Secondary FR Protection

We’re proud to announce Tychem® 6000 SFR is a Bronze Edison Award™ and R&D 100 Awards winner

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Multi‑hazard protection should never be a compromise

In many industrial environments, chemical exposure and flash‑fire risk exist at the same time. Yet PPE selection has traditionally forced safety professionals into an either/or decision: chemical protection or flame resistance.

Standard chemical suits may ignite in a flash fire, while flame‑resistant (FR) garments alone do not protect against hazardous substances. The result is a hidden protection gap in multi‑hazard workplaces.

Secondary FR (SFR) garments were developed to close this gap. Designed to be worn over primary FR clothing, SFR garments help protect against particulate and liquid chemical hazards without compromising heat and flame performance of the FR layer underneath. This layered approach enables safety professionals to address dual hazards more effectively, rather than choosing which risk to accept.

Download the e‑Guide to learn more.

What is Secondary FR Protective Clothing?

There are two categories of FR protective garments made for industrial applications: primary flame resistant (FR) protective garments and secondary FR (SFR) protective garments. Each category is designed to help protect workers in different ways.

Primary flame-resistant (FR) protective clothing:

Is designed to provide stand-alone protection from flame, arc or molten metal splash exposures.
Can help provide protection from burn injury in the event of an industrial flash fire, electric arc exposure or molten metal splashes even when worn alone, such as garments made with Nomex^® fabrics.

Nomex® is a registered trademark of affiliates of New Arclin U.S. Holdings LLC

EN ISO 11612

EN ISO 11612 establishes the standard for protective clothing* designed to protect the wearer’s body from heat and/or flame.

* Protective clothing which could be worn for a wide range of end uses, where there is a need for clothing with limited flame spread properties and where the user can be exposed to radiant or convective or contact heat or to molten metal splashes.

Secondary FR (SFR) chemical protective clothing:

Is designed to provide protection against particulate and/or liquid chemical hazards, while not negatively impacting the burn performance of the primary FR garments worn underneath.
Must always be worn over appropriate primary flame-resistant protective clothing in an environment that requires chemical protection, along with other personal protective equipment that protects your head, face, hands and feet.

EN ISO 14116

EN ISO 14116 specifies the performance requirements concerning the limited flame spread properties of materials, material assemblies, and protective clothing.

The standard aims to reduce the risk of ignition and burning of clothing when it is exposed to occasional and brief contact with small flames, thereby mitigating potential hazards to the wearer.

The Indexes in EN ISO 14116 refer to the various performance levels related to their protective capabilities and range from Index 1 (the lowest) to Index 3 (the highest) based on testing conducted in accordance with ISO 15025.

Sources:

SFR Fabrics

When selecting a secondary FR (SFR) protective garment, it is important to examine both the flame-resistant (FR) requirements and perform a hazard assessment for hazardous and nonhazardous particles, liquids, or chemicals. Please visit DuPont^™ SafeSPEC^™ to learn more about ProShield® 20 SFR and Tychem® 6000 SFR garments and the specified hazards they help protect against.

Chemical Resistant (CR) and/or Flame Resistant (FR) Protection Selection (Secondary / Primary)

*Please check DuPont™ SafeSPEC™ for permeation data that meets your specific needs based on the hazards identified in your hazard assessment.

Nomex® is a registered trademark of affiliates of New Arclin U.S. Holdings LLC.

Explore the Product Portfolio

NEW Tychem® 6000 SFR
ProShield® 20 SFR

<h2> </h2> <h2>NEW DuPont™ Tychem® 6000 SFR</h2>

Limited protection against flame spread (EN ISO 14116, Index 1) and durable yet lightweight protection against a wide range of toxic industrial chemicals, particulates, and biohazards in a light tan hooded coverall. Category III, Type 3-B, 4-B, 5-B and 6-B.

Discover Tychem® 6000 SFR

Multi-hazard protection with multiple benefits

Designed to provide chemical protection without compromising the performance of the primary FR worn underneath.

Tychem® 6000 SFR garments are lightwieght.

Tychem® 6000 SFR garments will self-extinguish with no or short after-flame once the flame/heat source is removed and won’t contribute to additional burn injury if worn over appropriate primary FR protective clothing.

Proven Thermal Manikin Test Performance

No toxic outgassing during flash-fire exposure
Outstanding burn protection (~3% predicted 2nd‑degree body burn*)
Minimal heat transfer to the body, demonstrated by very low energy absorption into the manikin

Tychem® 6000 SFR fabric has been permeation tested against more than 250 chemical challenges.

* Testing carried out with Tychem® 6000 SFR, worn over a primary FR clothing. Repeated tests consistently show <5% body burn.

Examples of Uses & Applications

Refineries

Petrochemical Plants

Hazardous maintenance operations

Tychem® 6000 SFR - Innovation Earning Industry Recognition

R&D 100 Awards (2025)

Winner in Materials category

Edison Awards (2026)

Winner in Materials Science category (Bronze)

INDEX™ 26 Awards

Nominee in Finished Product - Durable Application category

<h2> </h2> <h2>DuPont™ ProShield® 20 SFR</h2>

Limited protection against flame spread (EN ISO 14116, Index 1), and protection against particles, and low-level sprays in a breathable, lightweight white hooded coverall. Category III, Type 5 and 6. A solution to protect you and your flame-resistant workwear underneath Improving wearer comfort thanks to the open structure of its breathable non-woven SMS fabric.

Discover ProShield® 20 SFR