The flame-resistant (FR) clothing market has soared in the past five to ten years, paralleling the nation’s booming oil and gas industry.

Getting a better grasp on the phenomena of arc flashes and a better understanding of how to protect electrical workers against these potential killers in the workplace is the objective of a multi-year, $6.5-million program launched late last year by the IEEE and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Every year, more than 2,000 people are admitted to burn centers with severe arc-flash burns.