Page 6 - Occupational Health & Safety - eDITION, August 2017

PPE
DITION
Top 10 Arc Flash PPE Frequently Asked Questions
Because comfort and feel is very important to people, it’s crucial that you involve the workers wearing the clothing and PPE, to try it on before they are made to wear it regularly.
BY DAVID WESZELY
(1)Will a 100 Cal/cm2 arc flash suit protect me better?
It’s not a good choice to buy a 100 Cal arc flash suit instead of a 40 Cal suit, all because you think it’s going to provide more protection. Because of the energy produced in arc flash explosion above 40 Cal, electrical workers should always try to de-energize equipment or use remote devises. Purchasing or using a 100 Cal suit or higher can provide you with more protection, but the fact is the human body can only handle so much pres- sure from an arc flash explosion. Experts agree that any explosion over 40 Cal is too much for the body to handle and that de-energizing equip- ment is a much safer route. Purchasing a 100 Cal suit will provide a false sense of security; in the event of an arc flash, the suit may survive, but you will not.
NFPA 70E requires the combination of safety glasses and an arc flash shield to provide proper arc flash protection.
(2) Are protective faceshields the same as arc flash faceshields?
Wearing a protective faceshield that is not arc rated will not provide arc flash protection. Although they may look similar, a simple pro- tective faceshield will melt in the event of an arc flash event. Arc flash faceshields are designed to protect the face from very high thermal heat produced during an arc flash event. Always make sure to check your faceshield for the arc flash rat- ing, which should be located on the shield itself.
Note the NFPA 70E requires the combination of safety glasses and an arc flash shield to provide proper arc flash protection.
(3) Do I need to buy expensive arc flash clothing?
It is very important to determine first how much the clothing will be used. Will your arc flash clothing be used daily or used occasionally a few times a year? It is also important to under- stand that arc flash clothing and arc flash suits need to be tested and approved before they are sold, but the quality of the fabric material is up to the manufacturer.
Example: If you use an arc flash suit only on occasion, then buying a lower-priced suit may be a better decision because it will not wear out nor need to be washed. It is important to understand that both priced suits will protect you from an arc flash. It is up to you to determine the amount of wear frequency the suit will have.
(4) Do I have to wear thick leather gloves for arc flash protection?
It is important to understand that gloves used for shock and arc flash protection have come a long way and have enabled the user much dexter- ity to do their task without any handling prob- lems. Voltage-rated rubber insulated gloves must be worn with leather covers to provide the appro- priate arc flash and shock protection. Selection of gloves depends on the voltage that you will be working with or troubleshooting on. Most elec- trical tasks involve work under 500 volts. If the voltage is below 500V, then 00-insulated gloves are only required. These insulated gloves are thin rubber, and when worn with goat skin leather
6 Occupational Health & Safety | AUGUST 2017 | www.ohsonline.com
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