APPLICATION
When engineering and administrative control measures are unable to reduce exposure to hazards that may impact any part of the body, employees should be supplied with, trained in the use of, and wear effective workwear and protective clothing.
RISK ASSESSMENT
The process of carrying out a risk assessment should include a site survey that identifies workplace activities, lists the hazards present and assesses the level of risk that needs to be covered through the provision of protective clothing.
Determining the level of protection required should include which parts of the body require protection, the type of protection and with reference to appropriate standards should they exist.
Research should be carried out to identify products that provide the required level of protection and should be supported with appropriate documentation and product labelling. Specific attention should be given to the functionality of garments that are multi-layered or are worn in conjunction with other types of PPE.
Wearer trials are an important part of the evaluation process and obtaining wearer feedback is critical to ensure product suitability. Issues relating to sizing, ease of maintenance and durability are important factors.
CHEMICAL & PARTICULATE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
AS/NZS 4501.2 (EN ISO 13688) outlines general design considerations and specifies pictogram markings as per ISO 7000. Protective Clothing standards of relevance are:

EN Type
Type Description

Type 1
EN943-1
EN943-2
Gas Tight Protective Clothing
Protective clothing against liquid & gaseous chemicals, aerosols and solid particulates.

Type 2
EN943-1
Non Gas Tight Protective Clothing
Suits which retain positive pressure to prevent ingress of dusts, liquids & vapours.

Type 3
EN 14605/(EN ISO17491-3)
Liquid Jet Protective Clothing
Suits which can protect against strong & directional jets of liquid chemicals.

Type 4
EN 14605/(EN ISO17491-4)
Liquid Spray Protective Clothing
Suits which offer protection against saturation of liquid chemicals.

Type 5
EN ISO 13982-1
Particle Protective Clothing
Suits which provide protection to the full body against airborne and solid particulates.

Type 6
EN 13034/(EN ISO17491-4)
Limited Liquid Splash Protective Clothing
Suits which offer limited protection against a light spray of liquid chemicals.

FLAME RETARDANT WORKWEAR
NFPA 70E 2015 is an international standard for ‘Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces’. NFPA 70E requires workers to wear flame resistant protective clothing wherever there is a possible exposure to electric arc flash.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Ratings:

PPE Category
PPE (ATV Rating) Table 130.7 (C) (16)

1
Arc-Rated Clothing, Minimum Arc Rating of 4 cal/cm²

2
Arc-Rated Clothing, Minimum Arc Rating of 8 cal/cm²

3
Arc-Rated Clothing Selected so that the system Arc Rating
Meets the Required Minimum Arc Rating of 25 cal/cm²

4
Arc-Rated Clothing Selected so that the system Arc Rating
Meets the Required Minimum Arc Rating of 40 cal/cm²

 
USEFUL REFERENCES
AS/NZS 4501 Set:2008  Occupational protective clothing Set.
AS/NZS 4836:2011  Safe working on or near low-voltage electrical installations and equipment, and the US NFPA 70E Standard.

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SAFETY TIPS

Include hands and feet in all protective clothing considerations.
Ensure chemical protective clothing is matched to the specific chemicals in use.
Ensure workers are aware of the capabilities and limitations of selected protective clothing.
Critical protective clothing should be regularly checked for serviceability.
Procedures covering the handling of contaminated clothing should be established eg. toxic chemicals & dusts.
All workers should be trained in the correct use and maintenance of personal protective apparel.

 

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