1 FLAME RESISTANT CLOTHING FOR PROTECTION AGAINST FLASH FIRE HAZARDS

2 WHY FLAME RESISTANT PROTECTIVE CLOTHING? n IN NORTH AMERICA, THERE ARE MORE THAN 7,000 CLOTHING-RELATED WORKPLACE INJURIES EACH YEAR DUE TO FIRE. n THE MOST SEVERE BURNS ARE CAUSED BY IGNITED CLOTHING, NOT BY THE ORIGINAL FLASH FIRE.

3 WHY FLAME RESISTANT PROTECTIVE CLOTHING? (Continued) n CLOTHED AREAS CAN BE BURNED MORE SEVERELY THAN EXPOSED SKIN.

4 CLOTHED AREAS CAN BE BURNED MORE SEVERELY

5 THE IMPORTANCE OF THERMAL PROTECTIVE APPAREL n Thermal Protective Apparel –Maintains a Barrier to Isolate the Wearer From the Thermal Exposure –Traps Air Between the Wearer and the Barrier to Provide Insulation From the Exposure –Reduces Burn Injury and Provides Escape Time –Does Not Burn, Melt or Drip

6 THE IMPORTANCE OF THERMAL PROTECTIVE APPAREL (Continued) n Survival, Extent of Injury, Recovery, and Quality of Life Depend on Protection Provided by Thermal Protective Apparel

7 07/29/93$ 618,301.81$ 978, Medical = 562, , Indemnity = 52, , Vocational = 2, , Expenses = /12/94$ 217, $ 124, Medical = 184, , Indemnity = 30, , Vocational = 2, , Expenses = /01/95$ 40,682.21$ 4, Medical = 32, , Indemnity = 6, Vocational = 1, /01/95$ 12,309.92$ 0.00 Medical = 9, Indemnity = 1, Vocational = 1, DATE OF TOTAL RESERVE ACCIDENT PAID AMOUNT

8 n Flame Resistant Clothing Will Not Ignite and Continue to Burn From Exposure to Flame. n Examples of Flame Resistant Clothing Products: –Products With Flame Retardants »FR Rayon Blends with Nomex® »Firewear® Modacrylic Cotton Blend »Flame Retardant Treated Cotton FLAME RESISTANT CLOTHING

9 –Inherently Flame Resistant Products »Kevlar®/PBI Blends »Nomex®/Kevlar® Blends »Nomex® IIIA FLAME RESISTANT CLOTHING (Continued)

10 BURN INJURY PRINCIPLES n BURN DEPTH IS A MEASURE OF SEVERITY –FIRST-DEGREE: SKIN BECOMES RED, NO BLISTER –SECOND-DEGREE: SKIN BLISTERS, EPIDERMIS MUST REGENERATE (100- MICRON DEPTH)

11 BURN INJURY PRINCIPLES (Continued) –THIRD-DEGREE: FULL THICKNESS DESTROYED, SKIN CANNOT REGENERATE, SCAR TISSUE FORMS (1,000-MICRON DEPTH) n EXPOSURE TO AN ELECTRIC ARC OR FLAME CAN RAPIDLY EXCEED HUMAN TISSUE TOLERANCE AND CAUSE SECOND- OR THIRD-DEGREE BURNS

12 CHANCES OF SURVIVAL FROM BURN INJURY Chance of Survival, % Source: American Burn Association ( Study) Age Range, Years 25% Body Burn % Body Burn 75% Body Burn

13 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD FLASHFIRE TEST n Realistic Exposure Conditions That Simulate Real Life Hazards –Exposures Like Real Flash Fires –Fabric Sample Configuration Like Clothing on a Human Body

14 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD FLASHFIRE TEST (Continued) n Meaningful Results –Clear Direction on Clothing Choices –Clear Differences Between Materials n Reproducible –Test to Test, Lab to Lab n Flash Fire Manikin Test Provides an Excellent Match for These Characteristics

15 EXPOSURE ENERGY n Exposure Energy is Expressed in Cal/Cm 2 n Copper Calorimeters Are Used to Measure Exposure Energy n 1 Cal/Cm 2 Is Equivalent to the Energy Produced by a Cigarette Lighter in One Second n An Exposure Energy of One or Two Cal/Cm 2 Will Cause a Second-Degree Burn on Human Skin

16 EXPOSURE ENERGY (Continued) n Heat Flux Is the “Flow Rate” of Energy Onto a Surface n Exposure Energy = Heat Flux X Exposure Time n Typical Values for Industrial Flash Fire: –Heat Flux 1-4 Cal/Cm 2 -Sec. –Exposure Times 1-5 Sec. –Exposure Energies1-20 Cal/Cm 2

17 EXAMPLES OF ESTIMATED TOTAL INCIDENT ENERGY OF VARIOUS HAZARDS EXAMPLES OF EXPOSURE ENERGY. HAZARD WAS DETERMINED FROM DAMAGED GARMENTS IN THESE INCIDENTS.

