Ron Widup
Shermco Industries, Inc.

This paper, presented at the 2013 EASA Convention, provides an overview of NFPA 70E.

The hazard of electrical shock has been known since the first electrical devices were designed in the 1800s. Arc flash and arc blast have also been recognized, but due to the inability to quantify these two hazards, there was nothing that could be done to effectively protect the worker from them.

That began to change in 1996, when the first arc testing took place. As the industry was then able to determine the hazard created by an electrical arc flash, protective equipment was designed to provide that protection, and NFPA 70E (in the 2000 edition) provided the first generally available guide to choosing PPE to protect workers from the arc flash hazard. 

Advancements have been made, both in our understanding of the arc flash hazard, as well as how to design more effective PPE and clothing that provides a higher level of protection and is more comfortable to wear. This includes lighter weight arc flash clothing and arc-rated windows and face shields that have better light transmission through them. These two factors increase the acceptance by workers of the provided arc-rated PPE and clothing and has increased their usage. 

Topics covered in this paper include:

• The latest changes and the reasoning behind them
• Important wording changes concerning energized work
• How to implement the changes
• Personal protective equipment requirements
• How to avoid costly mistakes that could put your employees and company at risk

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