1212986313222 RIL Everyday Flame Resistant Work Apparel Standard Rev 0 June 2008

7/28/2019 1212986313222 RIL Everyday Flame Resistant Work Apparel Standard Rev 0 June 2008

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RIL Group StandardsEveryday Flame-Resistant Work Apparel



Document Control Details

Revision Date Reason For Issue Compiled by Approved by

0 May’08 Corporate Standard Mr. Neeraj Sharma Dr Prasad Tipnis

Next Review Date

May’09

User Notes: - The Centre for Health Safety and Environment Excellence (CHSEE) is thecustodian of this document and is responsible for the Administration and Authorisation of thisStandard. CHSEE is responsible for confirming the accuracy and integrity of content andproposed changes to the Standard.

Controlled copy of the current version of this document is held at CHSEE and also available onits portal. Any printed / electronic copy of this document is uncontrolled. It is recommendedthat users verify that the version being used by them is the current version by referring to thecontrolled version



Everyday Flame-Resistant Work Apparel– RIL Group Standard

Acknowledgement

The management acknowledges the contributions of the following individuals for being a part of the inter-location workgroup and for their assistance in preparing this standard for Everyday Flame-Resistant Work Apparel

Location Members

CHSEE − Mr. Neeraj Sharma

Jamnagar− Mr. Umesh Khandalkar

− Mr. Sunil Ghorpade

Hazira− Mr. KP Pandey

− Mr. kurian Alex

Patalganga− Mr. KT Wadhwa

Vadodara− Mr. Pankaj Ingle

− Mr. MG Patel

Nagothane− Mr. WP Vithal

− Mr. Mohan Mithagare

Gandhar

− Mr. Ketan Amin

− Mr. Shridhar Albur

The management also acknowledges the guidance and help of the following experts fromDuPont Safety Resources.

Revision – 0June – 2008 2

Agency Members

DuPont Safety Resources− Mr. Anil Bhaskar




Table of Contents

DOCUMENT CONTROL DETAILS ............................................................... 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ..............................................................................2 TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................3 DOCUMENT ISSUE.....................................................................................4 ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................5 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................6

Intent ...........................................................................................................6

1. SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION...............................................6 1.1. Scope .................................................................................................6 1.2. Field of application ............................................................................ 6

2. REFERENCES.................................................................................... 7 3. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.................................................8 4. DEFINITIONS ...................................................................................8 5. STANDARDS/GUIDELINES...............................................................8

5.1. Exposure to flash fire—general principles .........................................8

5.1.1. Principles ............................................................................................................. 9 5.1.2. Program administration...................................................................................... 9

5.2. Everyday FR work apparel areas........................................................9

5.3. Selection of FR and IFR fabric ......................................................... 10

5.3.1. Nomex® .............................................................................................................10

5.3.2. Flame-retardant-treated fabric limitations ....................................................... 11

5.3.3. Nomex® vs. cotton fabrics................................................................................. 11

5.4. FR apparel ........................................................................................11

5.4.1. Selection.............................................................................................................. 11 5.4.2. Undergarments...................................................................................................13 5.4.3. IFR outerwear.....................................................................................................14 5.4.4. FR rainwear ........................................................................................................14 5.4.5. Hand, head, and face coverings..........................................................................14 5.4.6. Welding apparel..................................................................................................14 5.4.7. Over garments ....................................................................................................15

5.5. Caring for apparel............................................................................ 15 5.5.1. Laundering..........................................................................................................15 5.5.2. Combustible contaminants ................................................................................15 5.5.3. Garment damage and repair ..............................................................................16

6. MANAGEMENT SYSTEM................................................................. 16 6.1. Support resources ........................................................................... 16 6.2. Management records ....................................................................... 16 6.3. Audit requirements.......................................................................... 16 6.4. Standard renewal process................................................................ 16 6.5. Deviation process .............................................................................17 6.6. Training and communications requirements....................................17 6.7. Contact .............................................................................................17 APPENDIX A—FR MATERIAL TESTING .................................................... 18 TABLE A-1. PREDICTED BODY BURN INJURY RESULTS ...................... 19





Document Issue

The Everyday Flame Resistant Work Apparel Standard is issued by the Centre for Health, Safety & Environment Excellence (CHSEE), on behalf of Reliance Industries Limited management andform a part of the of Reliance Industries Limited HSE management system.

