It’s not enough that you wear Flame Retardant (FR) clothing. It pays to know the right way to wear them and know what not to do when wearing them. Remember, wearing FR clothing correctly can give maximum protection, but if worn improperly or out of the industry standards, they become less effective. Here we give you the common mistakes welders do in wearing FR clothing.
What not to do in wearing FR Clothing
Do not wear FR clothing without a Non-FR outer layer
While you have your FR clothing on, you need to make sure that you are wearing an FR outer layer. It can be tempting to wear a non-FR jacket most especially during the cold weather. But chances are, that outer layer can still ignite and burn putting you at risk.
Do not wear a Non-FR synthetic underlayer
One other thing you need to remember is that when you wear FR clothing, make sure you are wearing an FR underlayer as well. T-shirts that are made out of polyester or synthetic materials can help with moisture management but these are not flame resistant and can even melt to the skin.
Do not roll up your sleeves
While this can be a challenge most especially if you are beating the heat, rolling up your sleeves exposes your arms to welding spatter. The best thing to do is to look for FR clothing that is lightweight so you get maximum comfort and maximum protection.
Do not unbutton your FR clothing
It’s important to know that unbuttoning your FR clothing can expose your skin to heat and welding spatter. If you’re wearing non FR clothing underneath, for example, heat can easily ignite and burn which leaves you unprotected.
Do not leave your shirt untucked
In wearing welding clothing, you should always check if your shirt is tucked in properly. If not, heat and flame can go under and lead to greater injury. Make sure that when you buy FR clothing, get one that is purposefully made with long shirttails.
These are just some of the things a welder needs to remember when wearing FR clothing to get that maximum protection that it is made to provide.
