Flame Resistant Guide – Regulations
NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace
What It Is:
NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The National Fire Protection Agency has served as an authority in the U.S. on fire, electricity and building safety since 1896. The purpose of the standard is to provide a “practical safeguarding of employees during activities such as the installation, operation, maintenance, and demolition of electric conductors, electric equipment, signaling and communications conductors.” NFPA 70E is a voluntary consensus standard, not a law. However, OSHA recognizes NFPA 70E as a generally accepted industry practice and has referenced it in citations.
Who It Covers:
NFPA 70E was developed to protect electrical workers in all industries who work on or near energized parts or equipment that are capable of generating an arc flash. Such equipment would include high-voltage switching and grounding gear, panelboards, switchboards, motor control centers, motor starters, metal clad switchgear, transformers, and meters. Common occupations covered under NFPA 70E would include electrical maintenance workers, industrial electricians, and machine operators. NFPA 70E does not, however, apply to workers in the electric utility industry.
What It Requires:
Flame resistant clothing is addressed in Chapter 1 of the standard, Safety-Related Work Practices. NFPA 70E requires employers to conduct an Arc Flash Hazard Analysis to identify a worker’s potential exposure to arc-flash energy. The results of the analysis are then used to determining safe work practices, arc flash protection boundaries, and the appropriate level of personal protective equipment.
The standard states that all equipment must be de-energized before being worked on unless the employer can demonstrate that de-energizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations. If de-energizing the equipment is not feasible, the employer must establish a “flash protection boundary” which is the minimum distance from an arc source where a person could receive a second degree burn if an arc flash occurred. When it is determined that an employee must perform electrical work within the flash protection boundary, he or she shall wear protective clothing and all parts of the body within the Arc Flash Protection Boundary must be protected. NFPA 70E requires the use of one of two methods for determining the appropriate level of flame-resistant clothing.
- Incident Energy Analysis – The employer must determine the potential incident energy exposure of the worker in cal/cm². Based on this analysis, the worker must wear arc-rated flame-resistant clothing with an Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV – measured in cal/cm²) greater than the potential exposure level.
- Hazard Risk Categories (HRC) – To simplify the process, NFPA 70E has developed a table of common electrical job tasks and determined a hazard/risk category for each task. The table below, adapted from NFPA 70E-2009 (Table 130.7(C)(11)) lists the five hazard risk categories, corresponding required minimum arc rating of flame-resistant clothing and the Carhartt HRC color codes.
NFPA-70E
Summary:
- NFPA 70E requires employees to wear flame-resistant clothing when there is a possibility of exposure to an electric arc flash. Targeted towards general industry and industrial maintenance and electrical workers
- Requires the employer to conduct a Hazard Risk Assessment to determine the potential arc exposure for employees who work on or near energized parts or equipment.
- Requires the employee to wear flame-resistant clothing with an ATPV, or cal rating, equal to or greater than the determined arc hazard.
- NFPA 70E has attempted to simplify the hazard assessment and clothing selection process by creating Hazard Risk Categories (HRC).
National Electric Safety Code (NESC):
What It Is
Published exclusively by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC®) sets the ground rules for practical safeguarding of persons during the installation, operation, or maintenance of electric supply and communication lines and associated equipment. The NESC contains the basic provisions that are considered necessary for the safety of employees and the public under the specified conditions. Although not a law, NESC is a voluntary consensus standard, and the standard OSHA cites when enforcing electrical safety in the utility industry. Although the NESC has been in existence since 1973, the 2007 revision marks the first time that flame-resistant clothing has been included as a safety requirement.
Who It Covers:
NESC is specific to the electrical utility industry and “covers the electric supply conductors and equipment … (including) electric supply stations, that are accessible only to qualified personnel. NESC basically covers all electric utility work to include investor owned utilities, electric co-ops, municipalities, and contractors.
