Carhartt issues voluntary recall of flame-resistant sweatshirts

August 17, 2016
3 Comments
Carhartt Protective clothing
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Dearborn, MI – Protective clothing company Carhartt has issued a voluntary recall of nine styles of flame-resistant sweatshirts manufactured from 2014 to 2016.

“Test results indicate inconsistencies in the performance ratings of these industrial garments, and some of the garments may not currently meet the requirements of NFPA 2112 and NFPA 70E,” the company states in an Aug. 17 press release.

The recalled garments:

  • FR Thermal-Lined Full-Zip Sweatshirt (style number 100647)
  • Flame-Resistant Heavyweight Klondike Sweatshirt (101203)
  • FR Klondike Sweatshirt (101247)
  • Flame-Resistant Striped Klondike Sweatshirt (101700)
  • Flame-Resistant Thermal Lined Sweatshirt (101702)
  • Flame-Resistant Klondike Hood (101951)
  • Flame-Resistant Heavyweight Hooded Sweatshirt (FRK006)
  • Flame-Resistant Heavyweight Zip-Front Hooded Sweatshirt (FRK007)
  • FR Crewneck Pullover Sweatshirt (FRK127)

Carhartt is directing customers to call (888) 894-7601 to return the garments and receive a refund.

“Carhartt takes seriously the safety of our hardworking customers,” President and Chief Operating Officer Linda Hubbard said in the release. “We’re committed to continuous improvement in our products and processes and will continue to work to meet and exceed industry standards.”

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Michael Batson
August 19, 2016
This is an unfortunate event but one that happens occasionally in the market. Specifying fabric brand is critical for Safety Professionals and individuals who buy PPE clothing. In this case the fabric was an unbranded knit using "not the best" durable water repellent chemistry which compromised the FR performance on some fabrics shipped going all the way back to 2014. Multiple garment brands aside from Carhartt who used this lower cost fabric from company ITI were impacted as well. There are alternative fabrics in the market readily available for those looking to replace their garments lost to this recall. For example, Polartec WindPro FR is offered by Carhartt as a substitute product, its made in America and the FR performance is guaranteed for life. I can't stress this enough - Pay attention to the garment brand because that ensures you get a well made product and then demand "or spec in" the fabric brand because that ensures your personal safety in the event of a workplace accident such as an arc flash or flash fire.
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Jenny Keith
August 26, 2016
This appears to be more related to the durable water-repellent finish than the fabric itself. The manufacturer you refer to has several lines of fabric, which are as durable as other brands, such as Polartec. Polartec is a fleece-based fabric, so understanding the differences in your fabrics is important in choosing your garment. Polartec is more stretchy and doesn't resemble your average cotton-blend sweatshirt. Several brands pull from very few FR manufacturers. This is not the first recall to hit the PPE flame-resistant market and no company or manufacturer is immune. Understanding your brand doesn't necessarily mean "choose the brand everyone knows", as is the case with Carhartt and National Safety currently. They are reputable. They have history. And they have voluntary returns/recalls currently. It's important to understand that no injuries were reported, and this was found during cyclical internal testing by Carhartt on garments tested over an extended period of time. The largest brands are susceptible to flukes, as are fabric manufacturers, as they work to 'innovate' by adding chemical processes like 'durable water-repellent finish'.
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Michael Salsbury
August 30, 2016
We have approx. 50 people that are in FR at our Coop. Is the recall replacement cost or will the garment be adjusted? We have ordered everything here listed above, and will find it very difficult to send in everything at once. How long of a period do we have? Sincerely, Michael Salsbury (Safety and Compliance)
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