Welcome to the Westex Blog

Where we share our perspective on current trends, best practices, and the future of FR safety.

CÓMO ABORDAR EL ERROR HUMANO EN LOS ESPACIOS DE TRABAJO QUE INVOLUCRAN ELECTRICIDAD?

La industria eléctrica utiliza rutinariamente evaluaciones de riesgos para definir y abordar los peligros multifacéticos encontrados en los lugares de trabajo. A medida que se identifican los peligros, la NFPA 70E define la jerarquía de los controles de riesgos, es decir, es un sistema integral utilizado para minimizar o eliminar la exposición al peligro con el objetivo de reducir la probabilidad de que ocurra un incidente y mitigar la gravedad de las lesiones en caso que ocurriesen. Dentro del contexto de la jerarquía del control de riesgos, han sido definidas múltiples etapas, empezando con la eliminación de riesgos hasta llegar al uso adecuado de equipos de protección personal (EPP): todas estas etapas deben trabajar en conjunto para crear un entorno de trabajo lo más seguro posible.

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La importancia de la capacitación para el uso correcto y mantención de las prendas ignífugas

Las prendas de protección ignífugas para riesgos de arco eléctrico y fuego repentino son una parte importante para establecer un programa bien estructurado de seguridad del trabajo.  Los trabajadores necesitan ser instruidos sobre el uso correcto para que puedan protegerse adecuadamente contra estos riesgos en el local de trabajo. Descargar

Arc Flash Safety Updates at an NFPA 70E Workshop Near You

We’re passionate about educating the electrical industry on safety standards that address short-term thermal hazards, like arc flash and flash fire. It’s how we know we’re helping equip you with not only the industry’s leading flame resistant/arc-rated (FR/AR) textiles for personal protective equipment (PPE), but also helping apply these methods to provide maximum protection for your employees.

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NEC, NESC, NFPA 70E, and Arc Rated PPE: A Quick Look at Electrical Industry Standards

 

Throughout the electrical industry, consensus standards provide critical information advising how to safeguard employees facing arc flash hazards. These standards—NEC, NESC, and NFPA 70E—are all meant to guide safety initiatives, but which one is relevant for you? We break down each standard and what they mean for your workplace.

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Identifying and Reducing the Impacts of Combustible Dust Hazards

Combustible dust is a significant concern across various industries and with good reason. Combustible dust incidents can lead to serious property damage and cause life-threatening injuries. Analyzing your work environment and enacting preventative measures, such as robust housekeeping and engineering control protocols, can make all the difference. Even with these safety precautions in place, incorporating FR/AR PPE as the final layer of defense can help mitigate the risk of injuries should the worst happen.

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A la medida: la importancia de las prendas ignífugas específicas para el público femenino.

Recientemente, no existía una preocupación con el modelado femenino de las prendas ignífugas, éstas eran de tallas grandes y pensadas principalmente para el público masculino, es decir, un único modelo en diferentes tallas. De esta forma, la fuerza de trabajo femenina utilizaba prendas inadecuadas diariamente en diversos sectores de la industria, pues el modelado era solamente pensado para la mayoría de la fuerza de trabajo que es masculina.  Esta era una exigencia constante principalmente en sectores como petróleo y gas e concesionarias de energía.  Aunque esto ha sido una práctica común durante mucho tiempo, hoy en muchas industrias hay un ajuar femenino de estas prendas. Descargar

Caring for your FR/AR Garments: Three Vital Considerations

While properly wearing flame resistant (FR), arc-rated (AR) personal protective equipment (PPE) helps protect employees facing arc flash and short duration thermal exposures from fire, like flash fires, it is equally important to clean and maintain these protective garments. Proper care practices help ensure a PPE garment’s safety properties remain intact during its serviceable life. While there are a host of considerations when formulating a proper care routine, we share three key takeaways everyone—from your safety manager to your newest employee—should keep in mind.

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The Difference Between Inherent and Treated Fabrics, and What it Means for Your Safety Program

The FR industry certainly has its share of jargon, and especially when that jargon has little scientific background, it can lead to muddled and complicated decisions. In our white paper, What’s in a Word: Inherent Fabric, Treated Fabric, and What They Mean in the World of Flame Resistant Fabrics, we discuss two major industry terms—“inherent” and “treated”—and cover how these flame resistant (FR), arc-rated (AR) fabric classifications have evolved over time.

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5 Reasons to Implement FR/AR PPE Training

Flame resistant (FR), arc-rated (AR) personal protective equipment (PPE) is an important part of establishing a well-rounded safety program. Before donning their FR/AR PPE, however, employees need to be educated about their PPE garments so they can properly guard themselves against workplace hazards such as arc flashes or flash fires. Understanding how to wear PPE, what their PPE will help protect against, and how to care for their PPE is essential for end users’ safety. We rounded up five important reasons to train employees about their PPE.

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