What It Requires:
The new rule, NESC Rule 410A3, governing the use of flame-resistant clothing for electrical utilities requires the following:
- Effective January 1, 2009, the employer shall ensure that an assessment is performed to determine potential exposure to an electric arc for employees who work on or near energized parts or equipment.
- If the assessment determines a potential employee exposure greater than 2 cal/cm² exists, the employer shall require the employee to wear clothing or a clothing system that has an effective rating at least equal to the anticipated level of arc energy.
- When exposed to an electric arc or flame, clothing made from the following materials shall not be worn: Acetate, nylon, polyester, or polypropylene.
- The effective arc rating of clothing or a clothing system to be worn at voltages 1000 V and above shall be determined using Tables 410-1 and 410-2 or performing an arc hazard analysis.
- When an arc hazard analysis is performed, it shall include a calculation of the estimated arc energy based on the available fault current, the duration of the arc (cycles), and the distance from the arc to the employee.
- EXCEPTION 1: If the clothing required by this rule has the potential to create additional and greater hazards than the possible exposure to the heat energy of the electric arc, then clothing with an arc rating or arc thermal performance value (ATPV) less than that required by the rule can be worn.
- EXCEPTION 2: For secondary systems below 1000 V, applicable work rules required by this part and engineering controls shall be utilized to limit exposure. In lieu of performing an arc hazard analysis, clothing or a clothing system with a minimum effective arc rating of 4 cal/cm² shall be required to limit the likelihood of ignition.
Summary:
- Specific to electrical utility employees
- Requires the employer to conduct a hazard assessment to determine the potential arc exposure for employees who work on or near energized parts or equipment.
- Workers must wear flame-resistant clothing equivalent to or greater than the arc hazard, or ATPV.
- Utilities must comply by 1/1/09.
NFPA 2112 Standard for Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire
What It Is:
NFPA 2112, Standard for Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire, is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The National Fire Protection Agency has served as an authority in the U.S. on fire, electricity and building safety since 1896. The purpose of the standard is to “provide minimum requirements for the design, construction, evaluation, and certification of flame-resistant garments for use by industrial personnel, with the intent of providing a degree of protection to the wearer and reducing the severity of burn injuries resulting from accidental exposure to hydrocarbon flash fires.” NFPA 2112 is a voluntary consensus standard, not a law. However, OSHA recognizes NFPA 2112 as a generally accepted industry practice.
Who It Covers:
NFPA 2112 was developed to protect industrial workers, primarily in the oil and petrochemical industries against flash fires. A flash fire is defined as a fire that spreads rapidly through a difuse fuel, such as dust, gas, or the vapors of an ignitable liquid, without the production of damaging pressure.” Flash fires are unplanned exposures that typically last 3 seconds or less. NFPA 2112 does not apply to protective clothing for electrical flashes, wildland fire fighting, technical rescue, structural fire fighting, proximity fire fighting, or any fire fighting operations or hazardous materials emergencies.
What It Requires:
Organizations must conduct a hazard assessment of the work environment to determine if flammable chemicals are present in quantities necessary to generate a flash fire. If a flash fire hazard does exist, the requirements for wearing flame-resistant clothing shall be based on the potential hazards that workers are exposed to as part of their work duties. Factors in determining if flame-resistant clothing is required shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Proximity of the work to be performed to a hazard presenting a flash fire potential
- The presence of flammable materials in the environment during process operations
- The potential for the task being performed to increase the possibility of a flammable release; this could result from a mechanical failure such as a line breaking
- Operating conditions of the process – that is, potential for flammable fumes or vapors, and so forth
- The presence of engineering controls designed to reduce exposure to flammable materials present during normal operations
- Accident history
If it is determined that flame-resistant clothing is required, the garments shall comply with the requirements of NFPA 2112 and be labeled accordingly.
Summary:
- Targeted toward oil and petrochemical industries.
- Requires employers to perform a flash fire hazard assessment to determine the risk of a flash fire.
- If a flash fire hazard exists, workers must wear flame-resistant clothing.