Name: ................................................................................................................................................

Signed: ...............................................................................................................................................


Date: ...................................................................................................................................................




Abbreviations

• RIL - Reliance Industries limited

• HSE - Health, Safety and Environment

• CHSEE - Centre for Health, Safety and Environment Excellence

• GMS - Group Manufacturing Services

• PPE - Personal Protective Equipment

• IHS - Integrated Health Services

• NFPA - National Fire Protection Association

• OSHA - Occupational Safety & Health Administration

• ANSI - American National Standard Institute

• ASME - American Society of Mechanical Engineers

• STPA - Speciality thermal, protective apparel

• FR - Flame resistant


• FRT - Flame retardant treated




Introduction

Our manufacturing facilities handle several flammable hydrocarbons and chemicals. As part of the best practices followed world over, this standard has been prepared to protect personnelfrom any untoward incidents involving thermal hazards. Though the protective clothing is anessential supplement but doesn't substitute for compromising on various standards on

manufacturing and handling.

Intent

These guidelines will help to provide a new impetus towards achieving the best inclass safety standards. This revision-0 release of the standard is formulated basedon world class practices and with the help of DuPont Safety Resources.

Comments and feedback would be appreciated to further enhance this process. Allsuch comments and feedback may be addressed [email protected]. The comments and feedback would beconsolidated and shall be used during the review and revision of future releases.

1. Scope and field of application

1.1. Scope

This standard provides mandatory requirements and advisory guidance to help inthe selection, maintenance, administration, and testing of everyday flame-resistant (FR) work apparel that provides limited protection to prevent or lessenthe severity of burns from flash fires.

This standard covers only flash fires. Refer to RIL Specialty thermal Protectiveapparel Standard for mandatory requirements and advisory guidance on high-hazard tasks.

Electrical arc flash hazards and protective apparel are covered in RIL ElectricalSafety Management Standard

This standard does not address the following:

Protective clothing for contact with chemicals or hot materials and surfaces

Protective clothing for firefighters (e.g., turnout gear, bunker gear, or proximity suits)

Businesses/Locations should be aware that local regulations might imposeconditions not reflected in this standard. Additional information on regulationscomes from a number of sources, including Statutory/Regulatory Documents.

While the intent of the Standards is to bring in homogeneity across all Businesses /locations in the implementation of the standards, certain provisions are kept toallow some latitude to the implementing locations. However, those requirementsin this standard which are noted in italics are mandatory. Any question regardingthe interpretation of the standards in respect of mandatory versus non mandatory should be referred to the Centre for HSE Excellence for clarification.


1.2. Field of application

See RIL HSE Protocol, Corporate Policy.





2. References

RIL Corporate Policy

RIL HSE Protocol

RIL HSE Commitment

Responsible Care®

RIL Corporate Standard

RIL Process Hazards Analysis

RIL Process Safety Management (PSM)

RIL Electrical Safety Management

RIL Chemical Protective Clothing

RIL Specialty Thermal Protective Apparel

Other References

The Petroleum Rules, 1976 (Rule #104-Classification of Hazardous Area)

IS 5572:1994 Classification of Hazardous Areas (other than mines) havingflammable gases and vapors for electrical installation (second revision)

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-4108-87, Test Method

for Thermal Protective Performance of Materials for Clothing by Open Flame

ASTM D6413-99, Standard Test Method for Flame Resistance of Textiles (Vertical Test)

ASTM F1002-96, Standard Performance Specification for Protective Clothing for Use by Workers Exposed to Specific Molten Substances and Related Thermal Hazards

ASTM F1930-00, Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Flame-Resistant Clothing forProtection against Flash Fire Simulations Using an Instrumented Thermal Mannequin

European Norm (EN) 531:1995, Protective Clothing for Industrial Workers Exposedto Heat and Flame

