Creating a safe work environment for employees goes beyond ensuring compliance — a safe work environment means supporting worker comfort. Arc-rated and flame resistant (AR/FR) clothing that is too bulky, stiff, or hot poses challenges for employee compliance and proper use; workers who are uncomfortable in their AR/FR clothing are more likely to compromise their protection by rolling up sleeves, opening shirt fronts, shedding protective layers, or even violating company safety policy in favor of clothing that is more comfortable.
Tyndale understands that the four main factors in choosing protective clothing are choice, fit, fabric properties, and wearer ratings and reviews:
Choice: When given options, workers are more likely to be comfortable and satisfied with their choice and therefore happier to comply with AR/FR clothing requirements. This helps employers and employees alike achieve their most important objective: staying safe on the job and returning home to their loved ones each day.
Fit: A garment that fits properly is key. If clothing doesn’t fit properly, the protective features can be compromised. AR/FR clothing should not be baggy, but it also should not be overly tight. Maintaining a comfortable range of motion while working should be easy – wearers should not feel restricted or like their garments are getting in the way of their task.
Fabric properties: Fabric properties like weight, breathability, and moisture wicking only come into play after choice and fit but are important to consider when choosing AR/FR clothing. No single property, or even several in combination, accurately predicts comfort. Comfort is subjective – varying from individual to individual.
Wearer ratings and reviews: In the absence of an official wear test, online ratings and reviews from peers are extremely important when it comes to purchasing AR/FR garments. Just like in their personal life, wearers want access to unedited ratings and reviews from real people who have purchased garments they’re interested in buying. This supports well informed decisions.
In order to do their jobs, workers need access to comfortable protective clothing that does its job. Luckily, one of the most pervasive trends in the AR/FR clothing industry today is the growth of style options. This is why Carhartt – manufacturer of FR Company Gear™ – designed a line of lightweight garments meant to drive comfort and compliance. Created with safety in mind, both the Carhartt FR 4.7 oz. Long Sleeve Shirt and Coverall are NFPA 70E and NFPA 2112 compliant for unmatched lightweight protection against workplace hazards. These garments ensure comfort, maximizing compliance and satisfaction.
Carhartt offers a range of garment options in its Carhartt Company Gear™ line of FR clothing, designed to meet the individual needs and preferences of a wide variety of employees. Carhartt’s 134 years of experience providing work wear across industries throughout the US makes it clear that choice is the way to go. So, Carhartt manufactures protective clothing in a variety of weights, styles, and fits to accommodate the entire workforce.
Likewise, Tyndale has made the “Power of Choice” the cornerstone of the managed FR clothing purchase programs it administers. Tyndale programs allow employers to give workers access to the full line of Carhartt FR clothing, along with Tyndale’s own made-in-the-US line of AR/FR garments and clothing from every other major AR/FR clothing manufacturer. By allowing workers to choose the AR/FR clothing that suits their own unique preferences from a catalog of company-approved items, employers have found that wearers take greater ownership of their AR/FR clothing decisions, express higher levels of satisfaction, and comply with safety requirements.