December 22, 2011 by Austin Cushing.

The 2012 edition of NFPA 2112, Standard on Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel against Flash Fire, 2012 Edition became effective August 31, 2011. These revisions mostly consisted of updates to specific standard requirements, and clarifications of existing wording. Specific changes are as follows:

Garment label wording now highlights the requirement for garments to provide upper and lower body protection in order to be fully compliant with the standard. Specifically, this emphasizes that NFPA 2112 compliant shirts or pants worn alone does not provide adequate protection. The standard now also acknowledges that garment ignition and resultant wearer injury from flammable clothing can result from any type of fire (jet flames, liquid pool fires, solid fires, etc) and not just from flash fires.

The 2012 edition also added a section relating to the topic of cold weather protective garments, which may result in more insulated garments becoming NFPA 2112 certified in the future. As part of this, it requires that garments with multiple separable layers (for example, a liner that can be removed from a certified jacket and worn as a stand-alone garment) must be tested and certified in all wearable configurations. It also establishes a separate thermal shrinkage requirement at a maximum of 20% for cold weather insulation material, which may result in more options to lower price or improve performance of existing outerwear lining.

The thermal protective performance test (TPP) was updated to specify the use of ASTM Standard Test Method 2700. The thermal insulation value will now be called HTP (heat transfer performance) instead of TPP. The TPP test method was revised to show that the result is only a measure of heat transfer and not a predictor of skin burn injury. The test apparatus and test results obtained from it are unchanged. Test reports for spaced and contact testing are still required.

Other updates included a  new requirement that zipper tape must be made from inherently FR fiber, clarification that the maximum allowable 50% predicted body burn requirement on testing is based on the total surface area of the mannequin covered by sensors and excludes the hands and feet (which are not instrumented), revisions to the laundering procedures used to test flame resistant fabric durability to include additional rinse cycles, and a slight increase in the weight of the 100% cotton undergarments worn by the instrumented mannequin during flash fire testing.

These changes do not significantly impact our ability to provide high quality compliant flame resistant garments to our customers at affordable prices. 

Posted in Industrial, Flame-Resistant, American Work Safety | No Comments »

April 5, 2011 by Austin Cushing.

Our Commercial > Arc Flash Protective Clothing section is expanding, with more items available for direct sale in every category, and two new categories for information’s sakes: the NFPA 70E Compliance FAQ and NFPA 70E Arc Flash Training Videos. Has your company performed their annual hazard / risk evaluation audit yet? Anchortex Corporation can help meet your personal protective equipment needs with everything from arc flash suits and electrical safety gloves to hard hats, face shields, and ear plugs. Contact our sales department today to request a quote for your facility’s needs.

Posted in Arc Flash, Industrial, Flame-Resistant, Site Updates, Alerts | No Comments »

March 11, 2011 by Austin Cushing.

As you may already be aware, the raw cost of cotton fiber has risen from a low of approximately 40 cents per pound to its current high of $2.45 per pound and rising over the past three years, with sharp increases over the past six months. Furthermore, the supply of cotton fabric has been strained over the past three months, with many fabric suppliers struggling to keep up with demand. This has impacted many of our clothing manufacturers significantly, and has resulted in price increases on all cotton-based clothing for the 2011 period, with further increases throughout throughout the fiscal year as prices continue to increase.

On March 7th, Westex, manufacturers of Indura and Indura Ultra Soft fabric, have released a statement that the cost of Indura and Indura Ultra Soft fabric will be increasing by between 25 and 50% effective immediately, and that lead times are to be expected on all new orders of Indura and Indura Ultra Soft fabrics. As such, price increases on all Indura and Indura Ultra Soft products are expected, and lead times are expected to increase due to the cotton supply shortage.

Posted in Flame-Resistant, American Work Safety, Alerts | No Comments »

October 11, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

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As the cold season approaches, construction workers, station attendants, highway patrol officers, utility servicemen, public safety personnel, and practically any profession that needs to spend large amounts of time near high-traffic areas starts looking for solutions to keep them easily visible while still remaining safe and warm. Fortunately, a wide variety of high-visibility outerwear exists to fill this important niche.

If you work in an area where wind and rain are more likely problems than sleet and snow, or you just need a good jacket that will withstand reasonably cool days, you can’t go wrong with a high visibility three-season jacket such as the Lakeland C3SA. As the title suggests, it is recommended for use from fall to spring, and it fulfills ANSI Class III high-visibility requirements. Zippered front pockets protect important supplies while keeping them close at reach. This is a good entry-level jacket for someone who needs a year-round solution, doesn’t want to wear an awkward vest over a bulkier coat, and wants to ensure full ANSI compliance. Depending on the materials, a three-season jacket can run up to $120 or more (such as for this Carhartt jacket); our Lakeland model, on the other hand, runs a modest $74.85 - a bargain for you or the whole team.

Of course, colder winters call for warmer high visibility coats, and this is where the Occunomix LUX-TJFS Five In One Coat and Bodywarmer excels. It consists of an outer two-layer coat (independently certified to ANSI Class III specifications, weatherproof, and including its own hood) and an inner three-layer Bodywarmer that itself qualifies as a class II garment, and also has an outer layer of 100% weatherproof PVC-coated polyester. They can be worn separately or together as the situation fits, while comfortably protecting the wearer in practically any weather condition. This OccuLux High Visibility Fluorescent Yellow 5-In-1 Coat And Bodywarmerretails on Amazon.com for $174.74; our price of $134.85 means you save almost $40 per coat.

