Don't Burn Baby Burn

 While I love "Disco Inferno" by the Trammps, it is best kept as a great song and not something you experience on the job.  When I was asked to begin creating  flame resistant undergarments for women, it was my buddy at Lincoln Electric who shared with me the burns they were seeing in the industry.  Women were not being adequately protected and that is just an unacceptable fact. 

Having 10+ years of experience in the bra industry seemed like a perfect fit (pun intended) for me to research the current need and develop products to protect women.  One of the early articles that I came across was in a Motor Trend article from 2014.  It reviewed articles of clothing that will burn when exposed to fire, and, of course, bras are one of those items.  

The highly flammable fabrics bras are commonly made of makes perfect sense that they would melt or burn when exposed to fire and heat.  Bras are not the only clothing made of these fabrics though.  Underwear, both women's and men's, tank tops, and t-shirts are all items often made of highly flammable fabrics. Take any of the popular athletic brands and their heat/ cold clothing made from their performance fabrics, and you will find that while they may help keep you cooler or warmer, they are also highly flammable.  So, while you are trying to keep cool under your race gear or your safety clothing, when exposed to fire or high heat, you're not going to like the burns they leave behind. 

Cotton is often a suggested solution and yet, cotton offers no moisture wicking capability and holds the moisture in against the skin.  As you already know, wet clothing against the skin never really feels good; especially for long periods of time.  I was educated early on to the risks of moisture soaked cotton and the steam burns it can cause when the conditions are right. 

If not now, when? This is a question we frequently ask women working in the industries and motorsports arenas.  At what point will you decide to fully protect your skin?  The base layer garments are your last line of defense when faced with a potential danger and once the skin is burned, it's like the plate that shattered when it hit the floor; it's never going to look the same as it did before it broke. Even once it is glued back together, or your skin heals, there are always marks and scars left behind as a reminder of what could have been prevented. 

I have posted a link to the original article below.  Take care of yourself girls!  You deserve to be well protected on the job so you can enjoy your life when you're off the clock. 

To your safety! 

Kelly 

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/5-things-that-will-catch-on-fire/

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