Employees working in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry will encounter many potential workplace hazards on a daily basis. There are the more obvious risks that arise from coming into contact with chemical substances, biological agents and drugs. However, in addition to these, operational hazards must also be considered - the potential for fire and explosion is very real when handling flammable materials.

Operational hazards which could result in fire, explosion or thermal decompositions in a plant could occur in virtually every stage of chemical processing and production. It might be due to presence of flammable atmospheres such as gases, liquids, vapour and dust which could potentially ignite. Or alternatively there could be several sources of ignition found in a plant such as electrical equipment, electrostatic spark discharges and mechanical friction leading to heat discharges, to name just a few. As such, these must be identified and the risks mitigated where possible. Appropriate PPE requirements should also be specified to minimise the risk of serious injury should a hazardous situation arise.

Proven protection

FR clothing made with Nomex^® offers proven protection against intense heat and flame, molten metal splashes and chemical splash, so can be effectively used in chemical and pharmaceutical working environments. For barrier protection against hazardous chemical penetration, specially designed, laminated or coated Nomex® fabrics are available. And, because the heat and flame resistance is built into the Nomex^® fiber—it can’t be washed out or worn away, making Nomex^® PPE a cost-effective choice.