Of course, if you happen to be working in extremely cold conditions, a normal coat or jacket simply won’t do. For times like these, you need something like our Refrigiwear 344L2 High-Visibility Thermal Coverall, a full-body protective solution rated to keep you warm and dry down to temperatures of -50° Fahrenheit, while providing maximum visibility in any situation. Of course, for those of you who work in the utilities or petrochemical industries in cold-weather climates, who have just as much to fear from both fire and ice, the Refrigiwear 7030THV Tecasafe Plus High-Visibility Flame Resistant Coverall comes with an ATPV arc rating of 41 cal/cm2 (NFPA 70E Hazard Risk Category 4), while still protecting you from the cold down to -20° Fahrenheit.

While jackets and coats will protect your body, you also need a good pair of gloves to protect your hands. Thinsulate gloves set the standard for hand protection in cold weather, andLakeland’s High-Visibility Thinsulate Reflective Gloves set the standard for high-visibility gloves, combining a bright lime-yellow exterior with reflective striping for the ultimate in high-visibility while keeping your hands warm and dry.

Now that you’re all bundled up for the winter, don’t neglect your head! High visibility knit caps like the Lakeland Hi-Vis Knit Cap provide an extra level of warmth and protection - and an extra level of visibilty and reflectivity, for those times when every square inch counts.

We at Anchortex Corporation salute the men and women who spend every day outdoors keeping our nation’s infrastructure running, no matter what the weather, and we are proud to do our part to ensure that these people get the high-visibility apparel they need for every season of the year. Looking to outfit an entire department, team, or crew at once? Contact us for information about volume pricing on these and other high-visibility items and lock in your price today while supplies last.

Posted in High Visibility, Industrial, Flame-Resistant, Articles | No Comments »

June 22, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

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The term ‘asbestos underwear’ tends to come up in Internet discussions frequently as a tongue-in-cheek reference to needing intimate protection from the searing heat of flames, Internet or otherwise. However, there is a real-world solution that is far more practical - and less itchy - than asbestos underwear: DriFire Base Layer undergarments.

So what’s so important about base layers, anyhow? To put it simply, base layer clothing rests directly against the skin - in short, undergarments, such as T-shirts, boxer shorts, sports bras, and other lightweight clothing. Due to their intimate contact with the user, it is important that they remain comfortable to wear in addition to providing protection against fire hazards. The protections they provide must be permanent, and must not deteriorate over extended wear or frequent washings.

So aside from jokes, why do firefighters, electricians, technicians, emergency responders, soldiers, and many other professionals need fire retardant underwear? Clothing that ignites, drips, or melts under extreme heat or flames is a significant hazard, and 100% cotton or other non-flammable undergarments are required to maintain the level of safety people expect from their fire resistant clothing choices. Nobody wants the experience of having their intimate apparel melted to their intimate parts, after all - this is why crews requiring arc flash protection require that 100% cotton or other non-flammable undergarments be worn under protective gear.

Where does DriFire come in, then? DriFire provides an ideal solution to the problem of base layer flame resistance with their silk weight, mid weight, and heavy weight pants, shirts, underwear and accessories. Aside from providing a basic level of flame protection, they also provide other vital features such as moisture management and antimicrobial protection. Moisture management is important for comfort, but is also vital for preventing steam burns from trapped moisture becoming heated in high-temperature situations. Antimicrobial protection is all about odor control - helping you stay fresh and clean even under the stress of extended shifts and heavy workloads.

All in all, DriFire underwear and other performance products are the protective equivalent of the humorous ‘asbestos underwear’, with none of the discomfort. The next time you settle in for a flame war on the Internet, or wage war against flaming infernos in a structure fire, or prepare to march into the battlefield, spare a thought for DriFire base layer apparel - it just may mean the difference between a comfortable afternoon and getting burned.

Posted in Flame-Resistant, Articles | No Comments »

June 8, 2010 by Austin Cushing.

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Anchortex Corporation prides itself on serving our nation’s military forces by providing them the widest selection of mission-critical military equipment and optional support gear available. Now we are pleased to announce our new flame-resistant Army Combat Uniforms and Airman Battle Uniforms manufactured by Propper International, leaders in quality mil-spec uniform apparel.

For our Army and Marine soldiers, we offer our Propper F5468 Flame Resistant Army Combat Uniform Coat and F5268 Flame Resistant Army Combat Uniform Trousers. These are sewn to military specifications GL/PD 07-13 and 07-14 using Defender M, a flame-resistant combat fabric used by the United States Army and Marine Corps that exceeds ASTM D 6413-99 flame resistance standards. This fabric contains Lenzing FR, allowing it to absorb and evaporate perspiration faster, improving durability and resistance to wear, and giving it the ability to self-extinguish without melting or dripping. Both are fully NIR-compliant and meet all standard requirements as a part of the Army Combat Uniform.

For our Air Force soldiers, we offer the new NFPA 1975 certified F5257 Airman Battle Uniform Trousers and F5457 Airman Battle Uniform Coat. These are both sewn to mil-spec FQ PD-06-11B and PD-06-08B, are fully NIR compliant, and manufactured from 100% cotton ripstop fabric. Importantly, they are fully certified to NFPA 1975 (Standards for Station/Work Uniforms for Emergency Services - 2009 Edition) by Underwriter Laboratories, Inc., and can be used upon approval by unit commanders by personnel requiring a fire-retardant fabric.

The men and women who serve our country deserve equipment that meets and exceeds their expectations for durability and survivability under the most extreme conditions nature and man can throw at them, and thanks to Propper, Anchortex Corporation is capable of delivering with fire-retardant uniform apparel that can keep our uniformed men and women safe while retaining a regulation appearance.

Are you deploying soon and need new uniforms - for yourself or the entire squadron? Contact Anchortex Corporation with your size, rank, and nametape specifications to receive a customized quote for your uniform supply needs.

Posted in Flame-Resistant, Military, Articles | No Comments »