Do Coveralls have to be FR rated?

[Barndog]

In the shop I work at we are supplied with FR uniforms, Gloves and all PPE. we are also given a pair of coveralls every year. they have always been FR rated until this year. I told our safety Manager that the coveralls we get are to be FR rated if we wear them doing Electrical work. I am wondering if I am correct in this statement. he says because he provides us a FR rated uniform the coverall do not have to be rated.

Thank you in Advance

 

[petersonra]

I don't see why they would need to be FR unless you are working on energized circuits.

I also don't see why they would need to be FR if they are being worn over a FR uniform.

 

[pjones]

I was on an industrial job site where FR was required because of on site hazards (fuel refinery site), but there is nothing in my contract that says the employer must supply FR anything for our daily uniform unless it’s required for the job. YMMV


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[Hv&Lv]

We are required to wear FR, and even in winter the outermost layer MUST be FR.
doesnt matter if our FR is inside.
also, our rain gear is required to be FR.
kinda silly, since we don’t do 25kV hot work in the rain...

https://www.e-hazard.com/blog/does-...rical-worker-have-to-be-arc-rated-or-just-fr/

 

[Jraef]

Technically, FR rated clothing was done away with for ELECTRICAL work I think in the 2012* version of NFPA 70E. They changed to requiring Arc Rated (AR) clothing and gloves. AR is a higher rating than FR because of the high temperatures that can happen in an Arc Flash event. FR is now relegated to working around flammable materials.

* Maybe 2014, I can’t remember now and don’t have my books with me.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Technically, FR rated clothing was done away with for ELECTRICAL work I think in the 2012* version of NFPA 70E. They changed to requiring Arc Rated (AR) clothing and gloves.

* Maybe 2014, I can’t remember now and don’t have my books with me.

now, everyone counts calories in clothing.
LADWP workshirts were 7 calories when i last wore them.....

what we were told, was washing them with cotton clothing
cancelled the rating.... you had to wash them separately.

i've still got an arc rated rainsuit left over from then... those things were $200 15 years ago.

 

[Hv&Lv]

Technically, FR rated clothing was done away with for ELECTRICAL work I think in the 2012* version of NFPA 70E. They changed to requiring Arc Rated (AR) clothing and gloves. AR is a higher rating than FR because of the high temperatures that can happen in an Arc Flash event. FR is now relegated to working around flammable materials.

* Maybe 2014, I can’t remember now and don’t have my books with me.

You are so correct...
ours are AR.
old habits die hard.

 

[paulengr]

now, everyone counts calories in clothing.
LADWP workshirts were 7 calories when i last wore them.....

what we were told, was washing them with cotton clothing
cancelled the rating.... you had to wash them separately.

i've still got an arc rated rainsuit left over from then... those things were $200 15 years ago.

Certain ones (a lot of welding greens) lose their FR coating in 50 washings. Chemically treated cotton such as Westex Indura, or true FR materials like Nomex are FR, not a coating. Washing them does not affect it:


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[paulengr]

I don't see why they would need to be FR unless you are working on energized circuits.

I also don't see why they would need to be FR if they are being worn over a FR uniform.

The point of FR is so that once the heat source is removed it does not continue to burn. Wrapping it in combustible outer layers defeats this. Outer layers must be FR.