The vast majority of negative arc flash outcomes are attributable to four main causes – allowing us to chart a course to a safer future. Our host Scott Margolin reveals the #4 leading cause to curtail at your company:

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Since NFPA 70E first addressed arc flash in 2000, annual rates of arc flash injuries and fatalities have been reduced by more than 50% – thanks to a decrease in energized work, and an increase in awareness and use of PPE. But how can we take a bite out of the remaining statistics?

We can dramatically reduce annual rates of arc flash injury and fatality by focusing on four main causes – that is, the reasons behind most of the negative outcomes we continue to see despite longstanding industry standards and PPE that are proven to protect workers when used effectively.

Leading Cause of Arc Flash Injury #4: Improper Wear

The #4 leading cause is not wearing AR / FR clothing properly, and we can reduce injuries caused by improper wear by increasing awareness about the 7 most common AR / FR clothing errors:

• Untucked shirts: Tucking in shirttails prevents an arc from contacting the skin under the shirt.
• Partial PPE: Don’t forget to cover the hands and face – the most commonly-injured parts of the body, with significant impact to quality of life after an incident.
• Top button unbuttoned: An open top button leaves vulnerable a triangle of chest skin or cotton base layer that can ignite in an arc and spread under the protective outer layer – all in close proximity to the respiratory system.
• Sleeves rolled: AR / FR clothing only protects skin it’s covering, and the arms are the body part closest to the hazard. Don’t expose them!
• Meltable base layers: Meltable base layers: In a large arc, heat can penetrate outer layers, causing base layers to melt or ignite, leading to severe burns. It’s best to wear an arc-rated base layer or, at minimum, non-meltable fibers like cotton, silk, or wool.
• PPE mismatched to the hazard: Wearing AR / FR gear with a lower rating than the hazard can result in burns if heat exceeds the garment’s protection. Workers must know the incident energy and match PPE to the hazard before starting work.
• Wearing flammable outerwear over top of AR / FR: This mistake can happen in in-between temperatures when workers grab an outer layer from home to wear to work and forget to take it off on the jobsite – a catastrophic mistake with added injuries to the head and respiratory system.

AR / FR clothing saves lives when it’s worn properly. Buckle down on these common AR / FR clothing mistakes and you can dramatically increase the chances of a worker emerging unscathed from an arc flash incident that would have otherwise been fatal.

Hungry for more? Chomp on our series Dangers of Improper Wear for additional lessons punctuated with real world arc flash and flash fire demonstration videos.

Do you have a flash fire – rather than an arc flash – hazard? The hazards may differ, but the valuable lessons in this series are relevant to workers in oil and gas and other industries that use PPE to protect workers from thermal hazards. Tune in!