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 30, Flammable and CombustibleLiquids Code NFPA 33, Standard for Spray Application Using Flammable orCombustible Materials NFPA 45, Standard on Fire Protection for LaboratoriesUsing Chemicals

NFPA 70, National Electrical Code1

NFPA 497, Classification of Class I Hazardous Locations for Electrical Installationsin Chemical Process Areas

NFPA 499, Classification of Combustible Dusts and of Hazardous (Classified)

Locations for Electrical Installations in Chemical Process Areas

NFPA 701, Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films




NFPA 2112, Standard on Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of IndustrialPersonnel against Flash Fire

NFPA 2113, Standard on Selection, Care, Use, and Maintenance of Flame-ResistantGarments for Protection of Industrial Personnel against Flash Fire

3. Management Responsibilities

Line management has the responsibility to implement this standard.

4. Definitions

Electric arc flash—the sudden and violent release of energy caused by an electrical faultor short circuit.

Everyday flame-resistant work apparel—apparel designed for continuous wearduring work activities in designated areas in which there is minimal risk for exposure tohot or molten materials, hot surfaces, radiant heat, flash fires, flame, or electrical arc

discharge. This protective apparel does not support combustion or melt under exposure tofire or radiant heat.

Flame resistant (FR)—material that does not support combustion and is self-extinguishing after removal of an external source of ignition.

Flame retardant—a chemical compound that can be incorporated into a textile itemduring manufacture or applied to a fiber, fabric, or other textile item during processing toreduce its flammability.

Flash fire—a fire of relatively short duration that involves ignition of vapors from aflammable or combustible liquid, a flammable gas, or combustible dust. For purposes of

this standard, the duration is 5 seconds or less with an approximate flash heat flux rangeof 1 to 4 cal/cm2•s (4.1 to 16.6 watts/cm2).

Hazardous area—an area in which flammable or explosive gas/vapor-air or dust-airmixtures are, or can be, present in such quantities as to warrant special precautionsagainst ignition (e.g., Zone 0 and Zone 1 [Div 1] or Zone 2 [Div 2] electrically classifiedarea).

Inherently flame resistant (IFR)—fibers that do not support combustion due to theirchemical structure. They are flame resistant without chemical additives. The high-temperature-resistant polymers in IFR fibers provide an inert barrier between the wearerand the hazard. Protective properties of the fabric are permanent and cannot be washed

out or removed. Examples of IFR fibers are Nomex®, Kevlar®, and PBI2.

Scrim—fabric with open construction used as base fabric in the production of coated orlaminated fabrics.

Specialty thermal protective apparel—apparel designed to be worn for activities in which there is risk of exposure to hot or molten solids, gases, or liquids; hot surfaces;radiant heat; flash fire; or flame, and for which everyday FR work apparel is inadequate(refer to RIL Specialty Thermal Protective Apparel Standard.

5. Standards/Guidelines


5.1. Exposure to flash fire—general principles




Industrial flash fires commonly result from the ignition of flammable materials orelectrical arcing. Flash fires are not long in duration, rarely exceeding 5 seconds.This can be seen as a key distinction between flash fires and other fire hazards. Inflash-fire incidents, apparel that is not FR can ignite and continue to burn or melt.This greatly increases burn severity and extent.

Everyday FR work apparel does not replace good safety training, procedures,practices, engineering controls, or other safety equipment but serves as a last lineof defense. The wearing of everyday FR work apparel must be based on sound risk management, good judgment, and everyday work hazard analysis.

In situations where there are multiple hazards, protection must be provided against the highest risk situation if it is not feasible to simultaneously protect against all hazards. Refer to RIL Standards Chemical protective clothing andSpecialty Thermal Protective apparel for information on protection from otherhazards in addition to flash fires.

NFPA 2113 provides additional guidance on the selection, care, and use of FR work

apparel and can be used as a guide.

5.1.1. Principles

Company personnel managing areas or operations where the potential for flash fire exists shall

Evaluate the workplace and the need for everyday FR workapparel in accordance with this standard.

Establish and implement a program for everyday FR workapparel in the workplace.

