• Electrical protective equipment may include various rubber insulated items and flame-resistant clothing, and must meet OSHA requirements as defined in 1910.137(a).
• Employers must provide proper training to employees who work with or around electricity.
• Employers must ensure that electrical protective equipment is maintained and is properly cleaned and stored.

Electrical protective equipment can include rubber insulating:

Protective equipment may also include flame-resistant (FR) clothing, which is often used for protection from arc flashes, that has been designed and tested to provide protection against specified electrical/heat hazards.

What are the criteria for electrical protective equipment?

Electrical protective equipment must meet the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA)’s requirements set out at 1910.137(a). Rubber insulating blankets, rubber insulating matting, rubber insulating covers, rubber insulating line hoses, rubber insulating gloves, and rubber insulating sleeves must meet stringent requirements to ensure safety. This includes being:

• Produced by a seamless process.
• Clearly marked with the “class” and “type” of protection (e.g., Class 00 equipment should be marked Class 00).
• Designed to meet electrical requirements, such as withstanding the AC proof-test voltage specified in Table I-1 or the DC proof-test voltage specified in Table I-2 of OSHA’s requirements.
• Free of physical irregularities or imperfections.
• Capable of withstanding the voltages that may be imposed.
• Passing a current test as specified in the requirements.

Training, maintenance and inspection requirements

Training requirements for employees working with or around electricity are at 1910.332—Electrical Training. The training requirements cover:

• General requirements (safety-related work practices required by 1910.331 through 1910.335) that pertain to an employee’s respective job assignment,
• Additional requirements for unqualified persons, and
• Additional training for qualified employees.

Employers must ensure that electrical protective equipment is maintained in a safe, reliable condition. This includes ensuring maximum use voltages conform to those listed in the requirements, inspecting insulating equipment for damage each day and after incidents, removing defective equipment, cleaning the equipment, and storing the equipment properly.