Some of the comments in this thread scare me, many opionions, little facts. Lets answer the question shall we? Here is a OSHA regulation that has been in existance since 1981.
"1910.269(l)(6)(iii) The employer shall ensure that each employee who is exposed to the hazards of flames or electric arcs does not wear clothing that, when exposed to flames or electric arcs, could increase the extent of injury that would be sustained by the employee.
Note: Clothing made from the following types of fabrics, either alone or in blends,
is prohibited by this paragraph, unless the employer can demonstrate that the fabric has been treated to withstand the conditions that may be encountered or that the clothing is worn in such a manner as to eliminate the hazard involved:acetate, nylon, polyester, rayon."
I could also quote several general requirements on this topic from OSHA that require employers to follow industry standards like the NFPA 70E, the related 70E topics have been covered in this discussion.
In addition the new OSHA standard uses the exact wording from the 70E regarding clothing requirements. It is due out soon, and can be downloaded from
www.osha.gov. While you are there, feel free to browse all of the injuries and fines from recent arc flash related accidents involving systhetic blend clothing.
