FR Protection, Matched to the Hazard
NFPA 2112 Certified, Arc-Rated FR Clothing for Your Crew
Need NFPA 2112 certified, arc-rated FR clothing for your crew? Whether you outfit oil and gas, electric utility, petrochemical, welding, or manufacturing teams, Bulwark FR matches protection to the hazard as part of a complete employer-documented PPE program. Flame resistance is engineered to remain effective through repeated industrial laundering per manufacturer care instructions. Browse Bulwark FR: FR Shirts, FR Pants, Bibs & Coveralls, Hi-Vis, iQ Series, Jackets & Outerwear, Lab Coats, Women's FR, Accessories, and Chemical-Splash Protection.
NFPA 2112 Certified FR Clothing for Oil, Gas & Petrochemical Workers
Flash fires ignite without warning when flammable vapors, gases, or combustible dust meet an ignition source — and a worker has seconds to survive. NFPA 2112 certified garments are third-party tested to limit body burn, and Bulwark FR’s inherent fabrics — Nomex®, Westex G2™, and Ten Cate Evolv™ — build that protection into the fiber, so it does not wash out over the life of the garment when laundered per manufacturer care instructions.
Arc-Rated FR Clothing for Electric Utility Linemen & Maintenance Electricians
An arc flash releases intense thermal energy in milliseconds — far faster than a worker can react. NFPA 70E defines the required arc rating by PPE category: CAT 1 starts at 4 cal/cm², CAT 4 requires 40 cal/cm² or higher. Bulwark FR covers the full CAT 1 through CAT 4 range, so your hazard assessment drives the selection.
Bulwark FR Fabric Guide
Every Bulwark FR garment starts with the fabric. Use this guide to understand the fabric families behind the styles in this collection — each style’s fabric and ATPV are listed on its product page.
iQ SERIES®
Engineered from the yarn to the fabric finish.
High-performance fibers built into superior fabrics in multiple weights — designed around the wearer for comfort, mobility, and all-shift wear.
EXCEL FR®
100% cotton. 100% comfort. 100% flame-resistant.
FR-treated cotton for foundries, flame cutting and welding, electric utilities, and oil and gas — warranted flame-resistant for the life of the garment under Bulwark’s manufacturer warranty.
EXCEL FR® COMFORTOUCH®
Cotton’s comfort. Nylon’s durability.
FR-treated 88% cotton/12% nylon blend engineered for long-lasting protection across most work environments, including electric utility, chemical, oil and gas, and petrochemical work.
NOMEX® ESSENTIAL
Lightweight. Breathable. Inherently flame-resistant.
DuPont™ Nomex® Essential (93% Nomex® aramid / 5% Kevlar® aramid / 2% anti-static fiber) — inherent flame resistance favored in petrochemical, refinery, and electric and gas utility work.
COOLTOUCH® 2
Durable. Wickable. Blended inherent.
Lightweight blended-inherent fabric (modacrylic/lyocell/para-aramid blend) pairing softness with lasting durability, available across CAT 1 and CAT 2 styles.
HI-VISIBILITY FR
Flame-resistant. Comfortable. Compliant.
Dual-hazard garments that add ANSI/ISEA 107 visibility to certified flame resistance for traffic control, construction, and utility work along roadways.
HI-VISIBILITY RAINWEAR
Be safe. Be dry. Be seen.
FR rainwear designed so it does not melt, drip, or burn when exposed to an electric arc or flash fire — an effective barrier against rain and wind.
MOLTEN METAL® PROTECTION
Shed molten aluminum. Cast off cryolite.
Specialized garments for the aluminum casting industry, designed to shed molten aluminum and cryolite while remaining flame-resistant for the life of the garment when laundered per care instructions.
Icon Legend — What the Badges on Our Product Cards Mean
The badges on each product card show that style’s certification and arc-flash PPE category at a glance. Click any icon to see what it means.
NFPA 2112 Compliant +
Bulwark Protective Apparel offers flame-resistant garments certified by UL to NFPA 2112, the standard for flame-resistant clothing protecting industrial personnel against short-duration thermal exposures from fire. NFPA 2113 requires that garments cover the upper and lower body, and flammable underlayers, as completely as possible — met either by a single garment such as a coverall, or by wearing certified garments together, such as a shirt with pants.
Category 1 Protection +
An arc-rated FR long-sleeve shirt and FR pants, or an FR coverall, selected so the system arc rating meets a required minimum arc rating of 4 cal/cm².
