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ArcWear™ Electric Arc and Flash Newsletter November 2006, From Hugh Hoagland

The ArcWear™ Electric Arc and Flash Fire Newsletter is a quick update on Flame Resistant Clothing issues and news from OSHA and standards committees. This newsletter is FREE 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

NEW CSA Z462 Workplace Electrical Safety Committee Adapting NFPA 70E for Canada
ArcWear™ Testing Dates
e-Hazard Upcoming NFPA 70E Training Classes AND SKM Training
Paulson Arc Goggle introduced at National Safety Show
AHC/Carbtex Rolls out a NEW DuraGard™ and NuGard A™ at NSC
DuPont Introduces NEW Protera® at National Safety Show
Arc Flash Fall Protection Standard F887 Updated
PGI Difco Offers Nomex® 111A Polar Fleece Meeting HRC 2
Incident Prevention Magazine Co-Sponsors e-Hazard 70E Training with Hugh Hoagland
Electrical Safety Workshop Calgary Feb. 27 thru March 2, 2007
Burn Up the Myth: Voltage Rated Gloves In Battery Rooms

Paulson manufacturing, a leading innovator in electric arc protective face gear introduced a new Arc Goggle at the NSC in San Diego this week. The new arc goggle will be available from Steelgrip, NSA, Salisbury and others. Used with an appropriately rated balaclava (race car driver’s or fire fighter’s hood) this system can be tested to ASTM F2178-02 for rating to provide face protection and the rating with a AGO Industries CarbonX® Balaclava was 38.2 cal/cm² in the first run. NFPA 70E requires a bee keeper’s style hood for exposures greater than 8 cal/cm², from HRC 3 on up but doesn’t define what this is precisely. Many utilities are looking at the Arc Goggle for NESC 2007 version compliance in face protection though the NESC doesn’t clearly spell out face protective requirements.

In an agreement with NFPA, CSA is adapting the NFPA 70E Standard for use in Canada. The new standard will be substantially different according to CSA representative, Dave Shanahan. I will sit on the committee as a subject matter expert. These types of standards have the opportunity to promote innovation and worker protection. Stay tuned for timing. The first meeting was October 25, 2006.

ASTM F1959, ASTM F2178, the 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
9900 Corporate Campus Drive
Suite 3000
Louisville, KY 40223
PH: 502-314-7158
Hugh@ArcWear.com

We must receive one week before the test date or make arrangements to ship to lab.

Cost of the full day NFPA 70E class is $295 includes lunch and snacks, NFPA 70E Manual and e-Hazard.com Student Workbook. Discounts for early sign up and 5 or more attendees. Request info online at http://www.e-hazard.com/e-hazard.com/classsignup.htm

Certified for electricians training in NM, ND, WA, OR, ID, MN.

Nov 16 & 17
Edmonton, AB Canada
Sponsored by BJ Electric

December 4, 2006
Detroit, MI
Detroit Airport Marriott
30559 Flynn Road
Romulus, MI 48174
Phone: 1-734-729-7555
Class by SKM on Arc Flash Calculations on December 5 See e-Hazard.com for info.

Click Here to Sign up for a Class at e-Hazard.com

Incident Prevention Magazine Co-Sponsors e-Hazard 70E Training with Hugh Hoagland

Sponsored by Incident Prevention Magazine

November 9, 2006
Charlotte, NC
8AM - 5PM
Sponsored by: Incident Prevention Magazine

December 13, 2006
Orlando, FL

F887 - Standard Specifications for Personal Climbing Equipment has had an epsilon edit, available as F887-05e1
Just click below to get view the standard or contact ASTM's customer service: 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax) or service@astm.org (e-mail).

Another new material in the market is the premium protection AHC/Carbtex® DuraGard®. This material has an arc rating of 11.1 cal/cm² and works in flash fire with an impressive body burn 9% total burn for a 3 s flash fire exposure using ASTM F1930. NuGard A is a light weight, comfortable coverall/shirt material for arc and flash fire with an Arc Rating of 8.2 cal/cm² and F1930 results of 14% body burn. Both are inherently flame resistant and a real market innovation. AHC/Carbtex has also reintroduced its other fabrics including knits and metal splash materials. The new ownership by AHC (Ashburn Hill Corporation) purchased Carbtex this year.

Difco's Nomex® IIIA Knits include a 7.5oz Polar Fleece (Genesis 130 Fleece) with a 24.4 cal/cm² ATPV rating, and the Genesis Fleece 100, a 6 oz/yd² material with an 11.3 cal/cm² ATPV.

For more information contact:

Jean Leblanc
PGI DIFCO Performance Fabrics
1411 Peel Street, Suite 505
Montreal Quebec H3A 1S5
PH: 514-989-6482

Register for the 14th Annual IEEE/IAS Electrical Safety Workshop, February 27 - March 2, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency and Telus Convention Center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Upcoming deadlines and notes:
• Register early and save $$!! The early registration discount expires January 31, 2007.
• Make your hotel reservations before you register for the ESW. A pointer to online hotel reservation is available at the ESW registration website, and you will need the hotel confirmation number to complete your ESW registration.
• Order your Workshop shirt by February 1, 2007. This blue shirt is 100% cotton, long sleeve, button down collar, with the ESW logo above the left pocket. Most women's and men's sizes are available.
• Reminder - there are new Passport requirements for US travelers to Canada - see the website for details.

