Seven Common Myths Related to Electrical Specific Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

1. Rubber Boots and Gloves Make You Invincible to Electric Shocks:

Myth: Wearing rubber boots and gloves can protect you completely from electric shock.

Reality: While rubber PPE can provide some protection, it's not foolproof. Electrical work requires gloves and boots specifically designed and tested for shock protection. Rubber insulating gloves and protectors are used as a system to prevent electrical shock and need to be adequately rated for the work task.

Dielectric boots are marked with a white rectangle with an orange Greek letter omega that indicate?they are electric-shock protective footwear. Both the Rubber Insulating Gloves and dielectric boots must be tested and certified to specific voltage levels.

Using non-approved gloves and boots can lead to inadequate protection and increased risk.

2. Casual Clothing Is Acceptable Under Arc Flash Suits:

Myth: You can wear your regular clothes underneath an arc flash suit as long as you're covered.

Reality: Arc flash suits are designed to provide protection against thermal hazards, but wearing regular clothing underneath made of polyester and synthetic blends can compromise their effectiveness and melt to the skin.

Undergarments that are flame-resistant or arc-rated, are specifically designed to be worn beneath arc flash suits to enhance protection. It is also acceptable to wear 100% cotton undergarments under the arc flash suit.

3. Cotton Clothing Provides Adequate Protection Against Arc Flash:

Myth: Wearing cotton clothing is sufficient protection against arc flash hazards.

Reality: Cotton is not flame-resistant and can easily ignite and continue to burn when exposed to an arc flash. Inherently flame-resistant and arc-rated clothing made from materials like Aramid or other arc-rated fabrics is recommended over 100% cotton undergarments to provide proper protection against arc flash incidents.

4. Safety Glasses and Hard Hats Provide Sufficient Protection Against Electrical Hazards:

Myth: Standard safety glasses and a regular hard hat are adequate protection against all electrical hazards.

Reality: Safety glasses are primarily designed to protect against impact and debris, and standard hard hats are designed to protect against falling objects, but they are not sufficient on their own for protection against electric shock and arc flash.

Electrically rated hard hats, often referred to as Class E helmets, provide additional dielectric protection to help mitigate electric shock hazards, but for electrical work, proper face shields or arc flash hoods with arc-rated visors/lenses should be worn as well to safeguard against arc flashes and associated hazards.

5. Only High Voltage Requires Arc Flash Protection...PPE Isn’t Necessary for Low Voltage Work:

Myth: Arc flash hazards only occur in high-voltage environments, so Personal Protective Equipment is only required for high-voltage electrical tasks.

Reality: Electrical hazards like arc flash and shock can occur at various voltage levels, including low voltage. Faulty equipment, improper procedures, and inadequate maintenance can all lead to arc flash and shock incidents.

While the severity of hazards might differ, proper PPE should be selected and used based on the potential risks associated with the task, regardless of voltage.

It's imperative to assess the potential for arc flash and shock hazards in any electrical work environment through a detailed Shock Risk Assessment and Arc Flash Risk Assessment prior to performing any work.

6. PPE Eliminates the Need for Proper Training and Procedures:

Myth: Wearing PPE negates the importance of proper training and following of safety procedures.

Reality: Donning PPE is the last line of defense against electrical hazards. Elimination, Substitution, Engineering Controls and Administrative Controls should be performed prior to using PPE.

Although PPE is a vital component of electrical safety, it should complement thorough training and adherence to established safety protocols in addition to any other risk mitigation available.

PPE alone cannot guarantee safety; understanding the risks, following procedures, and using PPE correctly are all critical.

7. The 40 Cal Myth: Arc Flash Hazards Greater Than 40 Cal Exceed the Protective Limits of Arc Flash PPE:

Myth: Energized work cannot be completed above 40 cal/cm2 of incident energy as the arc flash blast pressure is too high, and no safe PPE exists.

Reality: Arc blast pressure is a valid concern attributed to fault current and containment size. However, its effects are mitigated when opening equipment doors or removing panels due to the factor of containment. Most work tasks are performed with equipment doors or panels removed, allowing the arc blast pressure to escape.

Incident energy and arc blast pressure do not correlate. Incident energy calculations are based on maximum available short circuit fault current, upstream protective device clearing time, and the working distance.

Electrical equipment could have a very high incident energy level with low fault current and a long clearing time. In this scenario, the arc blast pressure would be low due to the fault current, but the incident energy could be high enough to require a 100 cal/cm2 arc flash suit.

There have been no documented cases of a worker dying from an arc blast (or arc flash) while wearing suitably rated and appropriate for use arc flash PPE.

The electrical specific PPE industry has come a long way in arc flash and shock protection, and suits are commercially available with arc ratings up to 140 cal/cm2.

The cal/cm2 Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV) of PPE required for the work task should be determined based on a thorough risk assessment of the task being performed.

Factors such as equipment voltage, fault currents, clearing times, and work distance from the arc source all play a role in determining the appropriate PPE required for the incident energy level.

It's crucial to dispel these myths and ensure that electrical workers have accurate information about the appropriate PPE for different tasks and hazards. Always prioritize safety by following industry standards and regulations and your company’s Electrical Safety Program policies and procedures to prevent incidents and injuries.

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