5.1.2. Program administration

The everyday FR work apparel program shall address all persons whomay be exposed to flash fires, including the following:

Full-time and temporary employees and contractors who work inhazardous areas, regardless of the duration of potential flash fireexposure

Company and non-company visitors who pass through ahazardous area

® Nomex and Kevlar are registered trademarks of DuPont.

2 PBI is a registered trademark of Hoechst Celanese Corporation.


5.2. Everyday FR work apparel areas

Unless an exemption can be justified for technical reasons, everyday FR workapparel shall be worn by all persons in areas or operations where the workplaceevaluation (see Section 5.1) indicates risk of flash fire. Technical justification todeviate from the mandatory requirements of this standard must be documented and approved as described in Section 6.5.




The following list has been lettered for ease of reference only. The letters do notindicate sequence or priority. Everyday FR work apparel must be worn in the following areas:

A. Areas qualifying for Zone 0 and Zone 1 (Class I, Division 1) electrical classification

B. Areas qualifying for Zone 2 (Class I, Division 2) electrical classificationthat are within 2.5 m (8 ft) vertically and 7.5 m (25 ft) horizontally of Zone 0 and Zone 1 (Class I, Division 1) locations

C. Operations or process systems handling flammable gases

D. Operations or process systems handling reactive materials wheresignificant heat generation, fire, or explosion potential exists by virtueof the unstable chemical nature of the reactants

E. Operations or processes handling pyrotechnics or pyrophoric material

FR work apparel typically is not specified for the following situations. (Thefollowing list has been numbered for ease of reference only. The numbers donot indicate sequence or priority.)

1. The site has exceeded the mandatory electrical area classificationrequirements found in NFPA 30.

2. Classified equipment is present but flammable materials are not, and thearea is shown as “general purpose” on the site electrical classificationdrawing.

3.

Lab areas operate with flammable liquids in quantities under the limitsset forth in NFPA 45.

4. Operations that are using, handling, or storing flammable liquids in only a limited activity and the quantities of these liquids are less than theincidental operations limits set forth in NFPA 30.

5. Flammable liquid spray operations are conducted in spray boothsdesigned and installed in accordance with NFPA 33 and in which thespray equipment is interlocked with the ventilation system.

Operations or process systems handling combustible liquids at or above their

flash points and combustible dusts suspended in air in potential explosiveconcentrations shall be evaluated for the potential of flash fire to determine if everyday FR work apparel must be worn. Mandatory requirements identified bythis site evaluation must be documented and include the rationale supporting thedecision. This documentation must be included in either process technologydocuments (see RIL Management of change Standard) or process hazardsanalysis reports (see RIL Process Hazards Analysis Standard).

5.3. Selection of FR and IFR fabric

Refer to Appendix A for information on FR material testing.


5.3.1. Nomex®




Garments of Nomex® are available in varying weights and designs, whichinclude daily wear coveralls, pants and shirts, and limited-use coveralls.

5.3.2. Flame-retardant-treated fabric limitations

The effectiveness of garments made from flame-retardant-treated (FRT)

fabrics (e.g., FRT cotton, FRT polyester/cotton, and FRT nylon/cotton) isquestionable because it depends on the level and quality of flame-retardant compound the fabric contains. It is difficult to maintain thislevel over the life of the garment, since these retardants can be removedunder some circumstances, which include laundering. Therefore, to avoidthis concern, fabrics made with IFR fibers should be used.

5.3.3. Nomex® vs. cotton fabrics

Nomex® is sold under different brand names in different regions of the world. For equal weights, Nomex® IIIA has comparable performance toNomex® Comfort.

Under the simulated flash-fire conditions shown in Table A-1, it is clearthat Nomex® IIIA provides significantly better thermal protection thaneither FRT cotton or untreated cotton for exposure times greater than 3seconds. In addition, FRT cotton provides no protection advantage overuntreated cotton.

5.4. FR apparel

5.4.1. Selection

The selection of the FR garment depends on many factors, including the

following:

The duration and intensity (heat flux) of the credible worst caseflash-fire scenario

Fit and style of the different work apparel uniforms

Work environment factors (e.g., temperature or the probability of contamination of the garment with materials that wouldthemselves burn)

Apparel quality considerations

Selecting everyday FR work apparel that can provide satisfactory protection to an exposed individual is an inexact process because flashfires can vary widely in duration and heat flux.

