Electrical and Arc Flash Safety

ArcWear.com/e-Hazard.com Electric Arc Newsletter August 2010

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:46:16 +0000

In This Issue

Arc Test Dates

ArcWear Featured on FOX Business News with DRIFIRE

Burn Up the Myth: Poly-blends under Arc-rated?

IEEE/IAS 2011 Electrical Safety Workshop

FLASH Poll: Metal Snaps

OSHA Fines this Month

NEW Electrical Safety Articles & Video

e-Hazard Classes

Low Voltage

Qualified

Billings, MT

9/1/2010

Denver, CO

9/14/2010

Fargo, ND

9/15/10

Spokane, WA
9/21/2010

Nashville, TN

10/6/10

Lancaster, PA

10/12/2010

Evansville, IN

10/25/10

Sydney, OH

11/9/10

Decatur, AL

11/9/10

Arc Flash Calculations for Utilities

(includes NESC Safety & Arc Flash Awareness)

[12 hrs]

Denver, CO

9/28/10-9/29/10

Train The Trainer

Evansville, IN

10/25/2010 – 10/28/2010

Click the image below to visit our featured sponsor
and see their FREE YouTube Videos.

Our Sponsors

NASCO Rainwear

Steelgrip Arc Rated Gear

National Safety Apparel

Paulson Manufacturing (Arc Flash Face shields)

Workrite

Ullfrotte FR Wool

Neese Industries Rainwear

Riverside Manufacturing

PyroSafe by Antex

AJ Charnauld Protective Clothing South Africa

Tecgen Extreme

Indura UltraSoft by Westex

Sponsor

Click the image below

to visit Walls FR Website

Sponsor

Click the image below

to visit NSA site.

Hugh Hoagland Speaking Engagements

Hugh Hoagland & Drake Drobnick

Speaking:

VPPPA Conference

Orlando World Center Resort & Convention Center

August 23-26, 2010

Drake Drobnick

Chinese Nuclear Power Commission

Shanghai, China

August 27, 2010

2010 Safety Expo

Dayton, OH

September 16, 2010

Estambril Arc Flash Symposium

Barcelona, Spain

Sept. 30, 2010

National Safety Council Expo

Oct 6, 2010

San Diego, CA

DOE Electrical Safety Workshop

Oct. 7, 2010

Brookhaven, NY

IDT Arc Flash Conference

Johannesburg, South Africa

Nov. 23-26, 2010

Sponsor

Click the image below

to visit CUSP Website

Quick Links

ArcWear.com

Newsletter Archive

August 2010

Dear ArcLetter Member,

The ArcWear™ Electric Arc and Flash Fire Newsletter NOW from e-Hazard.com too.

It is a quick update on Flame Resistant Clothing issues and news from OSHA and standards committees. The newsletter is FREE, reaches over 12,000 people and will bring you up to date on the issues that surround flame resistant clothing for flash fire hazards and the electric arc. For previous newsletters or to sign up, visit http://www.arcwear.com or http://www.e-Hazard.com

ArcWear™ Arc Testing Dates

2010

Sept 20 – 24
Oct 25 – 29
Nov 21 – 26
Dec 13 – 17

ASTM F1959, ASTM F2178, ASTM F887 fall protection arc testing and mannequin testing at the Kinectrics Lab in
Toronto on the dates above.

Ship materials or clothing to:

Hugh Hoagland
ArcWear.com
13113 Eastpoint Park Blvd.
Suite E
Louisville, KY
40223
PH: 502-314-7158

arctesting@ArcWear.com

We must receive one week before the test date for sample preparation or make arrangements to ship to lab. New and non US/Canadian Customers must make payment before test date. Testing is offered on a first come/first served basis with priority for consulting customers. New policy: $100 per material for prep/washing and cutting panels and $150 for international report shipping. No guarantee is made of when testing will occur.

ArcWear.com featured on FOX Business News

“Inside Business Review“, a TV program hosted by Fred Thompson, ran a 5 minute segment on DRIFIRE brand. DRIFIRE was selected as part of their series on “Insuring Our Safety and Security Through Innovative Technology”.

The first National airing was Sunday, 8/22 at 4:00 EST, on Fox Business News. The segment will also air in other media such as CNN and local news over the coming weeks.

The segment will be on the DRIFIRE site as of today. Hugh Hoagland of ArcWear.com was featured talking about arc rated clothing and t-shirt ignition.

Burn Up The Myth:

Poly blends under Arc-Rated?

Question: Can I wear poly blends under arc-rated clothes?

