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500 EM385-1-1 Construction Safety Hazard Awareness for Contractors Sections 1 - 6
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05.I Electrical Protective Equipment.

05.I.01

Persons working on electrical distribution systems must be provided with the appropriate electrical protective equipment. This equipment must be inspected, tested, and maintained in safe conditions in accordance with Table 5-6.

SUBJECT NUMBER AND TITLE
Head Protection ISEA/ANSI Z89.1, Requirements for Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers
Eye and face Protection ANSI Z87.1, Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection
Gloves ASTM D120-02a, Standard Specification for Rubber Insulating Gloves
Sleeves ASTM D1051, Standard Specification for Rubber Insulating Sleeves
Gloves and sleeves ASTM F496, Standard Specification for In-Service Care of Insulating Gloves and Sleeves
Leather protectors ASTM F696, Standard Specification for Leather Protectors for Rubber Insulating Gloves and Mittens
Footwear ASTM F1117, Standard Specification for Dielectric Overshoe Footwear; ASTM 2412, Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection; ASTM 2413, Standard Specification for Performance; Requirements for Foot Protection.
Visual inspection ASTM F1236, Standard Guide for Visual Inspection of Electrical Protective Rubber Products.
Apparel ASTM F1506, Standard Performance Specification for Flame Resistant Textile Materials for Wearing Apparel for Use by Electrical Workers When Exposed to Momentary Electric Arc and Related Thermal Hazards

05.I.02

Employees must use rubber gloves, sleeves, blankets, covers and line hoses as required by special conditions for work on energized facilities. Rubber goods provided to protect employees who work on energized facilities must meet ASTM F18 standards. Electrical workers' rubber insulating protective equipment must be visually inspected for damage and defects prior to each use.

05.I.03

Rubber protective equipment must be subjected to periodic electrical tests. Rubber insulating gloves must be inspected before first issue and every 6 months thereafter; rubber insulating blankets and sleeves must be inspected before their first issue and every 12 months thereafter. Rubber insulating covers must be inspected upon indication that insulating value is suspect (per 29 CFR 1910.137).

05.I.04

Arc flashing training must include hands-on practice.

Electric arc flash protection must be provided for any person entering the flash protection boundary. See Section 11.B.

  1. Arc-rated clothing and PPE must be worn as determined by the incident exposure associated with the specific task. Refer to NFPA 70E for specific Hazard Risk Classifications and NFPA PPE Category Level Chart for Clothing/Equipment Requirements). > See Table 5-7.
Hazard
Risk
Category
Protective Clothing and PPE
0 Protective Clothing, Non-melting or Untreated Natural Fiber (i.e., untreated cotton, wool, rayon, or silk, or blends of these materials) with a fabric weight of at least 4.5 oz/yd² Shirt (long sleeve) Pants (long)

Protective Equipment: Hard hat; Safety glasses/ goggles (SR); Hearing Protection (ear canal inserts); Heavy-duty leather gloves (AN) (See Note 1); Leather work boots
1 Arc-Rated Clothing, Minimum Arc Rating of 4 cal/cm² (See Note 3)
Arc-rated long-sleeve shirt and pants or arc-rated coverall Arc-rated faceshield (See Note 2) or arc flash suit hood Arc-rated jacket, parka, rainwear, or hard hat liner (AN)

Protective Equipment: Hard hat; Safety glasses/goggles (SR); Hearing protection (ear canal inserts); Heavy-duty leather gloves (See Note 1); Leather work boots
2 Arc-Rated Clothing, Minimum Arc Rating of 8 cal/cm² (See Note 3)
Arc-rated long-sleeve shirt and pants or arc-rated coverall Arc-rated flash suit hood or arc-rated faceshield (See Note 2) and arc-rated balaclava Arc-rated jacket, parka, rainwear, or hard hat liner (AN)

Protective Equipment: Hard hat; Safety glasses/goggles (SR); Hearing protection (ear canal inserts); Heavy-duty leather gloves (See Note 1); Leather work boots
3 Arc-Rated Clothing selected so the System Arc Rating meets the required minimum arc rating of 25 cal/cm² (See Note 3)
Arc-rated long-sleeve shirt (AR)
Arc-rated pants (AR)
Arc-rated coverall (AR)
Arc-rated arc flash suit jacket (AR)
Arc-rated arc flash suit pants (AR)
Arc-rated arc flash suit hood
Arc-rated gloves (See Note 1)
Arc-rated jacket, parka, rainwear, or hard hat liner (AN)

