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In the USCG, we were prohibited from wearing poly/nylon/etc. clothing in the engine room on our boats.
The reasoning was that some synthetic clothing would melt when in contact with heat (such as exhaust manifolds) or in the case of fires.
I believe similar rules are in effect for the US military and in some industries where fire/extreme heat are safety issues. There are instead fire resistant versions of various clothing.
As some may now - I was somewhat severely burned last year when dealing with a slash pile on my property. Had I been wearing proper clothing I may not have been burned so badly. Fortunately the scars seem to have mostly healed.
This year I did some digging into FR clothing. It is somewhat expensive. One brand that seems to be popular in the military is DriFire. I have purchased some DriFire lightweight undergarments (e.g. - t-shirt) and a heavier weight FR mil-spec shirt from various sources:
If you shop around, you can find some DriFire clothing for much less than other sources (it took me a while - I did not want to pay $35+ for a t-shirt), but other FR clothing is considerably more expensive than regular clothing. Being a XXXL (6'6" and 275#) it is also difficult to find it in the right size for me from the less expensive sources.
I have been wearing the lightweight shirts a lot this summer while working outside. I have noticed that they dry quickly when wet (like many synthetics), resist holding odor and do not hold stains/dirt after washing. The fabric itself is fire resistant - it is not a treatment, so washing doesn't remove the fire resistance (I am told). The fabric is not quite as soft as many other synthetics or cotton, but is more than tolerable (I am an Apsie, so I am sensitive to this, being unable to wear wool and some other fabrics).
Just thought I would share.
The reasoning was that some synthetic clothing would melt when in contact with heat (such as exhaust manifolds) or in the case of fires.
I believe similar rules are in effect for the US military and in some industries where fire/extreme heat are safety issues. There are instead fire resistant versions of various clothing.
As some may now - I was somewhat severely burned last year when dealing with a slash pile on my property. Had I been wearing proper clothing I may not have been burned so badly. Fortunately the scars seem to have mostly healed.
This year I did some digging into FR clothing. It is somewhat expensive. One brand that seems to be popular in the military is DriFire. I have purchased some DriFire lightweight undergarments (e.g. - t-shirt) and a heavier weight FR mil-spec shirt from various sources:
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If you shop around, you can find some DriFire clothing for much less than other sources (it took me a while - I did not want to pay $35+ for a t-shirt), but other FR clothing is considerably more expensive than regular clothing. Being a XXXL (6'6" and 275#) it is also difficult to find it in the right size for me from the less expensive sources.
I have been wearing the lightweight shirts a lot this summer while working outside. I have noticed that they dry quickly when wet (like many synthetics), resist holding odor and do not hold stains/dirt after washing. The fabric itself is fire resistant - it is not a treatment, so washing doesn't remove the fire resistance (I am told). The fabric is not quite as soft as many other synthetics or cotton, but is more than tolerable (I am an Apsie, so I am sensitive to this, being unable to wear wool and some other fabrics).
Just thought I would share.