Answer: Your company requires that you wear 40 cal/cm2 suits for all work requiring arc rated clothing. This is usually a sign of a company which has not done a proper hazard assessment or who has a preliminary program.

A quality arc hazard assessment doesn’t over-simplify the clothing to the worst case scenario. It does however attempt to protect all workers from the hazards.

We understand that your normal work clothing (daily wear) consists of a poly-cotton shirt and pant and you are worried that wearing this type of clothing under arc-rated clothing might be a hazard. Based on clothing tests performed by ArcWear.com, we agree that the combination of poly-cotton blends under arc rated clothing may expose workers to serious burns from possible clothing ignition from a tracking arc or breakopen of the flash suit.

NFPA 70E is very clear about this issue as is NFPA 2113 for flash fire exposure.

Article 130.7(C)(12), , entitled “Factors in Selection of Protective Clothing” states, “Clothing and equipment that provide worker protection from shock and arc flash hazards shall be utilized. Clothing and equipment required for the degree of exposure shall be permitted to be worn alone or integrated with flammable, non-melting apparel.” (Emphasis mine)

NFPA 70E Article 130.7(C)(14), entitled, “Clothing Material Characteristics” goes on to say, “Clothing made from flammable synthetic materials that melt at temperatures below 315°C (600°F), such as acetate, acrylic, nylon, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, and spandex,either alone or in blends, shall not be used.” (Emphasis mine.)

NFPA 70E reiterates this in Article 130.7(C)(15), on page 36, entitled, “Clothing and Other Apparel Not Permitted”states “Clothing ….made from materials that do not meet the requirements of130.7(C)(14) regarding melting, or made from materialsthat do not meet the flammability requirements shall not bepermitted to be worn.”

So, We recommend you use arc-rated undergarments or natural fiber garments UNDER arc flash suits in potential arc hazards.

We further recommend using an arc-rated daily wear, either HRC 1 or HRC2 level and add a flash suit to that. The simplified two category arc rated clothing system as described in NFPA 70E Annex H, page 83 is also a good option. Keep in mind, you will be using the tasks as listed in Table130.7(C)(9), page 30 of NFPA 70E. Therefore, your power distribution system short-circuit current capacities and fault clearing times need to meet or be less than as noted in the table notes.

Some companies have helped with heat stress by purchasing an arc flash suit designed to work WITH their daily wear to provide the required protection to avoid OVERDRESSING for the hazard. One plus of this approach is less heat stress and probably a clothing savings. We prefer arc rated daily wear when possible. For those rarely exposed to arc flash, natural fibers are allowed by the standard.

Al Havens & Hugh Hoagland

IEEE/IAS-2011 Electrical Safety Workshop

IEEE IAS 2011 Electrical Safety Workshop

Sheraton Centre

Toronto, Ontario

January 24-28, 2011

Most of you are familiar with the Electrical Safety Workshop sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Industry Application Society (IAS). This is by far the best event for electrical safety I attend all year.

We will have a Kinectrics Arc Flash Lab Visit one day this year with special exhibitions. You don’t want to miss this year’s event.

The next workshop will be held January 24-28, 2011 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario. The exhibits program will be held on Wednesday, January 26, from 3-6pm.

Visit http://ewh.ieee.org/cmte/ias-esw/ for more information.

Flash Poll Continues: Metal Snaps in NFPA 70E

The flash poll takes only 2 minutes.

The majority of the 88 respondents so far disagree with me (which is great to know). Metal snaps on clothing for arc flash MUST be covered on the back to prevent heat transfer but they are currently allowed by ASTM F1506. One respondent noted that the metal snaps on the cuff would be the most hazard but they are covered by his rubber insulating gloves.

What do you think?

Take the poll by clicking here.

Make a comment on the blog by clicking here.

Fines by OSHA on Electrical Hazards this Month
Most citations this month include electrical hazards. Over $1 million in July. Click here to see the citations and our commentary.

New Electrical Safety Articles & Video
We scour the web for the BEST articles. Here are some articles published recently on arc flash and electrical safety. Articles Click here to see the latest articles on arc flash and safety. Videos FREE Video Site at e-Hazard.com Video Online NFPA 70E Training in Eight Hours at Your Own Pace.

Our newsletter is sponsored by many companies around the world. If you have ideas for articles or have questions, don’t hesitate to write.

Sincerely,

Hugh Hoagland
ArcWear.com

13113 Eastpoint Park Blvd. Suite E

Louisville, KY 40223

PH: 502-314-7158

hugh@arcwear.com

Forward email

Electrician, 46, Electrocuted at Moorehead, KY Unemployment Office

Hugh Hoagland — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:39:11 +0000

No word on how this happened. Usually someone THINKS the line is de-energized and it is not. Simple work practices make electrical safety as much a habit as other types of safety.

