Page 7 - Occupational Health & Safety - eDITION, August 2017

PPE
DITION
It’s very important to complete an arc flash hazard assessment on your electrical equipment.
covers, they allow electrical workers increased dexterity and ability to complete troubleshoot- ing voltage-measuring tasks without a problem. Note: As the voltage increases, so will the thick- ness of the rubber insulated gloves.
(5) Is it important to check my voltage-rat- ed rubber insulated gloves for cuts and holes before using?
In an event of an electric shock, electricity will follow through the path of least resistance, pass- ing through any hole or cut in the rubber insu- lated glove. If you’re going to wear voltage-rated rubber insulated gloves for shock protection, you need to check before each use for any holes or cuts in your rubber insulated gloves.
(6) Should I buy EH boots (Electrical Hazard) for better shock protection?
It is important to understand that EH rated boots are different then dielectric boots that must be tested on a regular basis. EH rated boots have protective insulating qualities that over time will break down and may not provide the same pro- tection as when you first purchased them. As the soles of the boots wear out, the insulating quali- ties reduce. It is for this reason that EH boots are considered a good secondary, not primary, level of protection. Note: EH boots, if maintained and replaced when worn, will provide added electri- cal insulating qualities and protection.
(7)When it comes to purchasing arc flash PPE, is it important to involve your workers?
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. There are many choices in the market today. And if you want your employees to wear their PPE, arc flash clothing and equipment, you’ll want the design to be more comfortable and easier to use than ever before.
If electrical workers feel comfortable with what they’re wearing, they are more likely to comply with your company’s PPE policies.
(8) Is it important to enforce PPE policies?
PPE policies must be discussed on a regular basis to ensure that employees understand the importance of wearing the correct PPE and also the consequences of not wearing PPE. Unfortu- nately, it is human nature to try to get by without wearing the correct PPE. Because it only takes one time to make that crucial mistake, it is so im- portant to remind workers throughout the year the consequences of not wearing PPE in your company.
(9) Should I include arc flash PPE in my elec- trical safety program?
Because there can be a lot of confusion on arc flash protection, it’s very important to spell out in detail how to select the appropriate arc flash PPE and how to determine arc flash boundaries in your electrical safety program. The employer is responsible for providing arc flash protection gear, and the employee is responsible for wear- ing and maintaining that arc flash protection. The selection of the appropriate arc flash protection is imperative, requiring training for qualified per- sons helping in that decision-making process.
(10) Do I need to wear arc flash protection every time I do electrical work?
It is important to understand that just be- cause there is an electrical shock hazard present, it doesn’t mean there won’t be an arc flash hazard present as well. That is why it’s very important to complete an arc flash hazard assessment on your electrical equipment. There are two methods that can be used to determine what the appropriate arc flash PPE should be. A table method has been provided in the NFPA 70E standard to help de- termine whether an arc flash hazard exists and
If you’re going to wear voltage-rated rubber insulated gloves for shock protection, you need to check before each use for any holes or cuts in your rubber insulated gloves.
then what appropriate PPE should be worn. The problem with this method is that it’s based on a set of electrical parameters that may or may not fit your specific equipment.
The only true way to determine whether an arc flash hazard is present, and at what level, is by completing an incident energy analysis on your equipment. This type of analysis is an en- gineering study that is completed by collecting the correct electrical data and plugging it into a
computer program.
David Weszely is the Safety and Training Manager at Lewellyn Technology and has been with the company for five years. He provides vi- sion, leadership, safety training, and technical expertise in areas of workplace safety, including electrical safety program development. He has done several webinars regarding training and safety programs.
7 Occupational Health & Safety | AUGUST 2017 | www.ohsonline.com
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