Flame Resistant Safety Solutions
NFPA 70E™ and NEC (for Utilities)
You may have heard of NFPA 70, but wonder if this standard affects you. NFPA 70E was originally developed by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) to meet OSHA’s needs to address electrical hazards in the workplace. It is now an industry standard which many companies use as their guideline for electrical safety.
The path to compliance with NFPA 70E has well defined steps, offering specific guidelines, such as: selecting a method to assess arc flash hazards, identifying the level of risk in every area of your facility, labeling the level of hazard, marking boundaries, training employees and importantly, determining the protection level of flame resistant (FR) clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) for your specific levels of risk.
Once you have conducted a worksite assessment and determined the recommended ARC rating (ATPV), you’ll have a better understanding of the protection level needed. Then, you will be ready to review the GK ProTect® program to select the safety solution that fits your unique needs. G&K provides a full line of flame resistant products such as uniform shirts, pants, coveralls, jeans, jackets, gloves and headwear.
HRC - HAZARD RISK CATEGORY |
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| 0 | Nonmelting, flammable materials (i.e. untreated cotton, wool, rayon, or silk, or blends of these materials) with a fabric weight at least 4.5 oz/yd2 | N/A |
| 1 | Arc-rated FR shirt and FR pants or FR coverall | 4 cal/cm2 minimum |
| 2 | Arc-rated FR shirt and FR pants or FR coverall | 8 cal/cm2 minimum |
| 3 | Arc-rated FR shirt and pants or FR coverall and arc flash suit selected so that the system arc rating meets the required minimum | 25 cal/cm2 minimum |
| 4 | Arc-rated FR shirt and pants or FR coverall and arc flash suit selected so that the system arc rating meets the required minimum | 40 cal/cm2 minimum |
*MINIMUM ARC PERFORMANCE EXPOSURE VALUE (ATPV) OR ENERGY BREAKOPEN THRESHOLD (EBT) RATING OF PPE CAL/CM
From the NFPA 10E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2009 Edition, Table 130.7(C)(11) "Protective Clothing Characteristics"