Click here to read about the electrocution in Moorehead, KY

Kleen Energy Explosion Citations of $16 Million in Fines include NEC “Listing” Violations

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:58:01 +0000

Kleen Energy explosion included “Citations …for failing to install & use electrical equipment in accordance with its listing and labeling.” OSHA and the NEC (NFPA 70) which is law in most states require electrical equipment be used in accordance with its listing and labeling. It is all to common to find citations on this even in new plants like this one.

Click here to read the OSHA press release of on these fines.

Two Workers Shocked in Friendswood, TX

Hugh Hoagland — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:10:38 +0000

A General Electric employee and a Centerpoint Energy employee were injured in a shock incident inside their work truck. There are rules in OSHA 1910.269 and the NESC about mobile equipment in proximity to power lines. Many different things can happen in the work place. Often we find human error is at play in these incidents. We hope these workers are OK.

Click here to read the examiner.com article.

Burn Up the Myth: Metal Snaps on Arc Rated Clothing in ASTM F1506 and NFPA 70E?

Hugh Hoagland — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:58:13 +0000

Question: Can we use metal snaps on shirts for NFPA 70E? Our traditional shirts have snaps and we are wearing arc rated t-shirts for daily wear then putting on arc rated long sleeved shirts for energized work.

Answer: Good question! This opens up how standards work and are often misinterpreted.

NFPA 70E says 130.6 (D) “Conductive articles of jewelry and clothing (such as watchbands, bracelets, rings, key chains, necklaces, metalized aprons, cloth with conductive thread, metal headgear, or metal frame glasses) shall not be worn where they present an electrical contact hazard with exposed energized electrical conductors or circuit parts.”

ASTM F1506 which is cited by NFPA 70E for clothing requirements says the following:
“6.1.1 NOTE 4-If fasteners or closures, for example, zippers, snaps, or buttons, or a combination thereof, are used in a manner in which they are in contact with the skin, they can increase heat transfer and burn injury due to heat conduction or melting onto the skin. Fasteners or closures that are used in this manner should be covered with a layer of fabric between the fastener or closure and the skin. The fabric used for this purpose shall meet the requirements of this performance specification.” ASTM F1506-08

The issue in NFPA 70E is shock. The issue in F1506 is arc flash. Metal can conduct electricity but small snaps have little chance of doing this (not NO chance). Companies may have whatever policies they wish and some manufacturers do not offer metal snaps. Others cover the snaps but many offer either option. This comes back to risk. Very few companies regulate metal belt buckles but most regulate jewelry.

Jewelry can fall off. Conductive aprons etc. cover large areas of the body with conductive materials. This is a matter of interpretation and our internal consensus was that snaps would not be necessarily prohibited. We have decided to take this to a survey and report the results next month.

OSHA, NFPA nor ASTM have any official mentions of metal snaps so the choice is still one for the market.

We know of no incidents where metal snaps caused an arc or shock. In Randy Feltholder’s accident, which was a medium voltage shock, the metal rivets in his jeans conducted the electricity better and caused deeper burns in that area. So even small amounts of metal aren’t NO risk. But metal snaps will probably not cause an arc or shock if all other PPE is worn correctly and proper safe work methods are used.

Some manufacturers cover the snaps with a plasticized dielectric covering to allow the convenience of snaps and further lessen the risk of shock.

OSHA proposes $420,000 in fines against US Postal Service Processing Facility in Vermont

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:05:39 +0000

This citation raises the stakes against the USPS to almost $4 million in fines. I’m very sure this will NOT be paid in full. Just a strong message to USPS and others that electrical hazards and training are important.

Recently I have found that the USPS does have arc flash labels available in house that are basic NEC 2005 labels noting requirement for arc flash and shock protection requirements. So they are moving in the right direction.

Click here to read the OSHA citation press release for electrical hazards at the Vermont facility.

Widespread … electrical hazards at Eastford, Conn., Whitcraft Aircraft Parts Manufacturer

Hugh Hoagland — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:09:41 +0000

OSHA cited Whitcraft LLC for 44 alleged serious violations of workplace standards at its Eastford, Conn., aircraft parts manufacturing plant.