18 THERMO - MAN Nomex® Coverall ®

19 MANIKIN TESTING n Realistic Flash Fire Exposure Conditions –Controllable Heat Flux and Exposure Time –Results Reflect Actual Industrial Exposures n Full Size Instrumented Manikin With 122 Thermal Sensors Measures Heat Transfer Through Garment n Amount, Degree, and Location of Predicted Burn Injury Calculated From Sensor Data

20 MANIKIN TESTING (Continued) n Bottom Line: Provides a Prediction of Burn Injury for Specific Garment Over a Full Range of Flash Fires

21 THERMO-MAN Nomex® Coverall Initial Torch Ignition ®

22 THERMO-MAN Nomex® Coverall Full Flash Fire Exposure 2 cal/cm sec 2 ®

23 THERMO-MAN Nomex® Coverall After Torches Extinguish ®

24 THERMO-MAN® EVALUATION Conditions 5X Home Launderings 100% Cotton Underwear Heat Flux of 2 cal/cm 2 sec Average of 3 Data Points Predicted Body Burn Injury, % Nomex® IIIA (7.5 oz/yd 2 ) Nomex ® IIIA (4.5 oz/yd 2 ) Nomex ® IIIA (6.1 oz/yd 2 )

25 THERMO-MAN Flammable Coverall Full Flash Fire Exposure ®

26 THERMO-MAN Flammable Coverall Continues Burning After Torches Extinguish ®

27 THERMO-MAN® SIMULATED FLASH FIRE EVALUATION Conditions 5X Home Launderings 100% Cotton Underwear Heat Flux of 2 cal/cm 2 sec Average of 3 Data Points Data Acquisition Time 60 sec. Predicted Body Burn Injury, % 100% Untreated Cotton (5.7 oz/yd 2 ) Nomex ® IIIA (6.1 oz/yd 2 )

28 THERMO-MAN® EVALUATION Conditions 5X Home Launderings 100% Cotton Underwear Heat Flux of 2 cal/cm 2 sec Average of 3 Data Points Predicted Body Burn Injury, % Nomex® IIIA (6.1 oz/yd 2 ) 100% Untreated Cotton (5.7 oz/yd 2 ) Firewear® (6.1 oz/yd 2 ) Firewear® (10.2 oz/yd 2 )

29 THERMO-MAN® EVALUATION Conditions 5X Home Launderings 100% Cotton Underwear Heat Flux of 2 cal/cm 2 sec Average of 3 Data Points Predicted Body Burn Injury, % 100% Untreated Cotton (5.7 oz/yd 2 ) “ Indura” FRT Cotton (6.1 oz/ yd 2 ) “Indura” FRT Cotton (10.2 oz/ yd 2 ) Nomex IIIA ® (4.5 oz/ yd 2 ) Nomex IIIA ® (6.1 oz/ yd 2 )

30 THERMO-MAN® EVALUATION Conditions 5X Home Launderings 100% Cotton Underwear Heat Flux of 2 cal/cm 2 sec Average of 3 Data Points Predicted Body Burn Injury, % 100% Untreated Cotton (5.7 oz/yd 2 ) Banwear (11.5 oz/yd 2 ) Banwear (7.7 oz/yd 2 ) Nomex® IIIA (6.1 oz/yd 2 )

31 ESTIMATED THERMO-MAN® PREDICTED BURN INJURY FOR STATION UNIFORMS/TURNOUT SYSTEMS NOMEX® IIIA STATION UNIFORM W/ UNDERWEAR POLY/COTTON OR COTTON STATION UNIFORM WITH UNDERWEAR NOMEX® IIIA STATION UNIFORM W/UNDERWEAR NOMEX OMEGA® TURNOUT SYSTEM EXPOSURE TIME, SECONDS PREDICTED BODY BURN INJURY. %

32 FLAME-RESISTANT CLOTHING SYSTEM COMMON SENSE GUIDELINES n Proper Wearing Procedures –Protective Clothing Selection Must Be Based on the Probable Worst Case Exposure for a Task. –Flame-Resistant Workwear Should Provide a Good Functional Fit for Protection and Comfort. Loose Fitting Clothing Provides Additional Thermal Protection Due to Increased Air Spaces.

33 FLAME-RESISTANT CLOTHING SYSTEM COMMON SENSE GUIDELINES (Continued) –Sleeves, Shirt, and Outerwear Should Be Fully Buttoned. –Appropriate Protective Neck, Face, Head, Hand, and Foot Coverings Should Be Worn.

34 FLAME-RESISTANT CLOTHING SYSTEM COMMON SENSE GUIDELINES (Continued) n Outerwear Must be Flame Resistant – Flammable Outerwear Can Ignite and Continue to Burn Essentially Eliminating the Protection of Flame Resistant Clothing Worn Underneath

35 FLAME-RESISTANT CLOTHING SYSTEM COMMON SENSE GUIDELINES (Continued) –An Ignited Flammable Outer Garment Creates a Heat Source Close to the Skin, e.g., A Nylon Wind Breaker Worn Over an Flame Resistant Coverall. Although the Flame-Resistant Coverall Will Not Burn, the Wearer Can Be Burned by the Additional Heat Transfer From the Ignition of the Flammable Outerlayer.

36 FLAME-RESISTANT CLOTHING SYSTEM COMMON SENSE GUIDELINES (Continued) n Under Garments (Underwear Worn Against the Skin) Should be Non-Melting –Non-Melting Undergarments, I.E., Cotton, Wool, Silk, Rayon, Can Be Worn to Increase Thermal Insulation and Protection. –Meltable Undergarments Can Increase Burn Injury Severity Due to Melt Adhesion to the Skin.