Is it enough to wear a loose fire-resistant shirt, or does it need to be tucked in? Keep reading to find out and learn more about fire-resistant and retardant clothing.
Is It Necessary To Tuck in My FR Shirt?
One of the most common questions first-time users have about fire-resistant (FR) shirts is if they need to be tucked in. To put it plainly, yes—when wearing men’s or women’s flame-resistant clothing like shirts, you should always tuck them in firmly so they don’t come loose while working.
This is true for all industries, FR garment manufacturers, and hazardous workplace standards like:
- The NFPA 2113 Standard on Selection, Care, Use, and Maintenance of FR clothing
- OSHA hazardous workplace standards
- The NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace.
Tucking in FR shirts ensures the wearer has the maximum protection the FR clothing provides.
Pro Tip: If your FR shirt doesn’t feel comfortable tucked into your FR pants, consider some FR coveralls that cover the legs and torso in one garment.
Do I Have To Tuck in My FR Outerwear?
What about when it comes to FR outerwear like sweatshirts or jackets? Am I required to tuck that in as well?
No, it’s not necessary to tuck FR outerwear into your FR pants, as they can still achieve their function as a loose garment. However, you should tuck in the FR shirt you’re wearing underneath your FR outerwear into your pants. Generally, an FR shirt should always be tucked in—even if you wear garments over the shirt.
Is Wearing an Untucked FR Shirt Dangerous?
Is it a big deal if an FR shirt is untucked? Yes, wearing an FR shirt untucked dramatically decreases its effectiveness in protecting the wearer from fire and electrical hazards.
An untucked FR shirt leaves the wearer’s stomach and torso susceptible to an arc-flash or flash fire hazard, even if it doesn’t directly strike the exposed area. An electrical or fire hazard can travel through the garment toward the opening and penetrate the protective layer of garments—rendering the FR shirt’s protective qualities moot.
An untucked FR shirt isn’t much more protective than a regular shirt—so, if you’re going to wear it, wear it correctly.
Now you know more about FR clothing and how to wear them correctly. If you have any other questions or concerns about FR garments, don’t hesitate to ask the experts at FR Outlet!