Why can't everyday work clothes meet the need of arc protection?

Daily clothing worn in the power industry, such as cotton and swimming-cotton blends, does not protect the average person from the threat of arcing. On the contrary, they will increase damage.

Protective clothing made of a blend of common materials that melts and/or burns when exposed to the heat of an arc explosion. These fabrics may remain burned even after the arcing event ends, which is more serious than the arc itself. The greater the weight thickness of the fabric, the more fuel is provided. Arc accidents may end in an instant, but normal clothing may continue to burn and only a few seconds may cause third-degree burns. Clothes made from these fabrics will melt and adhere to the skin and must be removed or surgically removed. Combustible clothing and exposure to arc explosions may increase the degree of burns. The survival of a burn depends on many factors, including the age of the survivor and the total burn area. In all age groups, the greater the total area of ​​burns, the lower the chance of survival.

In addition, everyday clothing is not designed for burst resistance. The explosive power of the arc is enough to tear everyday clothing, such as cotton and polyester-cotton blends, leaving the worker's body directly exposed to the arc.

The degree of burn caused by an arc accident varies with duration, current, and arc length. At the same time, the degree of burn varies with the distance between the worker and the electric arc, the type and weight of the clothing being worn, and the number of layers of clothing being worn.

The OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269 standard of the American Occupational Safety and Health Administration states that employers must ensure that employees who are exposed to fire or arc hazards meet the requirements for power generation, transmission, and distribution.

The National Fire Protection Association Standard NFPA 70E basically covers all aspects of electrical safety in all industries and workshops. NFPA 70E recommends the use of arc and flame protection personal protection devices that meet the requirements of ASTM F1506, ASTM F1891, and ASTM F2178.

The ASTM F1506 standard regulates the performance specifications of fabric materials used by electric operators exposed to flash arc and related thermal hazards. The ASTM F1506 standard specifies specific protection-related specifications, including vertical combustion performance testing and arc protection rating testing. There are no regulations for explosion pressures, molten metal objects and/or gas emissions.

The National Fire Protection Association of the United States has developed a number of test methods and performance standards to test and evaluate materials for flame retardant protective clothing and personal protective equipment. These devices are used to reduce the risk of burns to persons who may be exposed to arc hazards. Test methods and standards include ASTM F1959, ASTM F1506, and NFPA 70E.

In 2005, the "Regulations on the Administration of National Instruments Corporation's All-In-One Appliances", which was tried out in 2005, has clearly listed arc-protection suits as general protective safety tools in Annex 2, and provide general protection for substations and teams in Annexes VII and VIII. The requirements for the provision of safety tools have been raised.

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