Employer Responsibilities
Prior to requiring workers to wear electrical PPE, employers are required to:
Electrical protective equipment properly rated for voltages and tested regularly.
- Perform hazard assessments, as required, and determine the PPE needed to protect workers.
- Provide training on the proper use of PPE for working on or near exposed energized parts.
- Discuss PPE needs during required job briefings.
- Inspect and test certain PPE such as insulating (rubber) gloves and sleeves to ensure that they are not damaged or defective, and will provide the needed protection.
Voltages
Electrical protective equipment used for the protection of employees must be capable of withstanding, without failure, the voltages that may be imposed upon it. It must be rated for the AC voltage of the parts being covered (phase to ground or phase to phase) and are designated in 1910.137, Table 1-4, Rubber Insulating Equipment, Voltage Requirements. Below is a summary of the classifications:
- Class 00 - maximum voltage that may be safely used is 500 V.
- Class 0 - maximum voltage that may be safely used is 1 KV.
- Class 1 - maximum voltage that may be safely used is 7.5 KV.
- Class 2 - maximum voltage that may be safely used is 17 KV.
- Class 3 - maximum voltage that may be safely used is 26.5 KV.
- Class 4 - maximum voltage that may be safely used is 36 KV.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
6-2. Electrical protective equipment used for the protection of employees must be capable of withstanding, without failure, _____.
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