Dangers of Improper Wear Flash Fire: Episode 6 – Flammable High Visibility Vest & Outerwear Over FRC
Tyndale’s Dangers of Improper Wear: Flash Fire series uses flash fire video footage shot at Texas A&M TEEX Fire Training Field to illustrate the severe consequences of incorrectly wearing flame resistant clothing (FRC). Each episode features insightful commentary from Tyndale’s arc-rated and flame resistant (AR / FR) clothing industry expert, Scott Margolin, Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Technical, who explains why it’s crucial to wear appropriate FRC and wear it properly.
Welcome to another episode of The Dangers of Improper Wear and Flash Fire, where Scott Margolin, Tyndale’s Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Technical, takes center stage to shed light on common improper wear mistakes that could result in injury – or worse.
This episode highlights how wearing both a flammable and meltable high-visibility vest and a cotton jacket over flame resistant clothing (FRC) in the event of a flash fire ends in flames, smoke, and severe injury. These extra layers create two flammable layers on top of quality FRC, which can lead to disastrous consequences. This common mistake should not be ignored, as the results can be fatal.
The main point that Scott emphasizes is that the true danger lies in the ignition and melting of flammable clothing. To illustrate this, the video shows a manikin dressed in a combination of garments that are both flammable and meltable. When a propane release occurs, it triggers a flash fire that is quickly followed by a wind-driven plume. The manikin is caught in the blaze from both sides, causing the outer garments to instantly ignite. As a result, the fire engulfs the manikin's torso, creating a sustained blaze that would expose a worker to both flames and smoke, which is highly risky.
After the fire is extinguished, the aftermath shows the quality FRC that was worn underneath the flammable layers and only trace amounts of the high-visibility vest and cotton jacket remain as they were mostly burned by the fire. Scott emphasizes that while the high-visibility vest and jacket are essentially gone, the FRC underneath did its job and remains intact even after significant burn.
Protect yourself from the dangers of flash fires by taking proper precautions and wearing appropriate FRC. Don't become a statistic – wear your FRC correctly and make sure you never layer flammable outerwear over FRC. Still not quite convinced? Check out our blog post for a video demonstration of the difference between FR outerwear and flammable outerwear.
Dangers of Improper Wear
Have you ever made the mistake of wearing flammable clothing on the job, or neglected to tuck in your flame-resistant shirt, or even worn a flammable sweatshirt over your protective clothing when exposed to potential flash fire or arc flash hazards? If so, you're not alone. Good news is it didn’t lead to a serious injury. Bad news is, next time you might not be so lucky. Regardless of the type of hazard, there are important lessons to be learned. We have identified common mistakes made in each situation. Watch and learn – it could save your life.
