Page 34 - Occupational Health & Safety, March 2019

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Circle 14 on card.
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While this worker may be wearing arc-rated FR daily wear, he is still not fully protected.
This worker is fully protected for the electrical task he’s working on.
difference between life and death, as the majority of fatalities from arc flashes result from clothing ignition and not from the arc flash itself.
Just as with automatic seat belts, complacency can creep into arc-rated clothing programs. “I’m already largely protected, so I’ll just do this quick task without temporarily putting on my balacla- va, arc-rated faceshield, or electrical gloves” is something we still hear routinely today.
This complacency can be dangerous when it comes to protect- ing the face and hands or properly protecting yourself from devas- tating electrical shock hazards.
Developing a PPE Program and
Creating a Culture of Safety
In addition to an arc-rated daily FR program, there is another good alternative path you can take leading you to the same protection.
1. Task-Based and Daily Wear: Both Can Provide a Path to Safety
In a “daily wear” program, workers would already be wear- ing arc-rated FR clothing (usually a CAT 2 shirt/pant or coverall combination). However, before they start a task, they still need to ensure the arc rating is adequate for the job, and they must add the other important PPE, which includes a balaclava, faceshield/hard hat, ear plugs, safety glasses, and voltage-rated rubber gloves and
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