Workers at heights must wear fall protection equipment to help reduce the risk of falling and consequent injuries. While fall protection equipment dramatically reduces the risk of fall hazards, some workers may still be confronted with other types of dangers, like arc flash.
Suppose you find yourself working in such conditions where you’re subjected to extreme heat or working on energized equipment. In that case, you’ll need a complete fall protection system that not only protects you from falling but will also resist arc flash exposure.
What is an Arc Flash?
In short, arc flash is a dangerous release of energy created by an electric fault.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines it as a phenomenon where a flashover of electric current leaves its intended path and travels through the air from one conductor to another or the ground.
The results are often violent, and when a worker is near the arc flash, serious injury and even death can occur.
What is frightening is that due to an arc flash exposure’s violent nature, even when a worker is ten feet away from the blast site, fatal burns could still occur, hence the importance of prevention and proper personal protective equipment (PPE).
What Causes Arc Flashes?
What provokes arc flash can be broken down into two categories:
Objects that are foreign to the electrical system that gets too close to exposed conductors which initiates a short circuit:
- Small animals like a mouse or snake
- Dust
- Dropped tools
- Water infiltration or condensation
- Corrosion
- Accidental touching
The equipment itself malfunctions, is misused, or was wrongly installed:
- Material failure
- A faulty voltage detector
- Equipment stabs
What determines the severity of an arc flash injury?
- How close the worker is from the hazard
- The temperature
- Time for a circuit to break
What kind of injury or damage can an arc flash cause?
- Burns (non-fire-resistant clothing can also melt or burn onto the skin)
- Fire (can spread rapidly through a building)
- Flying objects (often molten metal)
- Blast pressure
- Sound blast (noise can reach 140 dB – loud as a gun)
Who should wear arc flash PPE?
Arc flash (AF) products are designed to resist high heat and energy. They’re tested to the applicable standard to ensure they’ll remain intact when confronted with high heat, so they don’t melt, burn, or conduct energy in the event of an arc flash.
Lineworkers, scissor lift and bucket truck operators, or anyone working in the construction, utility, or oil and gas industry will greatly benefit from wearing these full-body arc flash harnesses and fall protection systems.
Want to know if your fall protection equipment is arc rated? Look for the arc flash symbol.
Testing requirements:
- No electric arc ignition
- No melting or dripping of material
- Must self-extinguish in 5 seconds or less
The CSA Z259 Revision Impact
As you probably know, the CSA Z259 standard for working at heights has recently been revised. Along with these recent changes related to fall protection equipment−such as self-retracting devices and personal energy absorbers, the CSA Z259.10 was also updated with a significant change: the addition of a new class of full-body harnesses.
Class R full-body harnesses are resistant to arc flash. Designed to protect workers who could be exposed to thermal hazards of momentary electric arc or flame, class R harnesses can be included with any other class configurations (A, D, E, L, P) permitted by the current standard.
The Ultimate Arc-Resistant Full-Body Harness
3M™ DBI-SALA® ExoFit™ NEX harnesses offer you complete confidence−just what you need to get the job done around high-voltage electricity or hot work.
With the integration of state-of-the-art materials and technology, they’re the most advanced harnesses in the industry, following years of experience and ongoing research.
If you’re looking for gear that’s proven and built for the task, look no further. The ExoFit™ NEX Arc Flash Full-Body Harness offers flame resistance and non-conductive construction in addition to all the comfort, function, and durability features of the original ExoFit™ NEX Full-Body Harness.
- Flame-resistant webbing: Nomex® fiber exterior with Kevlar® fiber core and thread provides 7,000 lb. (3,175.1 kg) strength and flame resistance.
- Revolver™ vertical torso adjusters: make fast and straightforward adjustments to your harness to eliminate loose ends and prevent slippage.
- PVC coated Tech-Lite™ aluminum D-rings: these rings are non-conductive and made of extremely lightweight aluminum to offer comfort and safety.
- Flame-resistant trauma straps: crucial for workers at heights, the flame-resistant trauma straps help reduce the risk of further injury after a fall.
- Integrated insulators: you’ll find leather insulators placed behind exposed hardware to prevent contact in extreme heat situations.
- Ultra-soft edging: the edging moves with you, without rubbing or chaffing.
- Arc flash rated: tested to perform per the ASTM F887 standard for personal climbing equipment.
- Arc flash hybrid padding: stay comfortable with shoulder, hip, and leg padding.
- Auto-resetting lanyard keepers: the auto-resetting lanyard keepers reposition easily along the chest area of harness webbing.
- Reflective material: stay visible and safe with this material integrated on legs, chest, shoulders, and back.
- Built-in carrying pocket: meet your new convenient phone holder.
- Duo-Lok™ quick-connect buckles: easy one-handed use with memory fit web lock for quick and safe connections.
- Stand-up dorsal D-ring: lightweight PVC-coated aluminum D-ring is non-conductive and spring-loaded for easy and quick connections.
Pick your harness
