Should FR Clothing Embellishments Be Flame Resistant?

February 12, 2021

Many companies who require arc rated or flame resistant (AR / FR) clothing for employees also require that the clothing be branded with their company logo and/or personalized with the employee’s name. One question we get asked often is, do embroidery and patches on AR / FR clothing need to be flame resistant?

The short answer is no, but the standards have recently become much more specific about how many and what size they should be. Let’s hear from Scott Margolin, Tyndale’s VP of Technical:

In the past, ASTM 1506 (arc flash standard) simply said that non-flame resistant (non-FR) logos, name tags, and other heraldry should be minimized on the AR / FR garment. And, NFPA 2112 (flash fire standard) said that labels and emblems [logos] shall not be required to be heat resistant.

Now, the standards provide more specifics, saying that if non-FR emblems are attached to the exterior of an AR / FR garment:

the maximum recommended total is 5 with no individual emblem covering no more than 16 square inches (for instance 4” x 4”), and
the total maximum recommended surface area of all non-FR patches is 40 square inches per garment

As Scott says, these are recommendations not requirements, but you can find these specifics in both the arc flash and flash fire standards.

Did you know that Tyndale provides logo, embroidery, heat transfer, and reflective striping services as part of our Managed Uniform and TyndaleFRC Express Programs? Embellishment services are performed onsite at our distribution centers by our logo professionals! Visit our website to explore our service platforms and contact us today!