What PPE is required for electrical?

Insulated Gloves – Insulated gloves will prevent electricity from traveling into your hands should there be an exposed wire, short circuit, or other issue. Insulated Matting – Insulated matting will put a protective layer between the employee and the floor.

How do you determine PPE category?

The Arc Flash Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Category is determined by consulting the PPE tables in article 130.7 of the NFPA 70E standard. PPE categories range from 1 to 4 (with four having the highest incident energy rating and requiring the most protective gear).

What PPE is needed for arc flash?

PPE – safety glasses or safety goggles, hearing protection (ear canal inserts), voltage rated gloves with leather protectors. Clothing – Arc-rated long-sleeve shirt and pants or arc-rated coverall, arc-rated face shield or arc flash suit hood, arc- rated jacket, parka, rainwear, or arc-rated hard hat liner.

What does 4 cal cm2 mean?

The ATPV is measured in cal/cm2, and it’s defined as the maximum incident heat energy that a fabric can absorb and lessen the injury to a 2nd degree burn. If the worker is exposed to a potential incident heat energy level of less than 4.0 cal/cm2, the proper ATPV clothing system is 4 cal/cm2.

What is the minimum PPE required?

1 The basic, or minimum, PPE to be worn by everyone at the pipeline construction site includes: Head protection (hard hat). Eye protection (safety glasses with rigid side shields). Safety footwear.

Can I always use the PPE category tables to determine PPE requirements?

You may use the PPE categories as long as you understand the issues. But you will typically be overdressing your workers. So there is nothing wrong with using an HRC3 or ARC3 or CAT3 Arc-Rated suit for an 8.1 cal/cm² exposure, but it isn’t mandatory.

What is the PPE category that presents the least amount of arc flash risk?

PPE CAT 1
PPE CAT 1 represents the lowest level in which Arc Rated PPE s required.

What is arc rating of PPE based on?

The newest version (2015) of NFPA 70E, the standard for electrical safety in the workplace, classifies PPE levels for arc ratings based on the amount of incident energy that it can withstand measured in units of cal/cm2. For example, an arc rating within the range of 25 to 39 cal/cm2 is classified PPE level 4.

What cal suit do I need?

Arc Energy Basics

Hazard Risk Category Required Minimum Arc Rating for PPE Clothing Description
Cal/cm2
0 n/a Untreated Cotton
1 ≥4 Arc Rated Flame retardant (FR) shirt, FR trousers or FR coverall
2 ≥8 Arc Rated Flame retardant (FR) shirt, FR trousers or FR coverall

What does cal mean in electrical terms?

Calories per Centimeter Squared (cal/cm2): This is a number identifying the amount of energy that can be delivered to a point at a particular distance from an arc flash.

Which PPE clothing material can protect against chemicals and electricity?

Rubber
Wool and specially treated cotton clothing are fire-resistant and comfortable. Heavy fabrics protect against cuts and bruises from heavy, sharp or rough materials. Leather guards against dry heat and flame. Rubber protects against acids and chemicals.

Which class of protective Hat provides high voltage protection and is used by electrical workers?

Class E (Electrical)
Class E (Electrical) Hard Hats are designed to reduce exposure to high voltage conductors, and offer dielectric protection up to 20,000 volts (phase to ground).