Thoughts regarding PPE for Cat 0 & 1 Gloves

[jmeyer]

Hello, I have been reading and trying to understand all of the PPE and requirements. We have had the arc flash analysis done at three of our plants the last will be done next week. With all of this we have come to the conclusion that this changes our lock out tag out too.
One of my questions is gloves. Most of our devices roughly 95% have come in at Cat 0. I thought we were good. I have since found that Cat 0 requires gloves. Our actual labels on the machines don't list them. So, we have operators that will shut off a safety switch to lock it out for usual clean up and related work. That appears to me to require leather gloves or insulating gloves as required. I have been looking around online and ran across these:
[FONT=verdana !important]Ansell PowerFlex 80-813 DuPont Kevlar Glove with Black Proprietary Soft Palm Coating

Item #: 808136 Model #: 103535
Brand: Ansell?
DuPont Kevlar cut resistant gloves; Yellow, 13 gauge, machine DuPont Kevlar liner; black, proprietary soft foam palm coating; EN 407 Level 4 flame resistance; Hazard/Risk Category (HRC) Level 2 Arc Flash Protection (ATPV) 12 cal/cm2 ; ANSI Level 4 cut protection; knit wrist; sizes 6-11.

For our average operator that might throw a safety switch and or breaker for LOTO would these not be fine? Our techs would have the insulating gloves as required for checking voltage etc.

Am I thinking wrong?

I am trying to find a way for the operator to do their normal operation and still maintain the arc flash safety without the need for a tech to throw a switch for LOTO.

Thanks

Joe[/FONT]

 

[jim dungar]

Am I thinking wrong?

I am trying to find a way for the operator to do their normal operation and still maintain the arc flash safety without the need for a tech to throw a switch for LOTO.

When you are performing incident energy calculations, NFPA70E allows your company to decide what PPE to use and when, based on the risk analysis you perform as part of creating your Electrical Safe Work Practices program.
See, NFPA70-2012 110.3(F), 130.2 exception, 130.7(A) and its informational note 2, and 130.7(C)(7)(b).

Many companies allow the 'normal' operation of LOTO disconnects, for mechanical work purposes, to be operated using typical street clothes. But, typically, these same companies require voltage and arc flash rated PPE when the disconnect is being opened so that voltage measurements can be made or when electrical work is being performed on connected equipment.

 

[wtucker]

You might hold your breath until Oct. 10, when the 2015 NFPA 70E comes out. Big changes coming.

 

[zog]

Keep in mind your HRC is based on the incident energy at a specific distance, usually 18". The Ei at the distance the workers hand is may be much higher.