Bulwark, a flame-resistant (FR) apparel brand, and US’ DuPont, leader of technology-based materials and solutions, have unveiled a new series of flame-resistant gloves for workers in the oil and gas industry. The iQ Series Advantage Collection FR Glove set consists of five insight-driven designs that bring fit, feel, flex, and fortified protection.

It is the world’s first and only NFPA 2112 compliant FR glove collection. Featuring patented Nomex and Kevlar technology, the iQ Series Advantage Collection FR Gloves range from general purpose leather and mechanic gloves to knitted FR gloves that provide exceptional dexterity, grip, and impact and flame resistance, according to the DuPont press release.

The iQ Series Advantage Shield 100 is a general-purpose leather glove.  It is breathable with flame-resistant Nome Essential Cut technology on the back of hand for improved comfort, shirred elastic wrist, durable leather palm. iQ Series Advantage Mechanic 100 is a general-purpose mechanics glove. It has a breathable Nomex and Kevlar fabric on the back of hand and artificial leather palm and fingers for added abrasion protection. It has an adjustable hook and loop at the wrist for a snug and secure fit. It has a reinforced knuckle strap for added protection.

The iQ Series Advantage Grip Guard 100 is a knitted FR glove. It is built with patented Nomex and Kevlar engineered yarns knitted into a 18-gauge glove with foam neoprene palm coating. It has exceptional stretch and recovery for snug and secure fit. The iQ Series Advantage Grip Guard 200 is a knitted FR glove with impact protection. It is built with patented Kevlar engineered yarns knitted into an 18-gauge glove with FR palm coating and bumpers for impact protection. It has exceptional stretch and recovery for snug and secure fit.

The iQ Series Advantage Shield 200 is a lined leather glove with impact protection. It is built with a patented yarn knitted liner with durable leather palm coating and bumpers. Engineers evaluated the gloves using DuPont’s Thermo-Hand^, the latest burn evaluation unit created to demonstrate the heat and flame protection performance of emerging glove options that are designed to meet the updated NFPA standard. Thermo-Hand simulates a full-scale flash fire exposure and was developed to help industrial workers better understand the range of options available for effective thermal hand protection.

In recent years, the NFPA updated two standards, NFPA 2112 and NFPA 2113. These standards include glove specifications for industrial flash fire protection, minimum performance criteria and testing guidelines for FR garments, and provide hand protection guidance for oil and gas and chemical industries to help minimise safety risks. The unit provides a visual means of enabling industrial PPE specifiers and end-users to understand the inherent flame risks and corresponding levels of thermal hand performance and protection available via demos in controlled burn situations. In addition, Thermo-Hand provides a means to educate industrial workers on the durability, heat, and flame resistance of hand protection solutions.

“We have served as the relentless protectors of those who power the world for 50 years and are proud to partner with industry leader DuPont to create a solution to keep the world's hardest workers protected from the elements they face every day,” Robert Grimes, vice president and general manager of Bulwark, said in a statement.

“We continually strive to listen to the feedback of the market and industry leaders to deliver new and innovative solutions that meet worker needs. We value our strong partnership with Bulwark as they are leading the industry in FR apparel and are well positioned to deliver this portfolio of multi-hazard gloves to the O&G industry,” Amr Moniem, global marketing manager, DuPont Personal Protection, said.