[The choice of work clothes and the risk of ignition]

Cotton is easily ignited in atmospheric air. Aramid (Nomex) is only ignited if the oxygen concentration is 30% and the ignition temperature is 800 degrees C. Thirty one steelmill employees used one hundred and twenty suits of working clothes made of cotton, cotton/polyamide, cotton/polyester or Aramid (Nomex) in a four month period. 17% were more comfortable when using cotton/polyester. No differences were found between cotton and Aramid. Cotton should not be used as textile for working clothes in environments with risks of ignition.