OSHA said, “These sizable fines reflect the breadth and gravity of the hazardous conditions identified during our inspection at this workplace, conditions which should not have existed in the first place,”

The “electrical hazards including misused electrical equipment, lack of safe electrical work practices and personal protective equipment, and employees working on live electrical equipment; fire and explosion hazards stemming from combustible dust in improperly designed processing equipment and dust collection systems; combustible materials stored next to a heated press adjacent to an exit route; flammable liquids used in close proximity to ignition sources, and improper disposal of rags and swabs soaked with flammable liquids.”

Important to note OSHA is tying in electrical more often and being tougher on it in the past two years. ComDust also mentioned more often seems to me.

Click here to read the entire press release on electrical hazards at Whitcraft in CT.

Disney Employee Electrocuted Working with Temporary Transformer

Hugh Hoagland — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:18:47 +0000

A Disney vetran, age 50, was electrocuted on a job he had been shocked on before according to the news report. He had been shocked because of inexperienced workers in the past according to his wife’s news report.

Most of these fatalities are preventable. Doesn’t look like any equipment failure. Looked like “deenergized work” that became energized. Most of the fatalities we investigate are caused by “thinking it was off” rather than standard safety checks.

Our best to a great company and a family on their loss.

Click here to see the video news report on the electrical fatality.

ArcWear.com/e-Hazard.com Electric Arc Newsletter July 2010

admin — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:20:15 +0000

In This Issue

Arc Test Dates

NESC Mobile Edition for IPhone

Burn Up the Myth: Metal Snaps

FLASH Poll: Metal Snaps

FREE State-Funded Workplace Training Grants

South Africa’s SANS 724 Article Published

OSHA Fines this Month

NEW Electrical Safety Articles & Video

Click the image below to visit our featured sponsor.

e-Hazard Classes

Low Voltage

Qualified

Salt Lake City, UT

8/3/10

Cedar Rapids, IA

8/10/2010

Phoenix, AZ

8/17/10

Reno, NV

8/24/10

Billings, MT

9/1/2010

Denver, CO

9/14/2010

Fargo, ND

9/15/10

Spokane, WA
9/21/2010

Lancaster, PA

10/12/2010

Louisville, KY

10/25/10

Sydney, OH

11/9/10

Arc Flash Calculations for Utilities

(includes NESC Safety & Arc Flash Awareness)

[12 hrs]

Denver, CO

9/28/10-9/29/10

Train The Trainer

Louisville, KY

10/25/2010 – 10/28/2010

Click the image below to visit our featured sponsor
and see their FREE YouTube Videos.

Our Sponsors

NASCO Rainwear

Steelgrip Arc Rated Gear

National Safety Apparel

Paulson Manufacturing (Arc Flash Face shields)

Workrite

Ullfrotte FR Wool

Neese Industries Rainwear

Riverside Manufacturing

PyroSafe by Antex

AJ Charnauld Protective Clothing South Africa

Tecgen Extreme

Indura UltraSoft by Westex

Sponsor

Click the image below

to visit Walls FR Website

Hugh Hoagland Speaking Engagements

Hugh Hoagland & Drake Drobnick

Speaking:

VPPPA Conference

Orlando World Center Resort & Convention Center

August 23-26, 2010

Drake Drobnick

Chinese Nuclear Power Commission

Shanghi, China

August 27, 2010

Estambril Arc Flash Symposium

Barcelona, Spain

Sept. 30, 2010

National Safety Council Expo

Oct 6, 2010

San Diego, CA

DOE Electrical Safety Workshop

Oct. 7, 2010

Brookhaven, NY

IDT Arc Flash Conference

Johannesburg, South Africa

Nov. 23-26, 2010

Sponsor

Click the image below

to visit CUSP Website

Quick Links

ArcWear.com

Newsletter Archive

July 2010

Dear ArcLetter Member,

The ArcWear™ Electric Arc and Flash Fire Newsletter NOW from e-Hazard.com too.

ArcWear™ Arc Testing Dates

2010

Aug 16 - 20
Sept 20 – 24
Oct 25 – 29
Nov 21 – 26
Dec 13 – 17

ASTM F1959, ASTM F2178, ASTM F887 fall protection arc testing and mannequin testing at the Kinectrics Lab in
Toronto on the dates above.

Ship materials or clothing to:

Hugh Hoagland
ArcWear.com
13113 Eastpoint Park Blvd.
Suite E
Louisville, KY
40223
PH: 502-314-7158

arctesting@ArcWear.com

NESC Now Offers Mobile Edition

The National Electric Safety Code (NESC) is now offering in a mobile device edition*. This is the first mobile edition introduced by the IEEE Standards Association.

It works on:

Blackberry

iPhone

Palm

Google Android

For more information about the NESC Mobile and an offer for a Free 30-day Demo NESC Mobile Edition Click Here

Requires one-time purchase of iSilo Reader Software. Hopefully they will come out with a Kindle version which is a free reader.

