Did you know that most fire-related deaths occur from smoke inhalation and not direct burning? In most cases, fire-related deaths occur because the victim gets pinned down by the fire or immobilized by burns. Choosing the right fire protection can give your team members the opportunity to escape or the confidence to intervene in the event of a dangerous blaze.
Of course, there are standards and metrics you can look out for when selecting the fire protection your team needs. This handy guide is going to give you pro tips on what to look for when choosing your fire suit supplier.
Two Types Of Fire Protection
The two main types of fire suits available are single-layer and multi-layer suits. Their effectiveness at protecting the wearer against severe burns is measured by an index called the thermal protective performance (TPP) rating. This rating indicates how long a person would have to escape a fire before they get second-degree burns.
When a person’s suit has a given TPP rating, they will have half that rating’s value in seconds to escape before they get second-degree burns. So if a suit has a TPP6 rating, the occupant generally has 3 seconds to escape.
Choose the Fire Suit That Fits Your Sport
The vehicles in different racing leagues present different dangers because of the design of the vehicles themselves. Formula-One sees very few fire-related injuries or deaths compared to Nascar and Drag Racing. Different leagues’ vehicles are built to different standards and pose different kinds of threats.
Top fuel drag racing regulations require drivers and crews to wear TPP80 suits. Your crew won’t these heavy multi-layered suits if you’re managing a Rally team, but you should still equip your drivers with moderate fire protection.
Choose the Fire Suit That Fits Your Role
Since there are many roles that individuals fulfill in a driving team, it stands to reason that different types of team members will need different kinds of fire protection. You can optimize your team’s performance and the cost by selecting position-specific fire suits.
The crewmembers who refuel the car and work on the wheels will need thick multi-layered fire suits. Static electricity built up in the wheels can give off sparks. These sparks can set any fuel on a crewmate’s uniform or on the ground alight.
Drivers will need racing fire suits, which will need to protect them from burns for long enough to escape a fire. However, you also have to think about limiting weight and getting a good fit so that the driver can be mobile enough if they need to run or roll.
Equip Your Team With the Right Fire Protection
Selecting a good fire suit for each member of your team is a life-saving action. Make sure you know what kind of suit you select by checking its TPP rating. It’s also good to customize your fire suits to fit your crew well so that they can still be mobile and competitive.
Crew and driver safety are important aspects of motor racing team management. If you found our suit selection tips useful, check out some of our other informative articles about key motorsport elements.
