Arc-Flash PPE Research Update

Personal protective equipment (PPE) exposed to arc flash is not always designed for arc-flash exposures. This paper discusses the critical PPE rated for arc-flash exposures for electrical workers and the test methods employed for those ratings. It also further explores another PPE, which is frequently exposed to arc flash but is not arc rated. The purpose of the this paper is to provide some guidelines on the proper use and the dangers posed by using the improper materials in arc-flash exposures until standards have caught up with the state-of-the-art research.