So, we had an interesting question the other day: can rainwear be flame-resistant? It doesn’t seem to make much sense when you think about it. That’s because flame-resistant clothing is focused on keeping fire out, while rainwear is for keeping water out. They’re pretty much polar opposites of each other, so how could rainwear possibly do both? Well, it is possible, which is why we’re going to take the time to explain how it works and why it’s useful.
How Rainwear Can Be Fire-Resistant
When asking, “Can rainwear be flame-resistant?” people assume the two properties are mutually exclusive. We’re here to show you that they’re not. Most water-resistant materials that are made to keep water out do so by being crafted out of nonbreathable materials. On the other side of things, flame-resistant clothes focus on using fabrics or chemicals that don’t catch fire as easily. Because of this difference, only a handful of materials are used to achieve both levels of protection, such as polychloroprene, PVC, and Nylon.
The lack of breathability is the only notable downside here, but it’s worth the tradeoff if both protections are needed. The NOMEX® brand has been making water and flame-resistant clothing with breathable fabrics recently to combat this issue.
Why You’d Want Both
Many jobsites are outdoors, so the chance of rain is always prevalent while on the job. If your job is in an area with open flames or possible explosions, you will want to protect yourself from both rain and fire. If there is a potential for damages caused by a power surge, you will want both protections since the effects of electricity are worsened in water, and it could start a fire.
This type of gear would also be helpful in the oil industry. Even though they’re water-resistant, these clothes would help repel other liquids that can get on your clothes, such as oil. Oil catches fire quickly if exposed to a heat source.
Regardless of your reasons for needing it, if you’re in the market for fire-resistant rain gear, be sure to check out our selection currently available in our online store. It might not be the most stylish, but it does the job of keeping you equally protected from water and fire while on the job.