If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Overalls - A warning - Loco Crews and Shed Staff please read!

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Steve, Dec 30, 2014.

Page 1 of 4
  1. Steve

    Steve Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    13,085
    Likes Received:
    12,691
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Recently, a colleague of mine was badly burned when his overalls caught fire whilst oiling up. The exact circumstances are still under investigation but he was wearing a conventional cotton 'prep' coat and cotton bib'n'brace. Such overalls are normally regarded as non-flammable. However, it would appear that when the overalls had been washed, a fabric conditioner had been used. Although it is a known fact that fabric conditioners can make fabrics flammable, it was something I didn't know nor, seemingly, anyone else I have discussed it with.

    A full report will be published when the investigation is complete but please heed this warning and do not use fabric conditioners when washing overalls.
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2014
    Steve, Dec 30, 2014
    #1
    Hando, Southern1556, jnc and 2 others like this.
  2. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,917
    Likes Received:
    6,202
    Thanks for the heads up Steve, I didn't know that about fabric softener either.
     
    Pete Thornhill, Dec 30, 2014
    #2
  3. 32110

    32110 Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2006
    Messages:
    655
    Likes Received:
    803
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired from full time paid work
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Thanks for the warning. I hope your colleague is now on the mend and please pass on my, and most likely all loco crews, best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.
     
    32110, Dec 30, 2014
    #3
  4. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,917
    Likes Received:
    6,202
    In fact Steve I hope you don't mind, the information is so important that I have amended the title and made it a sticky post at the top of the section to raise awareness, hope that's ok.

    Pete
     
    Pete Thornhill, Dec 30, 2014
    #4
    siranorak likes this.
  5. Steve

    Steve Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    13,085
    Likes Received:
    12,691
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I've no problem with this at all. It is not just with overalls but anything labelled as flame resistant, especially childrens clothes. As I said, people don't generally seem to know this but Googling soon brings up this fact.
     
    Steve, Dec 30, 2014
    #5
    Pete Thornhill likes this.
  6. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,917
    Likes Received:
    6,202
    Yes as I said until you mentioned it I had no idea - certainly something that should be in the wider knowledge that is for sure.
     
    Pete Thornhill, Dec 30, 2014
    #6
    walmsley73096 likes this.
  7. Snifter

    Snifter Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    1,701
    Likes Received:
    4,304
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Cotton overalls tend to become impregnated with paraffin and other oils so their effectiveness is quickly compromised.
     
    Snifter, Dec 30, 2014
    #7
  8. Steve

    Steve Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    13,085
    Likes Received:
    12,691
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    That's why you wash them! Frequently! I only wear them for one day before doing so.
     
    Steve, Dec 30, 2014
    #8
    Standard 4MT and Seagull like this.
  9. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2008
    Messages:
    3,155
    Likes Received:
    302
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Railway servant
    Location:
    Worcester
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Perhaps a luxury that many people don't have. When I go to Wales for a week I don't take 7 boiler suits with me and I doubt many others do either!
     
    Neil_Scott, Dec 30, 2014
    #9
  10. Steve

    Steve Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    13,085
    Likes Received:
    12,691
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Perhaps not but, no doubt, common sense will be applied and you won't wear overalls soaked in oil/paraffin.
     
    Steve, Dec 30, 2014
    #10
  11. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2008
    Messages:
    3,155
    Likes Received:
    302
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Railway servant
    Location:
    Worcester
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    No I wouldn't, I try to keep as clean as I can during the prep/disposal of a steam engine. Any overalls that appear to be saturated with oil or other chemicals/lubricants I wash as soon as I can.
     
    Neil_Scott, Dec 30, 2014
    #11
  12. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    8,240
    Likes Received:
    3,389
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Engineer & Heritage Volunteer
    Location:
    N Warks
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    You say 'whilst oiling up' Do you know what the source of ignition was Steve?
     
    Sheff, Dec 30, 2014
    #12
  13. Steve

    Steve Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    13,085
    Likes Received:
    12,691
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I'd rather wait for the investigation report to be published, if that's OK. That way, what I've heard and what turns out to be the reality won't get confused..
     
    Steve, Dec 30, 2014
    #13
    jnc, Jamessquared and Sheff like this.
  14. Snifter

    Snifter Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    1,701
    Likes Received:
    4,304
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Either you have two washing machines, are not married or your wife wears black ! I have to soak mine in a bucket in the boiler house for days and pop them in the machine when herself is out shopping.
     
    Snifter, Dec 30, 2014
    #14
    Paul Kibbey likes this.
  15. Steve

    Steve Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    13,085
    Likes Received:
    12,691
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Only one machine, married and, alas, she never wears black!. I used to have to do similar to you (except we don't have a boiler house!) and clean out the machine after use, as well. However, these days I wash them at the railway. Both the ones I'm involved with have washing machines.
    Steve's Household hint no. 673. If you do wash them at home, wash them after each use (you may need several pairs), turn them inside out and put them in a plastic bag before putting them in the drum, then remove the plastic bag. Doing all this may be tedious but it avoids a lot of the problems and, more importantly, a domestic!
     
    Steve, Dec 31, 2014
    #15
    Paul Kibbey likes this.
  16. b.oldford

    b.oldford Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2009
    Messages:
    245
    Likes Received:
    55
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Shropshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Another way to avoid a domestic if the railway doesn't have a washing machine is to use the launderette.
     
    b.oldford, Dec 31, 2014
    #16
  17. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    8,240
    Likes Received:
    3,389
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Engineer & Heritage Volunteer
    Location:
    N Warks
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Do they still exist? I don't know of one anywhere near here.
     
    Sheff, Dec 31, 2014
    #17
  18. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,917
    Likes Received:
    6,202
    There's one in Albert Square :D
     
    Pete Thornhill, Dec 31, 2014
    #18
    Paul Kibbey and Wenlock like this.
  19. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2005
    Messages:
    10,429
    Likes Received:
    10,380
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Alderan !
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    The individual concerned has shared some images on Facebook of the clothing and the burns received . He seems ok and from last posting skin grafts hopefully won't be required and he is in good spirits
     
    Sidmouth, Dec 31, 2014
    #19
    Paul Kibbey and Sheff like this.
  20. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    8,240
    Likes Received:
    3,389
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Engineer & Heritage Volunteer
    Location:
    N Warks
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    That's good news indeed.
     
    Sheff, Dec 31, 2014
    #20
Page 1 of 4

Share This Page