Category Archives: General

Specifying Proper PPE Clothing to Protect Against Hazards in the Aluminum Industry

aluminum industry thermal hazards

While the aluminum industry can generally be a safe place to work, there are occupational hazards that employees need to be aware of and actively guard themselves against. It is important for safety managers to fully assess the workplace for the risk of potential short-term thermal hazards and design a safety program that fits their employees’ needs. When developing safety initiatives in the workplace, it is important to consider incorporating arc rated (AR) and flame resistant (FR) primary and secondary personal protective equipment (PPE) to help mitigate injury should an incident occur.

Read More

Four Ways Clothing Can Contribute to Reducing the Impact of Heat Stress


Heat stress can be a serious concern year round, but it is especially prevalent in the warmer summer months. There are many factors that contribute to an increased risk of heat stress including high external temperature, humidity levels, sun exposure, lack of breeze, not drinking enough water, intensity of labor, and heat-trapping PPE. Work attire is often overlooked when analyzing heat stress factors, but when coupled with rest, hydration, and shade, it may help lessen the likelihood of heat stress. Here are four tips to use clothing to your advantage to help prevent the impact of heat stress on a day-to-day basis.

Read More

Westex Launching New Style for Popular Westex® DH Performance FR Fabric at ASSP Safety 2019, Booth 1727

Every year, safety professionals, manufacturers and more gather at ASSP Safety to attend educational seminars, review best practices, discuss industry trends and find the latest innovations in safety. Westex by Milliken is a regular exhibitor, and we always enjoy connecting with others who have the same mission we do: to protect industrial workers daily.  Westex® branded FR fabrics cover a multitude of jobsite hazards, including offering proven protection to help mitigate impacts of short-term thermal exposures, like flash fire and arc flash. At ASSP Safety 2019, we’re excited to expand our line of industry-leading FR textiles with new styles for Westex® DH performance FR fabric.

Read More

Three Ways to Use AR/FR PPE to Stay Safe on the Job

May is Electrical Safety Month, which is a good reminder to ensure your team’s safety efforts are in line with the updated industry consensus standard NFPA 70E. Workers in the electrical field are exposed to unexpected hazards, including arc flashes, so safety precautions should be reviewed frequently to help reduce the risk of injury. Thorough risk assessments are required to reduce the likelihood of arc flash incident occurrence and you can never be too careful when it comes to protecting workers, so PPE is employed, as the last risk control, to mitigate the severity of injury should an arc flash incident occur.

Read More

Understanding Primary vs. Secondary FR Protection

Safety managers have a very important decision to make when determining the type of personal protective equipment (PPE) that their team needs. Before nailing down the fabric, apparel and PPE brands they would like to select, they first need to determine whether their team, or even specific members of their team, require primary or secondary FR protection to help perform their job responsibilities as safely as possible.

Read More

Three Key Points in Defining Thermal Hazard Mitigation Programs

It is every employer’s goal to keep its workers safe on the job, but providing for the safety of your employees requires a holistic approach. Forming just one dimension of a hazard mitigation program, personal protective equipment (PPE) can be extremely beneficial when specified correctly. It is important, though, to look at a safety program comprehensively, so we asked our training experts, two of which will be attending the Petroleum Safety Conference at the end of this month, to share three key aspects to consider when building your program.

Read More

TRÊS PONTOS IMPORTANTES NA ESTRUTURAÇÃO DO PROGRAMA DE VESTIMENTAS ANTICHAMA PARA TRABALHOS COM ELETRICIDADE

Por Mari Chies,
Gerente da América Latina | Westex by Milliken

A norma de segurança elétrica, NFPA 70E, define os padrões de segurança que reduzem ou eliminam os riscos elétricos. A norma orienta empregadores, trabalhadores próprios e contratados a trabalhar juntos e por meio de uma profunda avaliação de risco, determinar seus programas de segurança para alcançar a proteção adequada e de acordo com as exigências legais para todos os envolvidos, sem diferencia-los. Read More

Illustrating NFPA 70E Updates

When the 2018 edition of NFPA 70E went into effect, many within the industry took time to explore how the standard changes would affect both employers and workers. There are a number of articles you can turn to on the subject; indeed, even Westex by Milliken has penned a few articles expanding on what the changes mean.

Read More