Not all flame-resistant protective wear is equal. The only way of ensuring that you are wearing genuinely flame-resistant PPE, is to purchase your garments from a reputable manufacturer and supplier who can provide proof that their garments are certified to international safety standards. Many manufacturers of PPE will market their brand of flame-resistant clothing without explaining the extent and durability of their product, ultimately putting the end user at risk.

Is Flame Resistant the Same as Arc Rated?

CHARNAUD® manufactures and supplies a wide range of high-quality, specialised personal protective clothing and equipment, including flame resistant garments.

What’s the Difference Between Flame Resistant and Flame Retardant?

The term ‘flame resistant’ refers to both inherently, or naturally flame-resistant materials and flame-retardant materials that are chemically treated. A fabric, garment or material is not genuinely flame resistant unless its flame resistance has been measured through testing, and the fabric or garment has been awarded a safety certification that matches the end use hazard and includes flame-resistance. It’s also wise to remember that all arc-rated garments are flame-resistant, but not all flame-resistant garments are arc-rated.

Other important factors to know when it comes to flame resistance and flame-retardant materials:

  • Some fabrics are inherently flame resistant because of their chemical structure, and therefore need no chemical treatment to become flame resistant;
  • Flame retardance refers to a specific chemical(s) used to treat materials to make them flame resistant;

Beware of companies which make bogus claims – the flame resistance of a garment is not conditional and should not have to depend on other factors for success. You can tell if a garment truly is flame resistant by doing some research about the garment, its fabrication and requesting that the manufacturer or supplier of the PPE furnish you with the requisite certification records. Whether due to an arc flash, the hazards of firefighting or from working with molten metal, flames and fire can be deadly. You cannot put a price on a life.

Get in Touch with CHARNAUD® Today for Quality PPE

The right PPE literally saves lives, so ensure you are investing wisely. Contact your CHARNAUD® representative to learn about our extensive offerings.

Now Read: Protecting Workers with High-Quality Flame-Resistant Clothing