Because there is no one FR uniform that is suitable for all situations, theselection must be based on the workplace evaluation described in Section 5.1. The following points apply to selecting FR clothing: (Thefollowing list has been numbered for ease of reference only. The numbersdo not indicate sequence or priority.)


1. Protection increases with increasing weight of the fabric. Nomex®

is typically available in 4.5, 6.0, and 7.5 oz/yd2

and 220 and 265g/m2 weights. The garment of Nomex® of the heaviest feasible weight should be specified unless specific knowledge or




experience can be used to help narrow the range of possibleexposures. This gives maximum protection for lengthy andintense exposures.

2. Wearing natural-fiber clothing under garments of Nomex®increases the level of flash fire protection; therefore, lighter

garments of Nomex® can be used if worn over natural-fiberclothing. The minimum recommended weight of Nomex® is 6.0oz/yd2 (200 g/m2) over bare skin and 4.5 oz/yd2 (150 g/m2)over natural-fiber clothing. Garments should be worn in amanner that provides the maximum protection (i.e., buttoned up,zipped up, sleeves down and fastened, and shirts tucked intopants).

3. If the credible worst-case exposure time is expected to exceed 5seconds, specialty (multi-threat) thermal protective apparel orother controls must be considered (see RIL Specialty ThermalProtectice Apparel Standard). Typically, fire-fighting personnel or

gas utility workers would be expected to receive this degree of exposure.

4. In general, the looser the garment, the more protection it gives.Loose-fitting garments allow air space between clothing and skin,providing insulation and thermal protection. Clothing that is tightto the skin reduces the air insulation and can result in moresevere burns than loose-fitting clothing.

5. Limitations exist on particulate holdout protection and must beevaluated based on mandatory clean room requirements. Cleanroom garments made of 100 percent Nomex® filament are

available. Garments of 100 percent Nomex® filament, whileflame resistant, are not recommended for primary protection,since the Nomex® filament (without the 5 percent Kevlar®reinforcement) is likely to shrink when exposed to flame andpossibly create a hole in the fabric. Garments of 100% Nomex®are suitable for use over top of or underneath Nomex® garments.Clean room garments of Nomex® fabric that incorporate acontinuous-filament static-dissipating or conductive fiber arerecommended to minimize static problems.

6. Personnel in areas where flash-fire hazards exist must wearcoveralls or shirt and pants of FR material. Persons wearing

partial protection—FR laboratory coats and jackets that do notcover the lower body—are not protected as completely as those wearing FR coveralls or FR shirts and pants. A fire can igniteordinary clothing below the coat or jacket and travel upward intothe torso area, trapping heat next to the body.


5.4.1.1. Components of IFR garments

All components of IFR garments (e.g., sewing threads or zipper tapes) shall be made from IFR materials. All metal components must be backed with IFR material to prevent the components from conducting heat to the wearer’s skin.

All elastic bands and nylon Velcro 3 shall be fully covered




and backed with IFR material to prevent ignition ormelting of these components.

Small patches (e.g., name or logo patches) have minimalimpact to the protection provided by everyday FR work apparel. However, large or numerous patches covering a

significant portion of the apparel must not be worn as theycan increase the burn injury potential. Leather overcoverings should be avoided. Although they may provide asecondary layer of protection, leather smokes profusely andshrinks rapidly in a fire. However, narrow leather belts andsuspenders may be worn, as well as those made from nonmelting or IFR materials.

5.4.1.2. Static reduction and spark prevention

Some fabrics of Nomex® contain a static-dissipating fiber toreduce static generated by fabric-to-fabric and fabric-to-

surface rubbing. Other fabrics of Nomex®

do not contain thestatic-dissipating fiber. In flammable liquid or gasoperations in which these garments are worn, the garmentsshould be laundered with antistatic compounds. Thisreduces the static generated by rubbing but does noteliminate it.

