Suitin up

[SiddMartin]

^Click to Enlarge^

My company just got these fire rated coveralls and face shield w/ hood, had to wear per NFPA 70E, to take off and work in live 480v panel. Anyone else followin suit w/ NFPA 70E and doing the same?

*Note: I should also have on safety glasses

I was workin next to 2 melting pots, it was incredibly hot, but surprisingly I didn't mind it knowing that I was safe if something would have happened.

 

[quogueelectric]

This is the insurance underwriters making sure we go home alive every night. It is cheaper for them. And better for us.

 

[iwire]

Sidd thats great that you got the suit. :smile:

Just keep in mind even with the suit OSHA prohibits live work unless "unless the employer can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations."

Troubleshooting is allowed, repairs or installations are not.

1910.333(a)(1)

"Deenergized parts." Live parts to which an employee may be exposed shall be deenergized before the employee works on or near them, unless the employer can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations. Live parts that operate at less than 50 volts to ground need not be deenergized if there will be no increased exposure to electrical burns or to explosion due to electric arcs.


Note 1: Examples of increased or additional hazards include interruption of life support equipment, deactivation of emergency alarm systems, shutdown of hazardous location ventilation equipment, or removal of illumination for an area.


Note 2: Examples of work that may be performed on or near energized circuit parts because of infeasibility due to equipment design or operational limitations include testing of electric circuits that can only be performed with the circuit energized and work on circuits that form an integral part of a continuous industrial process in a chemical plant that would otherwise need to be completely shut down in order to permit work on one circuit or piece of equipment.


Note 3: Work on or near deenergized parts is covered by paragraph (b) of this section.

 

[kpepin]

We use the arc flash suits. Most of the guys call it the bee-keeper suit because of the full hood on it. Just a side question, how do you determine what cal/cm? rating the suit needs to be?

 

[SiddMartin]

Just keep in mind even with the suit OSHA prohibits live work unless "unless the employer can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations."

Yes, the first thing they taught us is that NFPA 70E does not justify working hot, it is to keep you safe in the event that you do have to work hot.
We also have the customer sign a paper stating that they can not shut it down and it holds them to some responsibility. Usually after they see this paper, they let us shut it down

The Cal/cm2 suit, there is a table in the NFPA 70E, but my employer gave us a cheat sheet. I think for opening a cover on 480v it is 4 cal/cm2 (I think), that would require

hot gloves
face shield w/ nomex hood
100% cotton undershirt
untreated denim jeans
fire rated coveralls
safety glasses
voltage rated tools

 

[FNCnca]

Just a side question, how do you determine what cal/cm? rating the suit needs to be?

The best way is to do an Arc Flash Hazard Anlysis on the equipment.

 

[iwire]

We also have the customer sign a paper stating that they can not shut it down and it holds them to some responsibility. Usually after they see this paper, they let us shut it down

That is how the companies I have worked for have handled it.

99% of the time they change their tune and let us shut it down.

 

[barclayd]

QUOTE from SiddMartin
"I was workin next to 2 melting pots, it was incredibly hot, but surprisingly I didn't mind it knowing that I was safe if something would have happened."


Keep in mind something I was taught at an Arc-Flash class -
The PPE will not, necessarily keep you from getting injured. It only gives you a better chance of surviving.
If it goes BANG, you'll get hurt, but the PPE will keep you alive so that your wounds will be able to heal.

PPE does not make you invincible - it gives your family a chance to visit you in the hospital, rather than at the funeral home.
db

 

[billsnuff]

and don't forget the cotton; socks, underwear, shirt and wearing earplugs and e-rated footwear in case it goes boom. wait, how about a second opinion on the hearing protection, i can't think of any that won't melt. :-?

 

[480sparky]

....PPE does not make you invincible - it gives your family a chance to visit you in the hospital, rather than at the funeral home. db

That's a good one..... you should make that your signature.

 

[DAWGS]

^Click to Enlarge^

My company just got these fire rated coveralls and face shield w/ hood, had to wear per NFPA 70E, to take off and work in live 480v panel. Anyone else followin suit w/ NFPA 70E and doing the same?

*Note: I should also have on safety glasses

I was workin next to 2 melting pots, it was incredibly hot, but surprisingly I didn't mind it knowing that I was safe if something would have happened.

We have been following 70E and suitin up for 5 years now. Each employee has their own gear (hot gloves, face shield, FR coat), so their is no excuse not to wear it.

 

[zog]

and don't forget the cotton; socks, underwear, shirt and wearing earplugs and e-rated footwear in case it goes boom. wait, how about a second opinion on the hearing protection, i can't think of any that won't melt. :-?

Doesnt matter, if you have the proper head/face protection the earplugs wont be exposed to enough heat to melt.

 

[weressl]

^Click to Enlarge^

My company just got these fire rated coveralls and face shield w/ hood, had to wear per NFPA 70E, to take off and work in live 480v panel. Anyone else followin suit w/ NFPA 70E and doing the same?

*Note: I should also have on safety glasses

I was workin next to 2 melting pots, it was incredibly hot, but surprisingly I didn't mind it knowing that I was safe if something would have happened.

Relatively safe.

The suit will not protect you from the molten slugs and other projectile that MAY fly from the fault point with the kinetic energy of a hand grenade.

 

[steely605]

Sidd,

Remember that the PPE you are talking about is flash rated and not burn proof. They make other equipment to be close to melting pots. Be careful stading next to those pots. I would ask your company for proper training on NFPA 70E and the application of flash protection PPE.

 

[K8MHZ]

That's a good one..... you should make that your signature.

I thought it to be very profound as well!

I hope no one minds if I add that statement to my lexicon of witticisms!