Should Layered AR / FR Clothing Be Tucked in?

August 13, 2021

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions to be answered in our FR FAQ series. The question we’re answering today was submitted by Derek S. from Arizona. It is:

Do I need to tuck in my arc-rated / flame resistant (AR / FR) clothing while wearing an AR / FR base layer?

We’ve covered if AR / FR shirts need to be tucked in previously – the standards are clear, they do. But wearing an AR / FR base layer under an AR / FR shirt adds a layer of complexity. The short answer is, yes, the outer layer needs to be tucked in. Let’s hear from Scott Margolin, Tyndale’s Vice President of Technical, as he explains the two reasons why:

As Scott states, there are two reasons why tucking in your AR / FR outer layer is important.

1. The base layer alone typically does not adequately protect against the hazard.

In other words, you need your outer layer to do its job to protect you from the hazard you face. In order for that AR / FR outer layer to do that, it must be worn properly – and properly means tucked in.

2. The standards say so! Let’s look to the standards for some guidance:

- NFPA 70E requires AR / FR shirts to be tucked in. It does not, at this time, make allowances if you’re wearing an AR base layer. It says, “clothing shall cover potentially exposed areas as completely as possible, shirt and coverall sleeves shall be fastened at wrists, and the shirt shall be tucked in to pants.” The key word is “shall,” meaning, your AR / FR outer layer shirt must be tucked in – it is not an option.
- OSHA does not explicitly say that AR / FR shirts should be tucked in to pants, it does say that AR / FR garments shall be worn according to their manufacturer’s instructions. Almost all quality manufacturers of AR / FR clothing commonly available in the US say that AR / FR garments shall be tucked in. By that logic, OSHA does in fact require AR / FR shirts to be tucked in to pants.

Whether you’re looking at this from the incident energy side or from the standard side, it’s clear that even if you’re wearing an AR / FR base layer, you should still be tucking your AR / FR outer layer shirt. Special thanks to Derek S. from Arizona for the great, technical question.

If you have other questions, feel free to email Marketing@TyndaleUSA.com or add your question to the comments section at the bottom of this page. If you’re not sure if we’ve answered your question, use the “Search Our Blog” search bar to type in a key word(s) related to your question. Chances are, we have something on the subject but if not, we would be happy to get back to you and may even cover it in an upcoming post.