Articles
Canadian Occupational Safety Articles
The Difference Between AR and FR
There’s a new acronym in the world of PPE and it has been causing confusion, both among folks new to the subject as well as those long familiar with FR …
Westex by Milliken Articles
Combustible Dust & the Flash Fire Hazard
The combustible dust hazard has gained a much higher national profile since the Imperial Sugar incident in 2008, which tragically killed 14 people and injured 36…
We Are All In: The Story Behind the Westex by Milliken Commitment
Westex by Milliken has always provided much more than high-performing FR fabric. For decades, we’ve taken a big picture approach to FR safety, and we have worked harder and gone …
Seeing is Believing at the University of Alberta’s Flash Fire Facility
The University of Alberta flash fire manikin test chamber has been in service since 1988. In 2002, the University created its Protective Clothing and Equipment Research Facility (PCERF) with the …
An Update on OSHA’s Rule and a Look at China’s Recent Fatal Dust Tragedy
Combustible dust deflagrations occur far more often and result in far more injuries and fatalities than most people realize, which is why this hazard has been getting…
Science of Your FR Safety
Flame resistant (FR) clothing is like a car insurance policy. No one enjoys paying for insurance, but the point is that insurance should protect you in case something bad …
Brazil Arc Flash Lab
Arc flash testing is an essential element in protecting workers that face electrical hazards. Testing provides necessary information on a product to a wearer in the case of an arc …
Fires, Fact & Fiction
Over the past 2 decades, there have been reasonable debates and less reasonable marketing regarding the duration and energy of hydrocarbon flash fires, despite the fact that existing North American …
Industry Articles
Flame Resistant Clothing: The Forgotten Element in Combustible Dust Safety
The safety and health hazards posed by combustible dusts such as, but not limited to organic and metal dusts are unique and extremely complex…
The Importance of Remaining Vigilant
On a chilly September day in 1991, Brad Livingston was given an assignment to weld shut two pinhole leaks in a tank on a well in the Oklahoma panhandle. It was …
Thinking Through Protection
Westex urged attendees of its April 30 and May 1 conference to give serious consideration to how they think about fire-resistant clothing. By providing a variety of speakers, including subject …
Flash Fire Demos Prompt Some To Reevaluate Clothing
Safety managers consider several factors when evaluating PPE clothing, such as protection, comfort, value and compliance. For many, knowing that fire-resistant clothing is compliant is enough — but after watching …
Does One Size Fit All When it Comes to PPE?
There are many contractors and owners in the industry who think that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is as easy as one-size-fits-all or that one set of PPE covers all scenarios. …
Keeping Everyone Safe
Safety on the job is only achieved when there is an effective safety system in place and everyone understands how it works. A safety system is not tangible but rather …
I thought it was dead
How many electricians have fallen with this possibly being their last words? After the fact, we often hear that the electrician was always safe and performed his job by the …
Who is Qualified?
The term “qualified person” has a very broad meaning in a general context. From a simple standpoint outside the world of codes and standards, the term “qualified” has meanings such …
