DuPont hosted a Round Table Debate at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue headquarters to encourage a discussion about topical issues regarding PPE in the Fire and Rescue sector. Part 1 of the debate focuses on heat stress.

The Thermal Protection Performance Test measures the thermal protection level of a fabric.

Heat stress is a dangerous condition in any situation, but for firefighters it can be especially life threatening. In fact, heat stress is the number-one cause of casualties among firefighters. Nomex® fibre helps reduce heat stress due to its higher air permeability.

Garments made of Nomex® fibre have helped protect firefighters for decades. Continuous exhaustive testing proves that they excel in the long-term retention of their heat and flame protective qualities.

The DuPont™ Nomex® Partner Program is a carefully-selected network of customer-oriented and progressive weavers and garment manufacturers in Europe who adhere to the rigorous quality controls of DuPont for their fabrics and garments. A unique label on the garment aids identification and provides customers in Europe with a quality mark from reputable suppliers who offer genuine products with Nomex®.

Chemical hazards can occur in conjunction with thermal hazards, such as accidental splashes of chemical products onto protective clothing, or through leakages of chemical products.

In order to choose adequate protective clothing, the potential incident heat energy (in units of energy per surface area) caused by an electric arc and to which a worker may be exposed, needs to be calculated in a thorough risk assessment.