Did you know that employers follow three main industry standards to help protect workers from electric arc flashes and flash fires?  Today we'll focus on standards 2 and 3, applicable to the Oil & Petrochemical Industries and Electric Utilities:

2) NFPA 2112 For Oil & Petrochemical Industries:
 
--Mandates that employers conduct a flash-fire hazard assessment to determine the risk of a flash fire.
--Requires employees to wear flame-resistant clothing if the potential for a flash fire exists.

3) NESC For Electric Utilities:

--Specifies that employers conduct a hazard risk assessment to determine the potential arc exposure for employees who work on or near energized parts or equipment.

--Requires employees to wear flame-resistant clothing with an APTV, or cal rating, equal to or greater than the determined arc hazard.

CARHARTT Flame Resistant clothing ensures that employers are in compliance with these important safety regulations!

Did you know that employers follow three main industry standards to help protect workers from electric arc flashes and flash fires?  Today we'll focus on the first standard, applicable to General Industry:

1)  NFPA 70E for General Industry mandates that employers conduct a hazard risk assessment to determine the potential arc exposure for employees who work on or near energized parts or equipment. It also requires employees to wear flame-resistant (FR) clothing with an ATPV (Arc Thermal Performance Value), equal to or greater than the determined arc hazard.  It simplifies the hazard assessment and compliance process by creating Hazard Risk Categories (HRC) for common tasks an electrical worker would perform. Therefore, an FR clothing item's HRC rating determines if that item provides sufficient protection for a particular job.

As a result, Carhartt FR clothing carries HRC tags.  And, unlike some others, Carhartt HRC tags are externally visible, allowing supervisors and safety officers to easily confirm workers are in compliance with NFPA 70E regulations.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT continued: CARHARTT FR

This season, Carhartt Flame-Resistant (FR) has strengthened their selection of flame-resistant clothing in multiple ways.  These include new FR styles with reflective striping and three new garments - Coveralls, Pants, and Work Shirts - made from Tecasafe Plus, a trademarked, inherently flame-resistant fabric from Tencate.

Stay tuned to learn more about the strict industry standards Carhartt garments adhere to!!

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT:  Carhartt.

In continuing recognition of the importance of on-the-job safety, here's some info about another of our excellent manufacturers!

Among Flame Resistant (FR) manufacturers, only Carhartt has been making workwear since 1889.  Garments have been designed to help protect electric utility, oil, petrochemical and other workers from electric arc flashes and flash fire hazards.

Built with premium fabrics for long wear and easy care, garments can be home or industrial laundered.

Most importantly, they are GUARANTEED to be flame resistant for the useful life of the garment, provided clothing care instructions are followed.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT continued:  Bulwark Flame-Resistant (FR) PrepareWear (from the catalog).

We can help you choose the optimal Bulwark fabric for any situation.  Bulwark offers a comprehensive range of industry-leading options which guarantee a perfect fit for a wide variety of industrial applications.  These include:

-- EXCEL FR. 100% Cotton. 100% Comfort. 100% Flame Resistant.  All EXCEL FR Cotton apparel is permanently treated to guarantee flame resistance for the life of the garment.

-- EXCEL FR ComforTouch. Cotton's Comfort, Nylon's Durability.  This practical 88% Cotton/12% Nylon blend provides long-lasting protection for nearly all work environments. Every EXCEL FR ComforTouch garment is engineered to provide flame resistance for the life of the garment.

-- NOMEX IIIA.  Lightweight. Breathable. Inherently Flame-Resistant.  DuPont NOMEX IIIA garments are extremely durable, so they aren't damaged by laundering.  These make a great choice for electric and gas utility workers.  

Product Spotlight:  Bulwark Flame-Resistant PrepareWear.

From the Bulwark 2012 catalog:  "There is a lot of misinformation on the market. Many items are labeled "FR" that actually only meet general wearing apparel standards or standards that are only applicable to upholstery or curtains.  Specifiers and end users must determine the appropriate PPE based on their hazard analysis and the standards and specifications applicable in their industry. PPE chosen must meet the requirements of the appropriate standards and specifications."

What standards are used for workers exposed to Flash Fire Hazards?

"The NFPA 2112 Standard on Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire and its companion standard, NFPA 2113 on Selection, Care, Use, and Maintenance of these garments specify design, performance, certification requirements, and test methods for flame-resistant garments for use in areas at risk from flash fires. Third-party certification is also required. Other performance requirements may apply to specific garments and will be so indicated on the garment label."

We offer the full range of Bulwark FR PrepareWear, including shirts, pants, coveralls, outerwear, high visibility rainwear, and accessories!!

Welcome to the first post in what will be an ongoing series called PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT!!  The purpose of this series is to tell you about some of our favorite manufacturers, brands, and products that we offer.  Today's manufacturer spotlight is RED KAP, an industry leader in high quality workwear.  Come see all we have to offer on our website: http://www.uniform-sales.com/category.1677.2.htm?cat=VF-RK 

Rockdale County Public Schools Director of Food Services Peggy Lawrence was recently named Director of the Year by the Georgia School Nutrition Association (GSNA) at their annual conference in Athens, GA!!  Congrats Peggy!!  These pictures were taken at the Rockdale County Academy, where Rockdale County hosted their annual award dinner.  Peggy and her hardworking staff were all acknowledged.  The food was prepared by the students of the Academy. Yummy! A special award, called the “Lawrence Cup” was given to the school that prepares the best centerpiece for the tables.  Awards were also given to those that have “served” 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 years.  The retirees were also honored.  All in all, a great evening!