Overalls - A warning - Loco Crews and Shed Staff please read!

I haven't seen a report of the investigation but guidance was issued to NYMR crews. I'll see if I can get hold of something. However, I'm effectively away until August so might struggle in the meantime.

 

Steve,

Thanks for your response, awaiting information to inform our staff. Grateful if anyone has further detail regarding cause of this incident.

 

Here is the content of a notice posted to NYMR staff. I have no authority to post this but I feel and hope that there is no harm in doing so.

"Following a recent accident, involving the burning of a member of footplate staff’s clothing whilst he was oiling a locomotive, please find information and advice on the selection, use and cleaning of protective clothing.

Selection: Until an investigation is completed you must assume that normal cotton boiler suits, dust coats and bib and brace etc may not be fire resistant, but they do provide a level of protection. Remember: Untreated Cotton fabric does burn readily. Do also remember that, unless otherwise stated, man made material does not provide protection and should only be worn over natural fibre clothing.
On completion of the investigation NYMR will make recommendations as to the quality and protective effectiveness of overalls worn when working on a steam locomotive. In the meantime be aware of the risk associated with cotton based protective garments even after washing.

The Safety team recommend: You avoid loose fitting clothing which will afford lower levels of protection. Chose a size that allows free movement, but is as close fitting as practicable.
The following care and washing:

• Where ever possible always consult the garment’s washing instructions:
• Wash separately in a Normal or Cotton cycle at any water temperature up to a maximum of 60ºC. Use any typical home laundry detergent.
• Turn garments inside out to reduce streaking from abrasion. Fill the washer no more than 2/3 full
• DO NOT use eco-settings such as ‘half load’, or reduced water use.
• DO NOT use chlorine bleach or liquid non-chlorine bleach
• DO NOT use fabric softeners or starch, they mask FR performance The use of conditioned or soft water can help improve removal of contaminants from garments. It is important that all soils and other contaminants are completely removed from garments during the wash process. This may require the use of stain removal products (check the label as some will state that they are not to be used on FR materials), or pre-soak garments prior to washing. The use of hot water can often make detergents more effective in the removal of soils. For further information, or advice, please contact the Safety Team."

These are recommendations to NYMR staff only and you should satisfy yourself that the recommended course of action is the correct one.

 

I have eleven months of virtually 100% railway involvement, apart from sleeping. A month of essentially no railways helps me re-charge my batteries and enthusiasm. No railways doesn't mean I won't be visiting Nat Pres, though! Need to keep up with what's happening!

 

Steve,

Thanks for the post. Still interested to hear further detail when available. Regards.

 

Crikey! We've come a long way from my wife's Uncle Alec (driver, Immingham MPD, retired 1967) laying his overalls down in the yard, pouring on boiling water and detergent and scrubbing them with the broom before finishing off with a well-aimed bucket of water. To the best of my knowledge, neither he nor any of his colleagues ever burst into flames, in his case even when he was machine gunned by the Luftwaffe on an 04 on the old GNR line through Lincolnshire (near Ludborough) in WW2. This didn't seem to be a problem in the pre-washing machine days when all we had to use were basic soap based wash powders or block soap. Why was fabric conditioner being used in the first place? Are we trying to be too technical? These are, after all, overalls.....

 

Has there still not been a report from NYMR after nearly 18 months?

 

Clearly we need an EU standard for overalls to match that for oven gloves.

 

See post 44.

 

Yes thanks, I saw that but was hoping there may a more detailed report by now.
Not a problem, it is important that these matters are fully and correctly investigated.
I hope everyone is being careful in the meantime.

 

Wait, you can wash overalls? I just batter mine with a pick helve whenever they try and walk off on their own..

Seriously though, good info on the fabric softener. Mind you I managed to set fire to mine in the pouring rain while soaked through. Sparks from rail saws are a bugger like that.

 

Still suprised by people putting fabric conditioner on overalls! Whatever next? Ironing them with creases? Tumble drying them with one of those sheets of paper that makes them smell of wild flowers? Whatever happened to the application of common sense?

 

Bucket of bleach/washing up liquid for a week, poke occasionally with a long stick.

 

Bleach and blue don't go!!

 

Still confused. did they catch fire because they were washed with fabric conditioner or because they were covered in oil?

 

Prefer the 'distressed' look

 

I use an off-cut of curtain pole. That gives them a really good poke, but a good rinse is important too, particularly if you don't want to disappear under a cloak of bubbles if it rains but also to ensure that there's nothing chemical and potentially hazardous left on them. As for the distressed look, I think it's me that has that these days.........



Mike

 

It was the fabric conditioner which caused the problem, not oil - and fabric conditioner can also interfere with the fire retardent properties of overalls which have been specially treated to be fire retardent.

If you get a spill of oil on your overalls, it's only that part which is at risk of catching fire. But, if you use fabric conditioner on overalls, then the entire garment is a fire hazard.

Jack E.

MTA - this report gives a lot more info on the risks:
www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr883.pdf

 

Jack,

Many thanks