Unifirst protective clothing meets new safety standards

A workplace safety standard recently revised by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), known as “70E,” has caused a considerable spike, nationwide, in the demand for Flame Resistant (FR) clothing in the workplace.  In its guidelines, 70E outlines that any and all employees who work on or near conductors of electricity must wear appropriate levels of FR clothin to maximize safety — and this has made a significant impact in the business world.  Not surprisingly, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) considers NFPA 70E a “recognized industry practice” and — referencing its guidelines — has levied fines to companies that have not protected their employees when electrically-related accidents have occurred.

The use of Flame Resistant protective work clothing can be traced to the 1960s when the steel industry — followed by the automotive, chemical, petroleum, and utility industries — began to require FR safety garments to their employees. NFPA 70E continues this tradition of worker safety by more clearly defining for employers those workers considered to be “at-risk” from electrical-related burns, many of whom were not previously considered to be vulnerable to such injuries, such as workers who perform routine maintenance duties.

To meet the increase in demand the NFPA standard has created, leading suppliers of uniforms and work clothing have been expanding their safety apparel product lines; some have even launched their own FR manufacturing operations. Among those expanding their operations is UniFirst Corporation, which recently introduced its Armorex FRTM line — a 70E-compliant brand of FR protective clothing, drawing market attention for its protection levels and its comfort to workers.

The NFPA 70E standard specifically addresses on-the-job conditions where shock or burns from electrical arcs can occur as a result of equipment failure or simple physical contact. All work scenarios are assigned a level of risk ranging from 0 (lowest) to 4 (highest) and each category of risk is matched with the level and type of protective gear that should be worn. UniFirst's Armorex FRTM brand, for example, features the most effective and popular FR fabrics, like Indura UltraSoft (for hazardous risk categories 0, 1, 2) and new CXP Nomex (for 0 and 1).

With the Armorex FRTM line complementing its much larger protective wear offering, which includes FR and high-visibility garments from other top manufacturers, UniFirst has effectively positioned itself to meet the safety needs of a broad range of work environments—electrical or otherwise.

Company Information

Unifirst

68 Jonspin Road
Wilmington, MA 01887 (see map)
Phone: (800) 225-3364
email: ufirst@unifirst.com
Website: www.unifirst.com