Personal Protective Equipment

in 2008
by
Troy Philipps
It All Burns
Niagara Mohawk & Arley Morley
Flame Resistant Rainwear or Not?
FTMS 191A 5903.1 A vertical flame test that only
determines if the fabric extinguishes after removal
of the ignition source. (General application of this
test method requires the material self-extinguish
within two seconds and that no more than six
inches of the material maybe consumed by the
flame.) Currently ASTM D 6413.
OSHA 1910.132
General Duty Clause
Occupational Safety and Health Standards
Personal Protective Equipment
1910.132(a) Protective equipment, including personal
protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities,
protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective
shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and
maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it
is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or
environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or
mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of
causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of
the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.
OSHA
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 (I)(6)(iii) The
employer shall ensure that each employee
who is exposed to the hazards of flames or
electric arcs does not wear clothing that,
when exposed to flames or electric arcs,
could increase the extent of injury that would
be sustained by the employee.
www.osha.gov
Flame & Arc Resistant Rainwear
ASTM F1891-02b A Standard Specification
for flame and arc resistant rainwear that
includes various performance criteria for
strength and water resistance of materials
and seams. Reported data includes ATPV,
Ebt, HAF, afterflame, charring, dripping,
embrittlement, melting, and shrinkage.

NESC 2007
NESC 2007 The 2007 edition of the National Electrical
Safety Code may pose significant work rule changes for
electric utilities. The updated code, which is detailed in the
NESC-2007 handbook, covers the following areas.
Effective January 1, 2009, the updated code requires each
employer to perform an arc hazard assessment for
employees who work on or near energized parts or
equipment. If the assessment determines a potential
employee exposure greater than 2 cal/cm2, the employer
will be required to provide clothing or clothing systems that
have an effective arc rating not less than the anticipated
exposure.
What is ATPV?
The arc rating called the Arc Thermal
Performance Value (ATPV) expressed in
calories per square centimeter represents the
maximum capability for arc flash protection of
arc flash clothing, which may include clothing
systems.

Energy Break Through (Ebt)
High Visibility Clothing
ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 On September 15, 2004 the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved a
revised edition of the standard, ANSI/ISEA 107-2004. This
standard provides a uniform, authoritative guide for the
design, performance specifications, and use of high-
visibility and reflective apparel including vests, jackets,
bib/jumpsuit coveralls, trousers and harnesses. Garments
that meet this standard can be worn 24 hours a day to
provide users with a high level of conspicuity through the
use of combined fluorescent and retroreflective
materials. "The revision doesn't change the basic
requirements of the standard such as garment dimensions,
color or retroreflective performance, with the exception of
clearly prohibiting any kind of sleeveless garment to be
labeled Class 3 when worn alone," explained ISEA Janice
Bradley. www.safetyequipment.org
Flame Resistant Clothing
ASTM F 1506 Standard Performance
Specification for Flame Resistant Textile Materials
for Wearing Apparel for Use by Electrical Workers
Exposed to Momentary Electric Arc and Related
Thermal Hazards. This performance specification
covers the flame resistance of textile materials to
be used for wearing apparel for use by electrical
workers exposed to momentary electric arc and
related thermal hazards. www.astm.org
NFPA 70E
NFPA 70E The National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) published the latest edition of the NFPA 70E
Standard (Standard for Electrical Safety Requirements for
Employee Workplaces) in 2004. OSHA considers the
NFPA 70E standard a recognized industry practice.
www.nfpa.org
NFPA 70E now requires employees to wear flame resistant
(FR) protective clothing that meets the requirements of
ASTM F1506 wherever there is possible exposure to an
electric arc flash. It also requires employers to perform a
flash hazard analysis to determine the flash protection
boundary distance.
NFPA 70E HR Categories
The standard is designed to protect employees
working inside the flash protection boundaries by
requiring protective clothing for the corresponding
Hazard/Risk Category that has an arc thermal
performance value (ATPV) of at least the value
listed.
Category 1: Minimum of 4 ATPV
Category 2: Minimum of 8 ATPV
Category 3: Minimum of 25 ATPV
Category 4: Minimum of 40 ATPV

Arc Pro Software
A. Internal Hazard Evaluation
B. Outsource Evaluation
Simply Your FR World
Cutters & Sewers
Fabrics
Nomex
FR Cotton (Indura, Ultra Soft, Excel)
Lenzing/Kermel

Global Sourcing
Chicago Union Shop
3 Plants in Kentucky
Mexico
Dubai
Tunis, North Africa
Europe
China
Reliable High Performance
Products, Inc.

Carhartt
Bulwark
Workrite
Faithful
Topps
Crown East
Bulk Buy vs. Clothing Program
What is Bulk Buy?

How does Clothing Program work?
($500 per year)
Laundry vs. Direct Purchase
Laundry More Expensive
3 Year Contracts
Hard To Break Contracts
No Special Cleaning Required
(no bleach or fabric softener)
Charge Backs for Ripped or Torn Garments
Direct Purchase Provides Flexibility Choice
TCV Safety Eyewear
Comfortable &
Contemporary
Flame Resistant to 600F
Arc Resistant Lense