Category 2 Protection +
An arc-rated FR long-sleeve shirt and FR pants, or an FR coverall, selected so the system arc rating meets a required minimum arc rating of 8 cal/cm².
Category 3 Protection +
Arc-rated FR long-sleeve shirt and FR pants or FR coverall, plus arc flash suit, balaclava, and similar items, selected so that the system arc rating meets a required minimum arc rating of 25 cal/cm².
Category 4 Protection +
Arc-rated FR long-sleeve shirt and pants or FR coverall, plus arc flash suit, selected so that the system arc rating meets a required minimum arc rating of 40 cal/cm². Note: CAT 4 outerwear is not equivalent to 40 cal switching gear or flash suits and does not offer equivalent protection for switching and similar activities.
CP 100 Protection +
Garments that provide repellency for a low level of liquid chemical-splash protection. They repel many — but not all — acids, corrosives, oxidizers, and polar organic solvents, typically those with medium-to-high surface tension and polarity. Their application is only for inadvertent liquid chemical splash of small volumes at atmospheric pressure; garments remain flame-resistant for a low level of thermal protection.
NOTEAbout short-sleeved FR shirts +
Short-sleeved FR shirts are not intended to be worn as single-layer protection, because they do not fully cover potentially exposed areas as completely as possible. Pair them with appropriate arc-rated layers per your employer’s PPE program.
What is the difference between NFPA 2112 and NFPA 70E? +
NFPA 2112 is the certification standard for flame-resistant clothing designed and third-party tested for protection against short-duration flash fires; garments are certified to meet it. NFPA 70E is the workplace electrical safety standard that governs arc-flash protection and defines the arc-flash PPE categories (CAT 1–4). In short: NFPA 2112 certifies the garment for flash fire, while NFPA 70E guides arc-flash PPE selection. Bulwark FR garments are built to NFPA 2112 and arc-rated to support NFPA 70E programs.
What is the difference between flash-fire and arc-flash protection? +
A flash fire is a short burst of flame, typically under five seconds, that occurs when flammable vapors, gases, or combustible dust ignite — addressed by NFPA 2112 and its companion NFPA 2113. An arc flash is an electrical event that releases intense thermal energy, addressed by NFPA 70E. Flash-fire protection is measured by NFPA 2112 certification; arc-flash protection is measured by a garment's arc rating (ATPV) in cal/cm². Many Bulwark FR garments protect against both.
What arc rating (cal/cm²) do I need for each NFPA 70E category? +
NFPA 70E defines four arc-flash PPE categories by minimum arc rating: CAT 1 = 4.0–7.9 cal/cm², CAT 2 = 8.0–24.9 cal/cm², CAT 3 = 25–39.9 cal/cm², and CAT 4 = 40 cal/cm² or higher. The required category for a task comes from your arc-flash risk assessment. Bulwark FR spans CAT 1 through CAT 4, and each style's ATPV is shown on its product page.
Is Bulwark FR clothing inherently flame-resistant or chemically treated? +
Bulwark FR uses both constructions, and the Fabric Guide above shows which is which. Inherent fabrics — Nomex®, CoolTouch® 2, Westex G2™, Ten Cate Evolv™ — build flame resistance into the fiber itself, so it is not a topical treatment. FR-treated fabrics — Excel FR® cotton and Excel FR® ComforTouch® cotton/nylon — are engineered and warranted by Bulwark to remain flame-resistant for the life of the garment when laundered per manufacturer care instructions.
Does Bulwark FR clothing stay flame-resistant after washing? +
Yes. Bulwark warrants the flame-resistant properties for the life of the garment under its manufacturer warranty, provided the care, laundering, and maintenance instructions on the garment label are followed. NFPA 2112 fabrics are tested for flame resistance after 100 wash-and-dry cycles.
Which industries use Bulwark FR clothing? +
Bulwark FR is worn by crews in oil and gas, electric utility, petrochemical, welding, and manufacturing and maintenance — anywhere a hazard assessment identifies a risk of flash fire or electric arc flash. Garment selection should always match the specific hazard as part of a complete, employer-documented PPE program.
Content on this page is provided for general information only and may contain errors or omissions; it is not safety or compliance advice. All certifications, arc ratings (ATPV), warranties, and product descriptions are the manufacturer’s — always verify specifications against current manufacturer documentation and product labels before final PPE decisions. Garment selection must be based on a qualified hazard assessment per NFPA 70E and NFPA 2112, and real-world protection depends on proper selection, fit, care, and use within your employer’s PPE program. Copperstone Workwear is an authorized Bulwark FR distributor.
Authorized Bulwark FR Distributor