PROTECTIVE CLOTHING GUIDELINES FOR ELECTRIC-ARC EXPOSURE

Since 1982, when Lee wrote [1], industrial and utility engineers have been attempting to better quantify the degree of risk to personnel ass ociated with electric are exposure and the appropriate protective clot hing to wear to mitigate serious injury. Recent activity by OSHA, NFPA 70E, and ASTM F-18 has further emphasized the need to protect workers from are flash burn injuries. This paper discusses the results of rec ent multiphase are testing which has enhanced knowledge about potentia l are energy as a function of prospective fault current and are protec tive clothing designs that are suitable for different levels of incide nt are energy. Incident energy levels are correlated with second-degre e burn criteria for unprotected human skin. Protective clothing system s consisting of flame-resistant outer layers in single-layer and multi ple-layer construction, as well as combination systems of flame-resist ant outer layers with natural and man-made fiber inner layers are disc ussed. Protection recommendations for the face, head, hands, and feet are also included.