Flammable Environments

The need for flame resistant (FR) clothing should be based on the information obtained in the workplace hazard assessment. This assessment must be made by a trained and qualified safety professional. To be effective for the selection of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), the hazard assessment must quantitatively identify at a minimum:

• Escape times
• Escape routes
• Flammable fuel loads (including dusts)
• Ignition sources
• Impact to personnel

Flame resistant clothing should be worn in known or potentially flammable and/or explosive environments.

Click here to understand the difference between the environments.

Warning

If any of the following apply:

• A fire or electric arc is actively present in the work environment
• The work environment contains an uncontrollable flammablematerial between the Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) or Lower Flammable Limit (LFL) and the Upper Explosive Limit (UEL) or Upper Flammable Limit (UFL)
• The work environment has been subject to a breach or loss in containment of flammable material (flammable liquids,flammable vapors or combustible dusts)
• There is an uncontrolled fuel source available in the work environment (that may or may not have encountered an ignition source yet)

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If none of these conditions apply but FR clothing is required in your working environment, close this box and proceed to the next question. Only fabrics that provide both chemical resistance to the hazards you have listed and protection during escape from a flash fire will be considered for your hazard scenario.

Contact Level

Light -

For liquids, the exposure volume could be measured in droplets. For solids/particulates, there is enough of the hazard on the work clothes to warrant protective clothing, but not so much that the garments are getting completely covered.

Moderate -

In between Light and Heavy.

Heavy -

For liquids, the liquid is running and dripping off of the garment. There may also be liquid pooling on the garment. For solids/particulates, the garment is completely covered with the hazard.

Direction

A few notes about Localized Protection

• By selecting one of the localized exposure options, SafeSPEC™ 2.0 will show partial body garments (e.g. lab coats, sleeve covers, shoe/boot covers, hoods, etc.) as possible results. This may happen even though a full body garment (e.g. coverall) may also be suitable for your hazard scenario.
• Partial body garments are not available in every fabric.

Duration

This is the amount of elapsed time from the point of initial exposure to the hazard until the time the garment can be safely removed.

Intensity

Duration

This is the amount of elapsed time from the point of initial contact with the hazard until the time the glove can be safely removed.

Gloves Length

*Wrist -

Glove protection needed extends minimally to the wrists

*Forearm -

Glove protection needed extends minimally to the forearms

*Elbow -

Glove protection needed extends minimally to above the elbows

*Shoulder -

Glove protection needed extends up to the shoulders.

Gloves resistant to bloodborne pathogens or other biological hazards may be needed based on the information obtained in the workplace hazard assessment. The assessment must be made by a trained and qualified safety professional.

Cut and/or abrasion resistant gloves may be needed based on the information obtained in the workplace hazard assessment. The assessment must be made by a trained and qualified safety professional.

Gloves that need to meet the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements under 21 CFR 177.2600.

Intensity

Contact Level

Light -

For liquids, the contact volume could be meaured in droplets. For solids/particulates, there is some hazard contact on the work clothes and/or gloves to warrant protective equipment.

Moderate -

Garment and/or glove contact is in between Light and Heavy.

Heavy -

For liquids, the liquid is running and dripping off the garment and/or gloves. There also may be liquid pooling on the garment and/or gloves. In the case of gloves, the gloves may be immersed in the liquid. For solids/particulates, the garment and/or gloves are completrely covered with the hazard.