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#149771 02/23/04 07:19 AM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9
E
Junior Member
The commpany where Im working is extremely comitted with safety (and it's very good).

During the maintenance procedures is a standard procedure to work with deenergized equipment (as possible).

When we are talking about preventive maintenance it's really possible. But when talking about troubleshooting in some equipments (as variable speed drives, plcs and so on) it's completly unfeasible.

I'm interested in share with you all the experiences we (together) have about safety procedures in terms of electrical shock and electric arc to prevent incidents and the adequate ppe should be useful.

I'm interested in share type of ppe's as gloves, clothes and so on.

For example, sometimes we have to use insulating gloves to check electronic plates using a multitester or doing adjusts in adjustable resistors... If we are using a very flexible glove it's ok but sometime it means an additional difficult to the electrician. The glove reduces his senses in terms of touching the right place over the electronic plate. Touching in a wrong check point can start an unsafety situation.

I'd appreciate in receive some of your experience about it.

Arc Flash PPE Clothing, LOTO & Insulated Tools
#149772 02/27/04 04:00 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Emilio,
Being a guy that frequently uses Insulated Gloves for voltages of up to 66kVAC.
I must say one thing, I commend you and your Company for thier cool attitude towards Employee Safety.
I asked you over in the Non-US area about your Voltage levels.
Are you a HV-worker?.

#149773 02/28/04 07:07 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Emilio,
Just a secondary note.
With using Insulated Gloves as PPE, there are a lot of other issues that go along with using PPE such as this.
Such as a test/audit system to make sure that the PPE is being used properly.
Also, with the use of Insulated Gloves there is a requirement that the workers that use them test them before they wear the said Gloves.
What type/brand of gloves are you currently using?.
Are the inners the right size?, as this causes a lot of problems with Trainee Line Mechanics that get the wrong size inners and try and fit a leather glove over a thick Rubber glove.
By rights, you should be able to form a "comfortable fist" with both inners and outers on your hands, if you can't you are wearing the wrong sized gloves!.

#149774 02/28/04 05:37 PM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9
E
Junior Member
Trumpy,

In my plant we have voltages since 110Vac up to 230kV... but in my case, I'm usually involved with 440Vac only. Some times I'm involved with 4,16kV but it happens with lower frequency.

My main interest in discuss insulating gloves is because we have some variable speed drives - very strong but extremely obsolete (it is at least 20 years old). We have several of them (about 50units since 75HP up to 800HP)..... we are gradually replacing for modern ones but it will spend some years.

For while....during the the electrical troubleshooting, the electrician is exposed to electrical shock and arc flash because it's necessary to keep the equipment turned on to find problems in so obsolete equipments. There are control voltages (very low), but there are exposed points with power circuit where the existing voltage are technically classified as low voltage but really dangerous... for example 460Vac, 760Vdc...

For safety reasons, we got to use a garment made by nomex involving almost completely the body of the electrician. There is a transparente window at the level of his head to permit the electrician see around.

The ppe is really good but there are some opportunities I'd like to try analyse. The gloves made by nomex is a litle poor in terms of keep the sense of touching small check points(existinng in electronic plates). That's why I'm trying to explore the experiencies of our mates in terms of options, manufacturers, materials and so on to be used in low voltage equipments.

The main property (or quality) I'm looking for is good insulation (about 1kV is enough) but keeping good sense of touching.

best regards,

Emilio Josino

#149775 03/10/04 05:33 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Emilio,
I'll get back to this one, just give me a few days!. [Linked Image]

#149776 03/23/04 10:41 AM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,081
T
Member
Some examples of the gloves and test equipment...
(Alguns exemplos das luvas e do equipamento de teste... )

Here are some catalog pages in PDF format:
(Estão aqui algumas páginas do catálogo no formato do pdf: )
http://www.mitchellinstrument.com/c6092.pdf

http://www.mitchellinstrument.com/c6093.pdf


The main website is:
(O Web site principal é: ) http://www.mitchellinstrument.com/

[This message has been edited by ThinkGood (edited 03-23-2004).]

#149777 03/26/04 07:11 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
OK,
Emilio,
Sorry that it has taken me so long to reply to your post.
I am now in a position to give you a good reply to your Question.
There are different Classes of Insulated Gloves according to ASTM, these are below:
  • Class 0- Red coloured, P-P voltage of 1000V RMS
  • Class 1- White coloured, P-P voltage of 7500V RMS
  • Class 2- Yellow coloured, P-P voltage of
    17kV RMS
  • Class 3- Green coloured, P-P voltage of
    26.5 kV
  • Class 4-Orange coloured, P-P voltage of 36 kV.

Emilio,
Get Class 0 and Class 1 Gloves and look after them!.
As a Liney over here, I use Class 4 Gloves and very heavy Outers.
But as a note, you should never use Insulated Gloves as an excuse for poor Safety Practices.
In that, I am saying that you should isolate as far as you can go or do the work at another time, as far as HV work is concerned.
This type of work is very dangerous, as I have 12 years experience in it, up to 66kV, LIVE.

#149778 03/26/04 05:25 PM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9
E
Junior Member
Thank you for your support.
Im really interested in keep having my people safe but giving them the sense of touch. Thats why Im trying to find the most suitable material.
Ill check with brazilian manufacturers and Ill get back.
Thanks again.

#149779 03/26/04 05:43 PM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9
E
Junior Member
Trumpy,

I believe there are several articles, books, publications from ASTM.

Would you mind to mention about the number of the specific standard you are talking.

Here, Ill be trying to consult the gloves manufacturers.

thanks,
Emilio.

#149780 03/27/04 12:55 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,527
B
Moderator
One producer of rubber goods in the US is WH Salisbury Co. A catalog section on gloves is www.whsalisbury.com/gloves/images/gloves.pdf [~3MB PDF] The section contains some information on ratings, inspection, use and storage.

Probably the most important aspect of glove use is that they should always be worn under leather protectors that are intended for the application.

In the US, rubber goods like gloves and insulating mats require periodic retesting to assure that their electrical and mechanical properties are not reduced.

Other information about ASTM D120 insulating gloves is in the linked catalog section. The “class” label color coding is www.whsalisbury.com/gloves/images/astm_chart.pdf

Salisbury’s home page is www.whsalisbury.com

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