Additional static control (e.g., static bars, electrostaticdissipating footwear/floors, wrist-stats, or leg-stats) may beappropriate for personnel working in areas where static is aserious hazard (e.g., near electronic equipment or explosivematerials), whether dressed in garments of Nomex® with or

without static-dissipating fiber.

The greatest source of spark potential is from anungrounded human body, not ungrounded garments.Garments of Nomex® with static-dissipating fiber do notchange the potential energy stored by the human body and,therefore, cannot prevent sparks. Proper grounding, otherprecautionary procedures, or static control of othergarments are still appropriate measures, even if garments of Nomex® with static-dissipating fiber are worn.

Even though the wearer’s body may be grounded, neither

static-dissipating nor non-static-dissipating garmentsshould be donned or removed in an area where a flammable vapor or flammable dust hazard exists. Donning orremoving such garments as jackets and shirts may generatelarge amounts of electrostatic charge in localized areas.Cases are documented in which static charges generatedduring the removal of a garment were sufficient to ignite a vapor-air mixture.


5.4.2. Undergarments

Undergarments made from Nomex® or 100 percent natural fibers (e.g.,

cotton or wool) provide additional protection by increasing thermal




insulation and reducing heat transfer. These materials do not increase burn injury by melting and adhering to the skin.

All clothing worn under Nomex®, including undergarments should bemade of 100 percent natural fibers (e.g., cotton or wool) or Nomex®.

3 Velcro is a registered trademark of Velcro Industries B.V.

5.4.3. IFR outerwear

Cold-weather outerwear for use in areas where flash fire potential exists shall be made from IFR materials (e.g., Nomex ® ). As analternative, layers of clothing made from natural fibers can be worn under the external IFR garments.

5.4.4. FR rainwear

Please contact the (CHSEE) for guidance on this subject.

5.4.5. Hand, head, and face coverings

In a flash-fire situation, burns occur on exposed skin. Using FR hand,head, and face coverings can provide additional protection. Additionalprotection for hands, heads, or faces should offer at least the level of thermal protection as does the FR apparel. For example, thin lightweightgloves (e.g., latex surgical or polyethylene) and synthetic or synthetic- blend head coverings offer no thermal protection and could result inmore serious burns by melting and adhering to the skin and hence shouldnot be used where flash fire hazard is likely to be present.


5.4.6. Welding apparel

In areas where flash-fire hazards exist and workers should haveprotection from welding molten metal splatter, protective weldinggarments made of IFR fibers (e.g., TuffWeld4 [a 40/60 blend of Kevlar®/FR rayon]) are recommended.

Nomex® provides thermal protection from molten metal splatter thatoccurs during light welding, or when portions of the conductor melt in anelectrical arc discharge. Small charred pinholes in the fabric are created where the larger drops of metal heat the fiber to its decompositiontemperature, but the fabric does not ignite or contribute to the hazard.Heavier weight fabrics increase thermal insulation and wear life. Appropriate outer garments (e.g., aprons) can be used in conjunction with Nomex® garments to prolong garment life.

Field experience shows that Nomex® garments provide thermalprotection from low-temperature molten metal splash (e.g., that fromlead, zinc, or pot metal) but do not provide sufficient protection fromhigh-temperature metal splash (e.g., that from molten aluminum or steel, which can reach temperatures of 538°C [1,000°F]). For thesetemperatures, workers should wear garments that meet ASTM F1002 orEN 531.

4 TuffWeld is a registered trademark of Southern Mills, Inc. ® Tyvek is a registered trademark of

DuPont.




5.4.7. Over garments

Wearing combustible garments over Nomex® work clothing (e.g., Tyvek ® coveralls or synthetic aprons) should only be permitted if the impact dueto hazardous materials getting on the Nomex® garment and/or the wearer is greater than the flash-fire hazard and if the Tyvek ® coverall or

synthetic apron is specified by site PPE requirements for the materials being handled.

Combustible garments should not be worn simply to keep the Nomex ® work clothing lean.