Special features for 2007:
• Each day has a unique theme and provides you with tools and documentation to take home to build or improve your electrical safety program.
• More exhibitors with the latest in products and services vital to improving electrical safety.
• Two optional Friday afternoon tutorials:
• Developing a State of the Art Electrical Safety Auditing Program, and
• Arc Flash Hazard Assessments – Quirks, Problems & Solutions.

The preliminary list of ESW presentations include:
• Hurricane Katrina Damage Recovery - Case Study in Reducing Arc Hazards by Design
• Enhancing safety in electrical power distribution systems using the NETA Maintenance Testing Specifications
• Should My Electrical Safety Program be Part of my Safety Program?
• Don’t Forget About Me! I Wanna Be Safe Too!
• NFPA & IEEE Collaboration on Arc Flash Hazards Research
• Early Stage Arcing Fault Detection for Medium/Low Voltage Switchgear
• Use of Non-Contact Voltage Testers
• An Evaluation of Alternate Test Configurations for Future Arc Flash Models
• Developing a State of the Art Electrical Safety Auditing Program
• Arc Flash PPE Improvement Update and the Impact of Arc Flash Test Conditions on the Arc Rating of PPE
• Arc Flash Calculations for Exposures to DC Systems
• NFPA 70E Changes (Maybe) & How You Can Provide Input
• Case History – Power Cords
• ESFI’s Electrical Safe Practices in the Home, at School and at Work
• Practical Considerations When Applying Arc Resistant Equipment
• Implementation of NFPA 70E in a Large Industrial Facility: Lessons Learned
• System Grounding, Ground Fault Protection and Electrical Safety
• Electrical Injury Treatment & Research Program
• Qualified to be Qualified
• Enhancing Electrical Safe Work Practices By Implementing an Electrical Safety Program

Exhibitors contact Exhibits Chair, Scott Seaver (Phone: 508-473-1197; sseaver@hep.hubbell.com).

If you are interested in participating in our corporate sponsorship program, contact the Sponsorships Chair, Paul Sullivan (Phone: 803-425-2580; Paul.B.Sullivan@usa.dupont.com).

For Further Information contact:
Dan Doan
Registration Chair - IEEE IAS Electrical Safety Workshop
DuPont Engineering
Phone: (302) 999-6388
Fax: (302) 999-6307
E-mail: doan@ieee.org

A new material is in the running for HRC 2 clothing. DuPont introduced their new material Protera®. Borrowing an old name brand for a version of Kevlar® DuPont staged a rollout at the House of Blues co-hosted by Cintas and Workrite. The new material takes advantage of special blending of FR Modacrylic, Nomex® and Kevlar® to offer a much lighter 6.5 oz/yd² option than their previous attempt at HRC 2, Nomex® AP®. This is a material to watch. The rating is 8.5 cal/cm² and the material was soft to the touch yet durable according to their washing tests. Protera’s key selling points will be HRC2 in an inherently flame resistant product which has been a huge hole in the market.

Question: We want to use rubber gloves for voltage protection around batteries but our guys resist over concerns about battery acid. Are voltage rated rubber gloves OK for acid exposure?

Answer: Actually I called in some help for this one. When I worked in a chemical plant we used to use voltage rated gloves which had di-electric flaws but not leaking flaws for chemical handling. These gloves were relatively inexpensive since they were basically a recycled waste product from the voltage rated glove companies.

Additionally North/Salisbury replied:

“All of the Lineman Gloves produced in Charleston are either approved to RC or AZC according to EN60903.

The R and the A relate to an acid resistance test. Here the glove is immersed in 37.5% Sulfuric Acid for 8hrs and then rinsed, dried, electrically and physically tested. All gloves pass this requirement.

As battery acid is 30 - 35% Sulfuric Acid, the gloves will stand up to accidental contact. However, following contact, the gloves should be washed, inspected and electrically tested to ensure that no damage has been done due to the acid.”

If you have further technical questions on these gloves you may contact:

Barry Richards
Utility Product Development Manager
North Safety Products
4090 Azalea Drive
Charleston SC 29415
Tel: 843 308 7982
Fax: 843 746 2635

NASCO Rainwear www.nascoinc.com
Steelgrip Arc Resistant Gear www.steelgripinc.com
SSM FR Knits and Specialty Textiles www.SsmInd.com
Westex, Inc. makers of Indura UltraSoft Flame Resistant Fabrics www.westexinc.com
National Safety Apparel Arc Resistant Gear www.nsamfg.com
Paulson Manufacturing (Arc Flash Face shields) www.paulsonmfg.com
Workrite Uniforms FR Uniforms and Specialty Wear www.workrite.com
Ullfrotte FR Wool Winter wear www.xwool.com
Neese Industries Rainwear www.neeseind.com
ArcStore.com (ArcNet Hairnets, Beardnets, FR Underwear and the NEW ArcBra) www.arcstore.com
e-Hazard.com (Arc Hazard Assessments, NFPA 70E Training and Train the Trainer available now)
www.e-hazard.com

©Hugh Hoagland Consulting, Inc./ArcWear.com 2006. All rights reserved. You
are free to distribute it in its entirety without cost for the purposes of
training and information sharing. For more information on the electric arc
and flash fire visit my website www.arcwear.com