Molten metal protective clothing selection examples

Example 1 – Casting iron in moulds on the floor using a ladle on an overhead crane runway

Step 1 – What are the risks from molten metal?

• Splashes from spillages – (level 1)
• Splashes or spills from the moulds – (level 1)
• Metal run out from a mould – (level 1)

Step 2 – Which garments are required?

If you assume that the overhead crane and runway are suitably maintained the major foreseeable risk is to the lower body.  You should therefore be providing protective trousers (see the Garment guide).

Step 3 – What metal is used?

Iron

Step 4 – What labelling should you look for on the protective clothing?

• From the results of your risk assessment you have decided that you need to provide clothing to protect the lower body against a Level 1 incident with molten iron
• You should look for protective trousers with a marking of E1 on the label (see Performance levels of materials during testing tables). This is likely to be written below a 'heat and flame protection' pictogram (shown below) and after the number of the relevant standard - EN ISO 11612.  (There may well be other performance-based codes described in the standard on the label)

Example 2 - Furnace men engaged in manual charging of electric induction furnace melting aluminium in scrap, bale and ingot form. Scrap stored in an open yard

Step 1 - What are the risks from molten metal?

• Minor splash if substances are charged clumsily (Level 1);
• Ejection of molten metal due to air or moisture becoming trapped beneath the surface of the melt (Level 3);
• Spillage when transferring melt to next vessel (Level 2).

Step 2 - What garments are required?

In choosing the garments, the worst foreseeable risk should be considered, ie. whole body risk (see Step 1, second bullet point). The choice would be a jacket and trousers to cope with a Level 3 incident.

Step 3 - What metal is used?

Aluminium

Step 4 - What labelling should you look for on the protective clothing?

• From the results of your risk assessment you have decided that you need to provide clothing to protect the whole body against a Level 3 incident with molten aluminium
• You should look for protective trousers and jacket with a marking of D3 on the label (see Performance levels of materials during testing tables).