Nfpa 1975

[Smoke20286]

I'm posting this here and hoping for a better response then in the Career forum.
Our Dept is currently in negotiations to change our uniforms. At present our uniforms are 65% polyester, we are trying to get the city to comply with the NFPA standard on station uniforms. My question is How many Depts presently comply with 1975. Do you use a portion of it? Is it a reference point when purchasing uniforms or do you just accept whatever the employer provides for you?

[ff7134]

We go by some of it. We no longer wear any polyester.
but we also don't wear nomex either. All our uniforms are
cotton or cotten blends. I think that most of the epartment in
our area follow this.

[Smoke20286]

Apparently the new version of the standard allows for 100% cotton or wool

[Smoke20286]

BTW, what Dept are you with?

[ff7134]

Madison Twp. Fire in Ohio.Yeah we had some dificulty convincing
some of the guys. But the Chief and trustees said what ever you want!

[ullrichk]

Polyester blend all the way. Shrink-wrapped FF are easier to dispose of. Besides, it can never happen here :D

Seriously, I'm with you on this one. Is there still a reference to flame retardant station uniforms in NFPA 1500? If your jurisdiction has adopted 1500, you may already be covered.

Just a thought.

[cfd5572]

We wear 100% nomex station uniforms. We applied for a Minnesota OSHA, workplace safety grant in 2000 and switched from 65% poly to 100% nomex. Lighter fabric, breathes better, and looks good without an iron.. (Cotton wrinkles).

[Smoke20286]

cfd, do you know if the increase in uniform costs was prohibative? Did your Dept adopt 1975 or did you just use State OSHA legislation?

[ThNozzleman]

We just switched to FireWear and I love it. The new stuff has a patch instead of a metal badge, and the name is embroidered. No more getting stuck with pins when your suspenders rub them into your chest. The material is softer than our old uniforms and much more comfortable. The price is high, though; I believe it cost us around $600 dollars for each firfighter to have four shirts and four pants.

[Smoke20286]

Originally posted by ThNozzleman
We just switched to FireWear and I love it. The new stuff has a patch instead of a metal badge, and the name is embroidered. No more getting stuck with pins when your suspenders rub them into your chest. The material is softer than our old uniforms and much more comfortable. The price is high, though; I believe it cost us around $600 dollars for each firfighter to have four shirts and four pants.
What sort of fabric is it, Nomex?

[cfd5572]

Smoke20286:

We followed state OSHA, to be honest I have never read 1975. I was on the uniform committee and cost did not play into the equation believe it or not.. We had a number of instatnces where our poly blend material melted. We wear bunker pants with our choice of 14" leather pull on, or 8" leather lace up boots. Some of the guys pant cuffs melted and we had an OSHA inspection around the same time and they suggested to the city that we might want to look at uniforms that met current standards.. So the city bought them.

100% nomex from Topps Safety Apparel. Got the NFPA 1975 tag in the color, name and rank embroidered but we still have the metal badge. Everyone loves the wearability and comfort. No complaints at all.

[Halligan84]

What sort of fabric is it, Nomex?

From their website:

History: Firewear FFR Fabric is trademarked by Springs Protective Fabrics. The fiber is a patented, engineered modacrylic which contains flame retadant chemicals. It is blended with 45% cotton. It meets or exceeds all NFPA 1975 - 90 criteria.

Protection: When flame comes into contact with this fabric, the FR action begins to release non-combustible gasses through microscopic pores in the fiber, thus smothering the fire much like the Halogen-type action of a fire extinguisher, preventing the cotton from burning. Unlike chemical treated fabrics, Firewear will not wash out.

We wear at at both departments and it wears well. Under a shift rotation it lasts about 2 years or so. It does cost in the area of $75 per piece or 600 for 4 uniforms.

[Smoke20286]

Thanks guys, I'm passing all this info on to our committee