Good to see more of these books going digital. I always recommend purchase of the books digital for searchability. Wish they could all be bought on the Kindle or iPad/iPhone. We might give them out in that format at the classes.

Burn Up the Myth: Metal Snaps

Answer: Good question! This opens up how standards work and are often misinterpreted.

ASTM F1506 which is cited by NFPA 70E for clothing requirements says the following:
“6.1.1 NOTE 4-If fasteners or closures, for example, zippers, snaps, or buttons, or a combination thereof, are used in a manner in which they are in contact with the skin, they can increase heat transfer and burn injury due to heat conduction or melting onto the skin. Fasteners or closures that are used in this manner should be covered with a layer of fabric between the fastener or closure and the skin. The fabric used for this purpose shall meet the requirements of this performance specification.” ASTM F1506-08

The issue in NFPA 70E is shock. The issue in F1506 is arc flash. Metal can conduct electricity but small snaps have little chance of doing this (not NO chance). Companies may have whatever policies they wish and some manufacturers do not offer metal snaps. Others cover the snaps but many offer either option. This comes back to risk. Very few companies regulate metal belt buckles but most regulate jewelry.

OSHA, NFPA nor ASTM have any official mentions of metal snaps so the choice is still one for the market.

Some manufacturers cover the snaps with a plasticized dielectric covering to allow the convenience of snaps and further lessen the risk of shock.

Click here to comment and read others comment on this article.

Flash Poll: Should Metals Snaps Be Allowed on Arc Rated Shirts?
Click Here to take our Poll and instantly see the results. We will publish the final results in the next newsletter. This takes about 20 sec and you get instant view of the current results. *We will post the complete results in the next newsletter.*

FREE State-Funded Workplace Training Grants

If your company is in need of training but you don’t think you can afford it, look no further. Your state may be offering money to improve your competitiveness by investing in your workers. Don’t let the cost of training hold your company back, we have found valuable resources on state government worker incumbent programs where the state offers grants or reimbursements for training.

The following states provide some type of funding or reimbursement that will enable you to take advantage of keeping your employees safe and up-to-date on current training. This funding has limited timing and some states have very specific requirements but it is worth a look. You might even get a check!

Click your state below to be taken to your state’s website for free training funding.

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North, Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

This funding does not have to be used with us but if you need electrical safety training or arc flash training, give Jennifer or Nancy a call at 502-716-7073 or visit e-Hazard.com.

South Africa’s SANS 724 Arc Flash Standard Has Upgrades
Zarheer Jooma and I have published a short article on SANS 724. Click here to read the SANS 724 Article

Fines by OSHA on Electrical Hazards this Month
Most citations this month include electrical hazards. Over $1 million in July. Click here to see the citations and our commentary.

New Electrical Safety Articles & Video
We scour the web for the BEST articles. Here are some articles published recently on arc flash and electrical safety. Articles Click here to see the latest articles on arc flash and safety. Videos FREE Video Site at e-Hazard.com Video Online NFPA 70E Training in Eight Hours at Your Own Pace.

Our newsletter is sponsored by many companies around the world. If you have ideas for articles or have questions, don’t hesitate to write.

Sincerely,

Hugh Hoagland
ArcWear.com

13113 Eastpoint Park Blvd. Suite E

Louisville, KY 40223

PH: 502-314-7158

hugh@arcwear.com

Forward email

HECO Medium Voltage Shock Not Fatality. Arc Flash Clothing Helped?

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:30:48 +0000

One of the things I have pointed out for years but most folks still don’t understand is that shocks (especially high voltage or high amerage shocks) often include an electric arc element. In the old days, electrical contacts almost always had more burns associated with them than today (Not to minimize shock. It kills far more than arc flashes.). The reason was that often the clothing would ignite. This is called a “tracking arc”. Tracking of high voltage across the top of the skin or through the sweat in the skin often would cause ignition of clothing and subsequent burns. Now that arc rated clothing is more common, this is becoming less likely. Arc rated base layers make a huge difference in overall survival from electrical contact incidents. Pass the word on in your arc flash and electrical safety training. If you want the best arc flash training materials and electrical safety training materials check with e-Hazard.com. We are the only true Electrical Safety Train the Trainer company in the industry. You learn from experts, are supported by experts and can even have experts do your training, audits or arc flash studies. Click here to see our arc flash & electrical safety experts resumes.

HECO Medium Voltage Contact not Fatality. Did the Arc Rated Clothing Help?