Pnnicd in Great Britun. Perjamon Prctt U d Tj 1985 British Occupational Hygiene Society. FLAME PROTECTIVE CLOTHING FOR THE WORKPLACE*

Abstract—The concept of an ideal flame- and heat-protective garment is introduced and the basic mechanisms of flame retardancy and thermal insulation are outlined. Results are given of an experimental programme which was conducted on behalf of the Electricity Council and which involved the small-scale testing of 27 commercially available flame retardant (FR) fabrics followed by the selection of eight fabrics for full-scale assessment. For the latter a fully instrumented manikin was employed which was exposed to the flame of a large (180 kW) burner. Based on these findings, a recommended short list is provided which includes garments for general purpose activities and those for which good heat-insulation qualities are especially required. Attention is paid to discussing the effects of oil contamination on flame retardancy and the importance of correct cleaning procedures is emphasized. Design has an important role to play in maximizing the protection an FR-garment may provide