Protective Equipment: Hard hat; Safety glasses/goggles (SR);
Hearing protection (ear canal inserts); Leather work boots
4 Arc-Rated Clothing selected so the System Arc Rating meets the required minimum Arc Rating of 40 cal/cm²
(See Note 3)
Arc-rated long-sleeve shirt (AR)
Arc-rated pants (AR)
Arc-rated coverall (AR)
Arc-rated arc flash suit jacket (AR)
Arc-rated arc flash suit pants (AR)
Arc-rated arc flash suit hood
Arc-rated gloves (See Note 1)
Arc-rated jacket, parka, rainwear, or hard hat liner (AN)

Protective Equipment: Hard hat; Safety glasses/goggles (SR);
Hearing protection (ear canal inserts); Leather work boots

AN: as needed (optional). AR: as required. SR: selection required.

  1. If rubber insulating gloves with leather protectors are required by NFPA 70E. Table 130.7(C)(9), additional leather or arc-rated gloves are not required.The combination of rubber insulating gloves with leather protectors satisfies the arc flash protection requirement.
  2. Face shields are to have wrap-around guarding to protect not only the face but also the forehead, ears, and neck, or, alternatively, an arc-rated arc flash suit hood is required to be worn.
  3. Arc rating is defined in Article 100 and can be either the arc thermal performance value (ATPV) or energy of break open threshold (EBT). ATPV is defined in ASTM F 1959, Standard Test Method for Determining the Arc Thermal Performance Value of Materials for Clothing, as the incident energy on a material, or a multilayer system of materials, that results in a 50 percent probability that sufficient heat transfer through the tested specimen is predicted to cause the onset of a second-degree skin burn injury based on the Stoll curve, in cal/cm2. EBT is defined in ASTM F 1959 as the incident energy on a material or material system that results in a 50 percent probability of breakopen. Arc rating is reported as either ATPV or EBT, whichever is the lower value.
  1. Synthetic clothing such as acetate, nylon, polyester, rayon, either alone or in blends with cotton, may not be worn while in the flash protection boundary.
  2. Employees must wear protective eye equipment whenever there is a danger from electric arcs, flashes, flying objects, or electrical explosion.
  3. Employees must wear arc-rated clothing whenever they may be exposed to potentially energized electrical equipment.
    • (1) Arc-rated suits and their closure design must permit easy and rapid removal.
    • (2) The entire arc-rated suit, including the window, must have energy-absorbing characteristics suitable for arc flash exposure.
    • (3) Clothing and equipment required by the degree of electrical hazard exposure can be worn alone or be integrated with normal apparel.
    • (4) Protective clothing and equipment must cover associated parts of the body and all normal apparel that is not flame-resistant, while allowing movement and visibility.
  4. Employees must wear rubber-insulating gloves where there is a danger of hand or arm injury from electric shock or arc flash burns due to contact with energized parts. Gloves made from layers of flame-resistant material provide the highest level of protection. Leather glove protectors should be worn over voltage-rated rubber gloves.
  5. Dielectric overshoes are required where electrically insulated footwear is used for protection against step and touch potential.

05.I.05

An air test must be performed on electrical workers' rubber insulating gloves before each use.

05.I.06

Protective equipment of material other than rubber must provide equal or better electrical and mechanical protection.

05.I.07

Tools must be insulated and manufactured to meet ASTM F18. The insulating tool portion must be made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP).

05.I.08

Only live-line tool poles having a manufacturer's certification to withstand at least the following test must be used: 100 (kilovolts) kV AC per ft (305 mm) of length for 5 minutes or 75 kV AC per ft (305 mm) for FRP tools. Records must be maintained for all live-line tools to demonstrate satisfactory accomplishment of laboratory and shop test.

05.I.09

Wooden tools are not authorized for use.

05.I.10

When using live-line tools, workers must use voltage rated gloves and not place their hands closer than necessary to energized conductors or to the metal parts of the tool.

05.I.11

Only tools and equipment intended for live-line bare hand work should be used on transmission lines. The tools must be kept dry and clean and must be visually inspected before use each day.

05.I.12

See Section 05.A.09 for requirements on lineman's personal fall protection equipment.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

5-16. When must electric arc flash protection be provided?