Do you or don’t you need arc flash protection?
Do you or don’t you need arc flash protection?
If you or your employees are working on or near to electrical sources, then you must have a thorough understanding of the NFPA 70E regulations.
Article 110 of NFPA 70E details the general requirements for electrical safety-related work practices, and a requirement of this regulation is to carry out a risk assessment to identify hazards and risk of arc flash and their likelihood before making an informed decision on the level of arc flash protection required.
Arc flash can cause serious internal and external burns, blindness due to ultra-violet light and even deafness, so it’s your responsibility carry out a risk assessment on each individual task to gauge how much arc flash protection you will require.
By determining the maximum duration of a potential arc, the potential energy level from arc flash, whether it will take place in an open or enclosed space and the flash protection boundary within which PPE will be required, you can find out what PPE you will be required to supply and train staff on its correct use.
What Types Of Arc Flash Protection PPE Are Available Should I Identify A Need For Arc Flash Protection?
The minimum PPE requirements for arc flash are set out in IEC 61482. It’s important to note that and in some cases, this can still result in severe burns, so it is up to employers to provide the best arc flash workwear they possibly can to help protect their workforce.
IEC 61482 covers both performance and design. It sets the standard for the garment and the fabric it is made from. The fabric and the finished arc flash clothing as a whole should be tested against arc flash to ensure it can stand up to the hazard after exposure. This also covers accessories such as zips, which must remain workable following an arc incident.
Wearwell provides several pieces of high-quality arc flash PPE, including our most advance range of workwear, the Tecwear Multi-Norm Boilersuit, Tecwear Multi-Norm Jacket, Tecwear Multi-Norm Two-Tone Trouser and the Tecwear Multi-Norm Trouser. This range has been specifically designed and manufactured to reduce the effects of arc flash.
Protection for the ears is also important, as arc flash noise can permanently damage the hearing with incidents reaching 140 decibels, so it is an employer’s duty of care to provide their employees with good quality, flame retardant ear protection.
For more advice on the wide range of PPE available to protect staff from the risks of arc flash, and what you’ll need to comply with the latest arc flash PPE regulations, contact Werawell on:
- Telephone: 01827 63651
- Email: sales@wearwell.co.uk