Lightweight, nonwoven, limited-use over garments made of nonflammable fabric (as defined by NFPA 701 criteria) can be used asdisposable over garments to shield everyday FR work clothing inenvironments where employees are routinely exposed to paint, epoxy, orother difficult- or impossible-to-remove contaminants. These overgarments must not be used as stand-alone FR garments. Although their

FR properties keep them from propagating the flame beyond the area exposed to the ignition source, these lightweight over garments do notprovide thermal protection under flash-fire conditions.

Nomex® Limited wear is a limited-use, nonwoven coverall that can also be used as a disposable over garment. Certified to NFPA 2112specifications, it is suitable for use as a stand-alone everyday FR garment when worn either over natural-fiber street clothes or in combination withNomex® garments. Nomex® Limited wear coveralls are designed to last 7to 10 wash-and-wear cycles. These coveralls are suitable for protectingdurable Nomex® garments from contamination or for providing FR protection for visitors (who are wearing natural-fiber street clothesunderneath) in areas designated as flash-fire hazard areas.

5.5. Caring for apparel

5.5.1. Laundering

Laundering of FR clothing should be done by plant or commerciallaundries if there is any chance that harmful chemicals may contaminatethe home and to enable the addition of commercial antistaticcompounds, if appropriate. The garment manufacturers’ laundering andcare recommendations should be followed. Many factors in laundering(e.g., bleach, temperature, and pH) may affect the FR properties of thesegarments.


5.5.2. Combustible contaminants

Combustible contaminants reduce the thermal performance of any FR garment. Regardless of the fiber type, these contaminants become a fuelsource that can ignite in a flash fire and increase burn injury.Combustible contaminants (e.g., finishes, paint, grease, and oily soil)must be removed by cleaning the garment. For maximum protection,new garments should be washed before the first wearing and after eachsubsequent wearing.

The site should have a contamination policy and monitoring procedure.Contractors that wear everyday FR work clothing should have a similar




procedure. The site must determine what contamination level warrantsgarment disposal.

The use of disposable over garments is one way to reducecontamination of FR work apparel, but this limited-use over garmentsmust be made of nonflammable fabric as defined by NFPA 701.

5.5.3. Garment damage and repair

Everyday FR work apparel that has mechanical damage (e.g., rips ortears) must be repaired or replaced promptly. Repairs (e.g., patching,sewing, and replacing zipper tapes) shall be done with IFR materialsand by a person skilled in FR garment-making techniques. Materialsand techniques approved by the garment manufacturer must be used.

6. Management System

6.1. Support resources

Location/ business HSE resources and Centre for HSE Excellence are available toprovide assistance with the implementation of this standard. They can providecomplete support information to establish a program for everyday FR work apparel. The information includes the following:

Technical data on clothing materials

Area Classification

Training media

Cost data

Employee relations concerns

Apparel suppliers

6.2. Management records

Line management is responsible for documentation of risk characterization andrisk management, and the CHSEE is responsible for formal product reviews.Documentation facilitates identification and implementation of risk-managementactivities and serves as a starting point for updates and follow-up activities.

Records shall be retained in compliance with the Corporate Records and Information Management Program.

6.3. Audit requirements

Flame resistance work apparel must be covered in first-party and second-party SHE audits to help ensure compliance with site, business, and corporatestandards and regulations.


6.4. Standard renewal process

This standard shall be reviewed and revised as necessary and, at a minimum, not later than five years from the date of the last revision.




6.5. Deviation process

Deviations from this standard must be authorized by the Location Line Management Chief (Location Chief for Manufacturing Location) afterconsultation with the Centre for HSE Excellence (CHSEE) and non-objection from the company Apex HSE committee. Deviations must be documented, and

documentation must include the relevant facts supporting the deviation decision. Deviation authorization must be renewed periodically and no less frequentlythan every three years.

Emergency deviations must be authorized by the Location Line Management Chief (Location Chief for Manufacturing Location) when, as a result of anunforeseen event or situation, there is inadequate time to process a formal deviation. Emergency deviations shall be authorized only where it is not feasibleto comply with a requirement in this standard. Emergency deviations shall beshort in duration, not to exceed the time to perform the task at hand. Centre for HSE Excellence shall be consulted. The deviation must be documented.

