FR Clothing Requirements and Care

Talking points

1. Flame-resistant (FR) clothing is required for workers exposed to electric arc flash and in certain hot work environments. FR garments self-extinguish when the ignition source is removed — regular clothing does not.
2. FR clothing is rated by arc thermal performance value (ATPV) measured in cal/cm². Match your garment rating to the arc flash PPE category required for your task.
3. Never wear synthetic fabrics (polyester, nylon, acetate) under FR clothing. Synthetics melt at low temperatures and adhere to the skin, causing severe burns even beneath the FR layer.
4. Launder FR clothing according to the manufacturer's instructions. Some FR treatments can be washed out by bleach, fabric softener, or improper detergent. Most inherent FR fabrics (Nomex, modacrylic) retain their properties through laundering.
5. Inspect FR clothing for tears, holes, thinning, and contamination with flammable substances (oil, grease, solvents). Contaminated or damaged FR clothing may ignite rather than self-extinguish.

Ask the crew

Is anyone wearing synthetic undergarments beneath their FR clothing — and when was your FR clothing last laundered properly?

Standards this talk is built on

• 29 CFR 1910.269
• NFPA 70E

A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.

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