1910.269(l)(8): Protection From Flames and Electric Arcs

(8) Protection from flames and electric arcs. 18 citations

(i) The employer shall assess the workplace to identify employees exposed to hazards from flames or from electric arcs. 3 citations

(ii) For each employee exposed to hazards from electric arcs, the employer shall make a reasonable estimate of the incident heat energy to which the employee would be exposed. Open (l)(8)(ii) 3 citations

Appendix E to this section provides guidance on estimating available heat energy. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will deem employers following the guidance in appendix E to this section to be in compliance with paragraph (l)(8)(ii) of this section. An employer may choose a method of calculating incident heat energy not included in appendix E to this section if the chosen method reasonably predicts the incident energy to which the employee would be exposed.

This paragraph does not require the employer to estimate the incident heat energy exposure for every job task performed by each employee. The employer may make broad estimates that cover multiple system areas provided the employer uses reasonable assumptions about the energy-exposure distribution throughout the system and provided the estimates represent the maximum employee exposure for those areas. For example, the employer could estimate the heat energy just outside a substation feeding a radial distribution system and use that estimate for all jobs performed on that radial system.

(iii) The employer shall ensure that each employee who is exposed to hazards from flames or electric arcs does not wear clothing that could melt onto his or her skin or that could ignite and continue to burn when exposed to flames or the heat energy estimated under paragraph (l)(8)(ii) of this section. 3 citations

This paragraph prohibits clothing made from acetate, nylon, polyester, rayon and polypropylene, either alone or in blends, unless the employer demonstrates that the fabric has been treated to withstand the conditions that may be encountered by the employee or that the employee wears the clothing in such a manner as to eliminate the hazard involved.

(iv) The employer shall ensure that the outer layer of clothing worn by an employee, except for clothing not required to be arc rated under paragraphs (l)(8)(v)(A) through (l)(8)(v)(E) of this section, is flame resistant under any of the following conditions:

(A) The employee is exposed to contact with energized circuit parts operating at more than 600 volts,

(B) An electric arc could ignite flammable material in the work area that, in turn, could ignite the employee's clothing,

(C) Molten metal or electric arcs from faulted conductors in the work area could ignite the employee's clothing, or

This paragraph does not apply to conductors that are capable of carrying, without failure, the maximum available fault current for the time the circuit protective devices take to interrupt the fault.

(D) The incident heat energy estimated under paragraph (l)(8)(ii) of this section exceeds 2.0 cal/cm².

(v) The employer shall ensure that each employee exposed to hazards from electric arcs wears protective clothing and other protective equipment with an arc rating greater than or equal to the heat energy estimated under paragraph (l)(8)(ii) of this section whenever that estimate exceeds 2.0 cal/cm². This protective equipment shall cover the employee's entire body, except as follows: Open (l)(8)(v) 9 citations

(A) Arc-rated protection is not necessary for the employee's hands when the employee is wearing rubber insulating gloves with protectors or, if the estimated incident energy is no more than 14 cal/cm², heavy-duty leather work gloves with a weight of at least 407 gm/m² (12 oz/yd²),

(B) Arc-rated protection is not necessary for the employee's feet when the employee is wearing heavy-duty work shoes or boots,

(C) Arc-rated protection is not necessary for the employee's head when the employee is wearing head protection meeting § 1910.135 if the estimated incident energy is less than 9 cal/cm² for exposures involving single-phase arcs in open air or 5 cal/cm² for other exposures,

(D) The protection for the employee's head may consist of head protection meeting § 1910.135 and a faceshield with a minimum arc rating of 8 cal/cm² if the estimated incident-energy exposure is less than 13 cal/cm² for exposures involving single-phase arcs in open air or 9 cal/cm² for other exposures, and 1 citations

(E) For exposures involving single-phase arcs in open air, the arc rating for the employee's head and face protection may be 4 cal/cm² less than the estimated incident energy.

See appendix E to this section for further information on the selection of appropriate protection.

(vi) Dates.

(A) The obligation in paragraph (l)(8)(ii) of this section for the employer to make reasonable estimates of incident energy commences January 1, 2015.

(B) The obligation in paragraph (l)(8)(iv)(D) of this section for the employer to ensure that the outer layer of clothing worn by an employee is flame-resistant when the estimated incident heat energy exceeds 2.0 cal/cm² commences April 1, 2015.

(C) The obligation in paragraph (l)(8)(v) of this section for the employer to ensure that each employee exposed to hazards from electric arcs wears the required arc-rated protective equipment commences April 1, 2015.