate to the equipment being serviced. Whenever possible, energized equipment to be serviced should be put into an electrically safe work condition unless the employer can demonstrate that de-energizing creates more severe hazards (such as when performing work on life-support systems), or is not practical due to limitations of equipment or operation (such as during testing of live equipment). Any service that requires personal protective equipment should only be performed by qualified personnel following a documented plan approved by the manager responsible for the plan.

A brief overview of tasks that require arc flash protective gear, as well as the general hazard risk category they fall under, is available at http://www.anchortex.com/pdf/OEL-NFPA-70E-Compliance-Guide.pdf courtesy of OEL Worldwide Industries, manufacturers of arc flash wear and insulated tools. Anchortex Corporation is a leading distributor of OEL arc flash safety equipment.

Austin Cushing is the webmaster at American Work Safety, a division of Anchortex Corporation. Receive $10 off of any purchase over $100 with code ASP10 (offer valid indefinitely but subject to change). To track all articles written by Austin Cushing, check out the Anchortex Blog.

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March 16, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

In addition to updating our blog on a regular basis, we also issue updates through our Facebook page. Become a fan to receive updates through your Facebook news feed, including special promotions not offered elsewhere.

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March 15, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

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When your job involves being on your feet all day, your feet will typically tire out long before any other part of you. Marching in formation at base camp, chasing after a perpetrator across three lanes of traffic, patrolling cold institutional hallways, or laying down the foundation for tomorrow’s great building all cause wear and tear on your feet and your footwear. You need a duty shoe or duty boot that will perform under the exacting conditions called for by your job, while still remaining comfortable and durable against the damaging circumstances of the workplace.

In most cases, you already have some basic ideas about what style of boot you need. Military boots, for example, tend to be manufactured by Belleville or Bates, and typically match a specific uniform. Sage green boots such as the Bates 910 are designed to be worn with the Airman Battle Uniform, for example, whereas desert tan boots such as the Belleville 790 are approved for the Army Combat Uniform, both of which are steadily replacing the classic Battle Dress Uniform for their respective armed forces branches. When purchasing occupational footwear, be certain to check whether there are specific uniform footwear requirements for your group, facility, or organization.

Don’t forget that even dress uniforms require comfortable shoes. Remember, you’re going to be on your feet and at attention for quite a while, and the last thing you want to do is break attention to adjust your dress oxfords. Look for models with breathable linings and cushioned footbeds; don’t skimp on appearances, either. You’re buying a dress uniform shoe, after all, and you want to look your best as well as be at your most comfortable. Usually, your coworkers can recommend an ideal dress shoe that will match your specific requirements without emptying your wallet.

While military footwear options tend to be more restrictive than those available to industrial workers, there are a few more important things to remember when choosing a duty boot or shoe. If you are going to be working on an industrial site of any sort, you will likely be required to wear steel toe boots or composite toe boots of some kind, as well as other personal protective equipment depending on the environment and job-related hazards (for example, dialectric boots in a high-energy hazard environment, waterproof boots for protection from foul weather, insulated boots for use in freezers or extremely cold weather environments, or chemical protection boots when working in hazardous environments.) Be sure to select protective footwear that matches up to the hazards of your intended environment, and is comfortable enough to wear for extended periods.

Need help selecting a duty boot that’s best for you? Check out our military uniform footwear and police uniform footwear sections for more ideas!

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March 15, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

American Outdoor Gear is expanding its footwear line by adding Timberland’s environmentally friendly boots and shoes. Timberland is an industry leader in quality footwear that is also environmentally conscious, with its Earthkeepers line focused on using green rubber and fully recyclable designs for maximum efficiency and minimum environmental impact. For volume quotes or to verify availability of an unlisted style, please contact us at (856) 768-5240.

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March 15, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

Due to increases in the price of raw rubber, the cost of latex-based gloves and accessories is increasing to cover manufacturing costs. Existing price quotes will expire on March 31st due to this increase. Call a sales representative at (856) 768-5240 to get in your latex glove orders now before it’s too late.

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March 11, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

Whether marching under a hot desert sun, standing at attention in the middle of a blizzard, or charging into enemy fire, soldiers need boots they can rely on. Based on our industry knowledge and feedback from our customers, we have compiled a list of five military boot brands that have shown enduring support for the soldier over the years.

Bates Uniform Footwear
Since 1887, Bates Uniform Footwear has been focused on the best in dress and tactical footwear for military personnel in nearly forty countries worldwide. Bates has manufactured military uniform footwear styles for all branches of the armed services, and serves as one of the largest suppliers of footwear to the US federal government, the Department of Defense, and public service departments throughout the United States. They also manufacture duty footwear for uniformed public service personnel, and are a popular choice among police and security personnel.

Belleville Shoe
Belleville Shoe was founded in 1904, and is currently the country’s largest supplier of military boots, producing over one million pairs annually, and is one of the most well-known and most commonly requested boots. Each pair is specifically designed to meet or exceed military specifications for durability and comfort without needing lengthy breaking in or acclimation. If you want the boot that is always on the front lines, you want a Belleville.

Altama Delta Corporation
Altama was founded in 1969, and got its military start manufacturing olive drab jungle boots for US soldiers serving in Vietnam. It has since become a leading manufacture of mil-spec boots for the Department of Defense, and also markets to federal, state, and local agencies, police, Special Forces teams, and military and ROTC schools. Altama is constantly developing new series to meet the changing needs of the American soldier, whether it be active duty performance or personal comfort.

Danner Uniform Footwear
Danner’s ambition is to satisfy the needs of expert users in the military and law enforcement fields, focusing on maximum performance and quality. Danner sets the highest standards for their products, regardless of the end user. If you simply must have the best quality boots, you can’t go wrong with Danner.

Wellco Enterprises
Wellco and its subsidiary, Ro-Search, have been developing new innovations in footwear manufacturing technology since 1941, setting standards for Army combat footwear that are still in use today. The present generation of combat boots - with high-traction rubber tread sole, polyurethane midsole, and direct-molded rubber base sole - can be directly traced to a development contract awarded to Ro-Search in 1995 by US Army Natick Laboratories.

Military boots are designed to protect a soldier’s feet in the worst conditions imaginable. Our military heroes deserve footwear that does everything they ask, so that they can do everything we ask of them. When preparing your next care package for a soldier serving active duty, consider sending a new pair of duty boots - they’ll thank you for it.

Austin Cushing is the webmaster at Anchortex Corporation, a leading GSA supplier of uniforms, safety equipment and tactical gear used by military, public safety, and industrial professionals as well as government units across the USA. Anchortex Corporation is a leading distributor of uniform footwear to military and law enforcement personnel.

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