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Oil and Gas Flash Fire PPE Limited-Flammability vs. Flame-Resistant Protective Gear
Many jobs in the oil and gas industry come with the ever-present risk of explosions, fires, and flash fires. Not only can these hazards stop and / or delay operations and cause significant damage to the facilities, but they often cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Thus, all workers working on rigs and other areas where the risk of fires and explosions exists should wear flame-resistant clothing.14 percent of fatalities on oil rigs are caused by combustion, fire or pressure explosions. Using flame-resistant clothing can minimize injuries and fatalities in the event of a fire or explosion event.
What is Flame-Resistant Material?
Flame-resistant clothing uses materials that resist igniting, melting and burning. Some clothing has limited protection in that it will melt or burn – generally, this type of limited flammability clothing is chemically treated. It passes the ASTM D-6413 test method when exposed to an open flame.
You need clothing that will self-extinguish. Abolox carries MCR Safety flame-resistant clothing that uses LF materials to mitigate burn injuries where temperatures from flash fires could reach 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit. LF provides more protection than PVC and polyester materials.
General Areas Where Flash Fires Are More Common
Flash fires are common in all three phases of the oil and gas industry – upstream drilling and midstream and downstream operation. General areas where flash fires are most likely to happen include:
- Any heat source that sparks a fire.
- Fuel storage and cylinder storage areas.
- Gauging.
- Valve changes and other equipment openings.
- Hot surfaces.
- Increased static electricity.
- Welding, using other spark-producing tools, and other hot work.
- Motor generator areas.
- Operating electrical tools.
- Maintenance operations.
- Operating a degasser.
- Using open flames.
- Tank heating.
- Working around electrical systems.
- Well servicing, including fracturing, cementing, wireline operations and plugging abandoned wells.
FR Clothing Standards and Burn Injuries
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sets regulations and codes defining flame resistance standards. The NFPA 2112 standard has 17 tests that it runs on clothing to determine how the clothing protects from flash fires, including:
- Thread melting.
- ASTM F1930 manikin testing.
- Flame-resistance.
- Heat-resistance.
- Tensile strength.
- Colorfastness.
- Shrinkage.
- Tear strength.
- Tensile strength.
The ASTM F1930 Manikin Test uses a three-second fire simulation. If the clothing protects 50 percent of the body from burns, the clothing passes the test.
If 25 percent of a body sustains burns, the person has a 90 percent chance of survival. When burn injuries cover 50 percent or more of the body, the chance of survival is significantly reduced, especially for older workers. If a worker is over 50 years of age, the worker has less than a 20 percent chance of surviving burns over 50 percent or more of his or her body.
The MCR Safety flame-resistant clothing we carry at Abolox meets NFPA 2112, which includes the Manikin Test. Big Jake 2 rainwear is tested to ASTM F2733, which is even more stringent. Wearing triple-vented flame-resistant shirts and jeans minimize burns to as little as 8 percent.
Flame-Resistant Clothing at Abolox
Abolox carries flame-resistant clothing, including long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts, jeans and work pants, coveralls, high-visibility gear and rain gear. Depending on the brand and type, the clothing meets the following standards:
- NFPA 2112 UL Certified.
- ASTM F1506 Electric Arc Protection Standard
- ATPV ASTM 1959 35 cal/cm2.
- CAT 2 (7-ounce ultra-soft 88 percent cotton / 12 percent nylon – 8.5 cal/cm2).
- ASTM 1930 tested and certified.
- NFPA 2112 UL certified and NFPA 70E.
- ANSI 107 Type R, Class 3 hi-visibility.
- NFPA 70E / CAT 2 protection.
Visit Abolox for Quality Flame-Resistant Clothing for the Oil and Gas Industry
Browse through our pages to find the best flame-resistant clothing for your oil and gas industry workers. If you don’t see what you need, contact Abolox, and we’ll source what you need.
