Yes. When exposed to a flame, ProShield® 20 SFR fabric will burn. However, once the flame source is removed, the fabric will self-extinguish. ProShield® 20 SFR garments should not be used alone in areas where protection from fire or electric arc hazards is required.

Garments must be correctly and continuously grounded through contact with electrostatic dissipative shoes, flooring, and/or a grounding cable connected to the antistatic-treated side of the garment. If the wearer is not connected to a grounded surface, the wearer and garment will remain charged. Electrostatic charges can also build up on ancillary equipment such as breathing apparatus and other devices, which must be grounded separately. Attention should be paid to local humidity levels because the antistatic finish may not function effectively below 25% relative humidity. Garments with attached socks cannot be grounded through footwear.

When working in explosive environments, it is recommended to control the relative humidity, as an antistatic finish may no longer function effectively when relative humidity falls below 25%. The chemical protective suit must be correctly and continuously grounded using electrostatic dissipative shoes, flooring, and/or a grounding cable. If the wearer is not connected to a grounded surface, the wearer and garment may remain charged.

ProShield® FR garments are antistatically treated on both the inside and outside surfaces. ProShield® 10 White, ProShield® 10 Blue, and ProShield® 30 garments are antistatically treated on the inside. Easysafe garments are antistatically treated on the outside. ProShield® Proper and ProShield® Polyclean are antistatically treated for comfort only.

Typical mistakes include opening the garment or mask while working in the risk zone, leaving the hazardous area while wearing a contaminated garment and entering clean areas such as offices, carelessness around hot surfaces, sparks, or sharp edges, failing to wear protective clothing when performing a seemingly passive role in a hazardous area, improper or absent grounding due to insufficient awareness of electrostatic risks, selecting unsuitable fabric types or inadequate garment tightness levels for the hazard, and continuing to use garments that have become abraded or damaged, resulting in reduced protection.

No. Primary flame resistant (FR) garments, such as those made with DuPont™ Nomex® IIIA fabric, can be worn alone to provide protection from flame and thermal hazards. Garments made of Tempro® fabric are not substitutes for primary flame resistant protective garments. DuPont™ Tempro® garments are engineered to be worn over primary flame resistant or thermal protective garments to provide barrier protection from non-hazardous dry particulates and aerosols while minimizing contribution to burn injury in the event of a flash fire or electric arc. Tempro® garments are flame-retardant treated and designed to help keep the wearer's primary flame resistant garment clean.

In terms of chemical protective clothing, penetration is the passage of a chemical through a pore or opening in the barrier material. Permeation is the absorption, diffusion, and desorption of a chemical through the barrier material at the molecular level.

Resistance to penetration by liquids is a process in which a chemical moves through pores, seams, apertures, or essential openings in a material or finished item of clothing. Repellency is the ability of a fabric to shed liquid that is applied to its surface. Penetration and repellency are measured according to ISO 6530, commonly known as the 'gutter test.' Reference chemicals for penetration and repellency testing include 30% Sulphuric Acid, 10% Sodium Hydroxide, o-Xylene, and Butan-1-ol. Category III Type 6 chemical protective clothing requires a liquid repellency level of 3 for at least one of the four chemicals and a resistance to penetration performance level of at least 2 for one of the four chemicals. Performance levels are listed in the Instructions for Use for the specific garment and in SafeSPEC™ under Data/Penetration and Repellency. Measuring resistance to penetration and repellency is a fabric test applicable only to garments and is not required for the certification of partial body protection.

These fabrics have not been tested for permeation. Therefore, no data are available.

Primary flame resistant garments are designed to provide stand-alone protection from flame and arc exposures. Common examples include garments made of Nomex® IIIA and Protera®. When selected based on a proper hazard analysis, these garments can help protect against burn injuries from industrial fires or electric arc exposures. Secondary flame resistant garments are made from fabrics treated to resist ignition and self-extinguish after the flame or heat source is removed. They are intended to be worn over an appropriate primary flame resistant garment and are not expected to contribute to burn injury during heat or flame exposure. However, secondary flame resistant garments such as Tempro® or ProShield® FR do not provide protection from burn injury when worn without a primary flame resistant garment underneath.