The documentation must include the relevant facts supporting the deviationdecision and the interim measures to be put in place to achieve acceptable levelsof HSE protection. A copy of the deviation must be sent to Centre for HSE Excellence (CHSEE).

6.6. Training and communications requirements

Each business or location must be familiar with this standard to carry out itsresponsibilities. Training is the responsibility of each location/ location. In theevent that interpretation or clarification is needed, questions shall be directed tothe respective business /location HSE manager or the Centre for HSE Excellence.


6.7. Contact

The contact for this document is the Centre for HSE Excellence .




Appendix A—FR material testing

The minimum thermal performance criteria for everyday FR work apparel items, as well as thetest methods for evaluating them, are provided in NFPA 2112.

The Vertical Flame Test (ASTM D6413) is used to determine whether or not a fabric is

flammable. Results recorded include char damage length, after-flame time, after-glow time, andobservations of melting and/or dripping. NFPA 2112 specifies that FR fabrics meet thefollowing:

Char damage length <10 cm (<4.0 in.)

After-flame time <2.0 sec

No melting evident

No dripping evident

The vertical flame test can be used on new fabrics or garments to assess compliance. It can also be conducted on used/worn garments to assess current levels of flame resistance. Be aware thatthe vertical flame test is sensitive to the presence of flammable contaminants on the test fabricstrips.


The thermal protective performance (TPP) test (ASTM D4108-87) uses the recommendedmounting procedure with a 0.635-cm (1/4-in.) spacer between the fabric sample and thecalorimeter. It is designed to measure how well a fabric can protect a wearer against second-degree burns. The TPP value indicates the amount of heat energy it takes to cause a second-degree burn through a protective fabric—the higher the TPP value, the more protection a fabricprovides. The TPP test shows differentiation between types of FR materials. Within the samefiber or fabric type, the TPP value increases with fabric weight. A recommended minimum TPP

is 9.0 cal/cm2. The fabric sample should not melt, drip, separate, or ignite during testing.




Table A-1. Predicted body burn injury results (%)a

Exposure time

(Seconds)3.0 4.0 5.0

Description of fabric and garment ensemble

38.0 51.7 58.7 4.5opsy b(152.8g/m2) Nomex IIIA plain weave fabric tested a basic coverall with cotton T – shirt and brief undergarments3.2opsy(108.6.7g/m2 Nomex IIIA plain weavefabric tested as a

29.0 44.3 58.0 6.0opsy(203.7g/m2 Nomex IIIA plain weave fabric tested as a basic coverall with cotton T –shirt and brief undergarments

19.3 36.7 53.3 7.5opsy(254.6g/m2 Nomex IIIA plain weave fabric tested as a basic coverall with cotton T –shirt and brief undergarments

42.9 -- -- 3.2opsy(108.6.g/m2 Nomex IIIA plain weave fabric tested as a basic coverall with cotton T –shirt and brief undergarments

15.7 20.0 23.7 3.2opsy(108.6.g/m2 Nomex IIIA plain weave fabric tested as acommercial style coverall(size large) over standard street clothes

consisting of cotton T- shirt and brief undergarments and 13opsy cotton jeans and 4.25 opsy short – sleeve cotton shirt

8.3 80.0 80.0 9.0opsy(305.6g/m2 Indura(FR cotton)twill weave fabric testedas a basic coverall with cotton T- shirt and brief undergarments

8.7 81.7 90.7 9.5opsy(322.5g/m2 ) Ultrasoft(FR cotton/nylon) twill weavefabric tested as a basic coverall with cotton T – shirt and brief undergarments

96.0 96.0 96.0 5.5opsy(108.6.7g/m2 ) 100 %untreated cotton fabric tested as a basic coverall with cotton T- shirt and brief undergarments

a. All exposures were conducted using an instrumented thermal test mannequin system using2 cal/cm2-sec heat fluxes.

Each result is the average of at least three test exposure replicates. All test garments were home-laundered one time prior to testing.

b. Ounces per square yard; a measure of fabric weight.

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c. Indura and UltraSoft are registered trademarks of Westex, Inc.