Fireproof clothing can be a tricky product to shop for when you’re unfamiliar with it. Maybe you’re looking into fireproof clothing for a new job where you’ll constantly be around fire. Or perhaps you’re only looking for a bit of protection during your family’s next Fourth of July firework celebration. Either way, there are many things to consider when buying fireproof clothing. Here’s a short list of some important things to be aware of.
Level of Fireproofing
Even though we tend to use the term often, no clothing article is technically completely fireproof. Most fireproof clothing you’ll find online will have a label indicating that it’s flame-resistant or flame-retardant. Flame-resistant clothing contains materials that are naturally resistant to fire and will put themselves out on their own. On the other hand, flame-retardant clothing is normal material that undergoes chemical alterations to give it fire resistance and a self-extinguishing ability.
Both types are equally capable of resisting flames, but they still don’t fully protect you from burns or other fire-related injuries. Unfortunately, that means you can’t just go walking through the bonfire at the next family gathering to impress all the kids who are watching.
Quality of Protection
Now that you know the different types of fireproof clothing, it’s a good idea to figure out how to determine the quality of a material. The most important things to check for are lifelong protection guarantees and compliance with OSHA and NFPA standards. You never want to find out that your fireproof clothing wasn’t up to snuff the hard way, so it’s good to do your research beforehand.
Another aspect to look into is how well the materials work for everyday use. A ripped-up fireproof shirt isn’t going to be stopping fires anytime soon. Be sure to check online reviews of the clothes you’re considering to see what people say about them.
Comfort Level
This point may seem insignificant, but the comfort level of the clothes is still a viable thing to consider when buying fireproof clothing. If comfort wasn’t important, firefighters would probably wear some form of heat-resistant metal to be extra certain that they wouldn’t catch on fire. Checking online reviews is still a great way to gauge comfort, but nothing beats going into the store and trying the clothes out for yourself.
Proper Use
While it may seem obvious, there’s definitely a right and a wrong way to wear fireproof clothing. You must properly put on this type of apparel. Otherwise, your mistakes could lead to some disastrous results. In fact, the way you wear fireproof clothing could be the difference between a minor scare or a trip to the emergency room.
