10 Most Common Misconceptions about Arc Flash PPE

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When it comes to arc flash PPE, there are a lot of rumours and false truths going around. As with every myth, these misunderstandings have begun as harmless yet incorrect opinions that have spiralled into potentially dangerous beliefs. 

 

In the wrong hands, these popular myths can and will endanger your employees. With over 30 years of experience supplying PPE and workwear to the infrastructure and public sector industries, LION knows first-hand the importance of ensuring teams have the right protection. For that to happen, key decision-makers need to have all the facts to make informed choices.

So, here are the top 10 misunderstandings we hear when people are buying arc flash PPE, plus a bonus myth for good measure.

 

1 - Arc flash incidents only happen on high-voltage systems 


This is an easy myth to believe; after all, why wouldn’t you associate an electrical arc flash with high-voltage electrical systems? Arc flashes commonly occur in systems 120 volts or more, but, arc flashes are not restricted to this environment. Arc flashes can occur in low-voltage environments too if the conductors are very close together. 

Low-voltage environments have the potential to be even more dangerous for victims involved in an arc flash. This is for many reasons:

 

  • Staff are less likely to be protected properly in a low-voltage environment 

  • If around a highly flammable material such as dust, sawdust, or cotton, it can cause devastating fires. 

 

2 - You don’t need arc flash PPE if you have flame-resistant PPE


We hear this one a lot. It is also completely untrue and has undoubtedly resulted in lost lives in the past. Let’s put this one to bed once and for all: FR clothing protects you from the flame spread, and if it has anti-static properties, it protects you from a spark caused by static buildup. It does not protect you from an arc flash. The heat generated by an arc flash alone (upwards of 19,000 degrees C), is enough to melt or vaporise FR clothing, meaning that a wearer is about as protected from an arc flash in FR clothing as they are in ordinary clothes: it simply isn’t designed to withstand the extreme forces at play in an arc event. 

 

3 - You don’t need to re-assess equipment for electrical arc hazards 



This is another easy one to fall into; it’s human nature to cut off a corner if it is not vital, right? This one is vital. Everybody at work in an environment at risk of an arc flash needs to keep their training, risk assessments, and knowledge up to date. This includes ensuring equipment is assessed for arc flash hazards so that different measures can be put in place, or extra care is taken when operating. 

Regular testing and assessment should be a part of any comprehensive health and safety strategy and will highlight any new or additional risks.

 

4 - Arc flash PPE is only needed if you are working on electrical equipment


Arc flashes have an area of hazard, or “safe boundary”, which is determined during an arc flash assessment. Anybody working within a risk area needs to be protected from arc flash, as an event can inflict severe and life-changing burns/injuries on people who were within 5 or 6 meters of the source of the flash. Read more about what is Arc Flash to know if your team needs arc protection.

 

5 - You only need to wear arc-rated PPE as your top layer


This is another one we hear all too often. For reasons similar to the myth bust above, you cannot wear regular clothes or other workwear as layers underneath arc flash protection, because in the event of an arc flash, these clothes will still melt or vaporise in the heat. Pair this with the arc equipment on top of those layers, and you have nowhere for the heat to go but onto your skin. You could die from this. 

If you are working in a high-risk arc environment, every layer (yep, that includes underwear), must be arc-rated. An arc study can help you to determine whether or not you are in a high-risk environment. 

 

6 - Arc Flash is only a risk in welding


Arc Flash incidents happen in all sorts of industries. From power generation to rail and everything in between; if you are coming into contact with power supplies, you may be at risk of an arc flash incident. You are also at risk of an arc flash if you are breaking ground or working with or near underground services. This is covered in HSG47 guidance, but people rarely associate the risk of an arc flash with, for example, road resurfacing. If you aren’t sure, make sure you have an expert conduct an arc flash assessment to determine what risk your teams are at, and ensure that your workers are protected.

 

7 - Cotton fabric is safer than synthetic fabric

 

Non-melting clothing (such as cotton, wool, silk, and leather) offers no protection against ignition and could cause serious burns in a fire or arc flash incident.

Arc-rated underwear and base layers are designed to be comfortably worn under other protective clothing and protect you against the extreme heat of an arc flash without the risk that your base layer clothing continues to burn, and leave you with permanent, and potentially life-changing, damage to your skin.

 

8 - Safety glasses/sunglasses can protect my eyes in an arc flash


This myth is dangerous for three reasons:

  • If you are only wearing safety glasses/sunglasses, the rest of your face is exposed and therefore at risk of being seriously harmed. 

  • If you are only wearing safety glasses/sunglasses, the intense burst of heat from an arc flash will melt them to your skin. 

  • If you are wearing safety glasses and they are not adequately tinted, you are not protected against the brightness of a flash that can cause temporary and permanent blindness.

 

All of the above are reasons why you should wear an arc-rated visor instead of opting for glasses. 

 

9 - I don’t know anybody who has been affected by an arc flash - they don’t happen in my industry


You might not have even heard of an arc flash before, let alone one in your industry, but if you are working near/with power networks or have been informed that your workers may need arc flash protection, then you can’t rely on luck alone to protect your people.  

If there has been a recognised risk of an arc flash, you need to provide/wear arc flash protection or you/your teams are not protected.

 

10 - I only need arc flash PPE if I work in electrical substations 


This is not true. As mentioned in the above myth busters, arc flashes happen across a range of industries, despite being mostly associated with the Industrial Electrical sector where operatives are in direct contact with both high and low-voltage electricity. 

Did you know that one of the most common causes of an arc flash is a cable strike?

Cable strikes can happen to any industry breaking ground or working on/near underground services (HSG47 guidance applies here). This opens up the risk of an arc flash to many more industries, and job roles from street work to demolition and site remediation. 

BONUS Myth: Inherent fibres will protect me more than treated fabrics

Another popular myth, though this one has stemmed from historic grains of truth. In the past, fabrics made from inherently flame-retardant fabrics lasted longer than treated fabrics did due to how they were manufactured. Some garments made with treated fabrics deteriorated in quality over time which meant that wearers were only certified as protected with these garments for a small number of washes and wear. This is not the case anymore, as treated fabrics have come a long way and are certified for a lot longer than they used to be. Innovations in this field have also allowed for treated products to be just as effective as inherent ones. 

 

So why should you care about this? Well, if you’re looking into purchasing arc flash PPE, the chances are you’ve come across or even believed these myths yourself. The danger here is that you make buying choices based on those myths that will put your team at risk.

But hey, that’s why this article exists; to help you put misinformation to bed so that you can make well-informed choices. 

Now that you know what the stakes are should you fall into any of these myth traps again, you can go forth and protect your teams! 

If you want to keep researching arc flash protection, we’d recommend you check out the following articles to help you on your journey towards better PPE and workwear:

 

 

 

 
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