The statistics are well known. Each day three or four workers are killed due to electrical related accidents, according to NIOSH. A Michigan burn center found that 34 percent of patients injured on the job received flash injuries.
Despite the potential for serious injuries and fatalities, gloves were not considered when arc flash standards for clothing were first developed in the 1990s. For years electrical industry safety experts wanted the same type of rating on gloves as they had for clothing and face shields.
Created for arc flash and flash fire protection, Westex® DH provides outstanding breathability and optimized moisture management to keep the wearer cooler, drier and more comfortable.
Superior Glove releases world's first 18-gauge arc flash-rated glove
January 12, 2017
Superior Glove announced the release this week of the world's first -- and only -- 18-gauge arc flash-rated glove. Made with DuPont™ Kevlar®, this glove combines the high dexterity of an 18-gauge yarn with an arc flash level 2 rating.
"We strive to create innovative safety products that are comfortable to wear," said Superior Glove President Tony Geng. "This glove has been in development for a while, so this is very exciting for us."
In a survey of 500 people working in fields exposed to arc flash and flash fire, 38 per cent did not wear flame resistant (FR) clothing for work. The most prominent reason was that the clothing was not provided by their workplace (38 per cent), with other reasons including being expensive, uncomfortable, or too hot.
An arc flash can be started by several causes. Some of these, like accidental contact and dropping tools are avoided by just not opening up energized equipment. Arcs can initiate from tracking across insulators, most commonly seen in high voltage equipment and caused by surface contamination on the insulators.
Honeywell today announced an online portfolio of accredited electrical safety training courses to help electrical contractors and other workers prevent potentially serious injuries on the job.
The classes, offered by Honeywell Salisbury Assessment Solutions (SAS), provide a personalized, interactive, professional development opportunity, and provide a full range of tracking and reporting features to ensure compliance with National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 70E standards for electrical safety in the workplace.
A flash fire spreads rapidly through a diffuse fuel, such as dust, gas, or the vapors of an ignitable liquid, without the production of damaging pressure.