Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for 'Plug and Play' Operations

This document outlines the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for ensuring safety during 'plug and play' operations, addressing potential electrical hazards and necessary precautions. 'Plug and play' operations, involving the connection and disconnection of electrical equipment, can expose workers to various electrical hazards, including electric shock, arc flash, and burns. Therefore, appropriate PPE is crucial to minimize these risks.

General PPE Requirements

Employees working in areas with potential electrical hazards must be provided with and use electrical protective equipment appropriate for the body parts to be protected and the work performed. [1, 1910.335(a)(1)(i)]
Protective equipment must be maintained in a safe, reliable condition and periodically inspected or tested. [1, 1910.335(a)(1)(ii), 11, 1910.335 (a)(1)(ii)]
If the insulating capability of protective equipment may be subject to damage during use, the insulating material must be protected (e.g., using a leather outer covering for rubber insulating material). [1, 1910.335(a)(1)(iii)]

Specific PPE and Hazard Mitigation

Head Protection

Nonconductive head protection must be worn where there is a danger of head injury from electric shock or burns due to contact with exposed energized parts. [1, 1910.335(a)(1)(iv), 3, WAC 296-24-980]
Protective helmets must be worn when working in areas where there is a potential for head injury from falling or flying objects. [19, 437-002-0134 (9)(a)]
Helmets should comply with ANSI Z89.1-2009, ANSI Z89.1-2003, or ANSI Z89.1-1997 standards. [19, 437-002-0134 (9)(c)]
Class A helmets provide electrical protection from low-voltage conductors and offer impact and penetration resistance. Class B helmets offer protection from high-voltage conductors in addition to impact and penetration resistance. Class C helmets offer impact and penetration resistance but should not be used around electrical hazards. [14, Appendix B to Subpart I of Part 1910]

Eye and Face Protection

Protective equipment for the eyes or face must be worn wherever there is a danger of injury from electric arcs or flashes or from flying objects resulting from electrical explosion. [1, 1910.335(a)(1)(v), 3, WAC 296-24-980]
Welding helmets or faceshields should be used over primary eye protection (spectacles or goggles). [14, Appendix B to Subpart I of Part 1910]
Appropriate shade numbers for filter lenses must be used for protection from injurious light radiation, depending on the welding operation. [7, 437-002-0134 (8)(e)]

Hand Protection

Appropriate hand protection must be selected and used when employees' hands are exposed to hazards such as skin absorption of harmful substances, severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, punctures, chemical burns, thermal burns, and harmful temperature extremes. [5, 437-002-0134(12)(a), 12, 101. (1)]
When handling energized plug and receptacle connections, insulating protective equipment must be used if the condition of the connection could provide a conducting path to the employee's hand. [2, 1910.334(a)(5)(ii), 4, 1910.334(a)(5)(ii), 9, WAC 296-24-985]
Approved rubber insulating gloves and mitts and approved rubber insulating sleeves must be used if a worker could contact an exposed energized high voltage conductor. [12, 101. (2)]
Rubber insulating gloves can protect employees handling grounded equipment and conductors from hazardous touch potentials. The insulating equipment must be rated for the highest voltage that can be impressed on the grounded objects under fault conditions. [6, APPENDIX C -- PROTECTION FROM STEP AND TOUCH POTENTIALS]

Foot Protection

Protective footwear must be used when working in areas where there is a danger of foot injuries due to falling or rolling objects, objects piercing the sole, and where such employee's feet are exposed to electrical hazards, such as static-discharge or electric-shock hazard. [19, 437-002-0134 (10)(a)]
Safety shoes and boots which meet the ANSI Z41-1991 Standard provide both impact and compression protection. Where necessary, safety shoes can be obtained which provide puncture protection. [17, Appendix B to Subpart I of Part 1910]
Electrical-hazard or dielectric footwear would be required as a supplementary form of protection when an employee standing on the ground is exposed to hazardous step or touch potential. [17, Appendix B to Subpart I of Part 1910]

Other Protective Measures and Equipment

Insulated tools or handling equipment must be used when working near exposed energized conductors or circuit parts if the tools or handling equipment might make contact with such conductors or parts. [1, 1910.335(a)(2)(i), 3, WAC 296-24-980]
Fuse handling equipment, insulated for the circuit voltage, must be used to remove or install fuses when the fuse terminals are energized. [1, 1910.335(a)(2)(i)(A), 3, WAC 296-24-980]
Protective shields, protective barriers, or insulating materials must be used to protect each employee from shock, burns, or other electrically related injuries while that employee is working near exposed energized parts which might be accidentally contacted or where dangerous electric heating or arcing might occur. [1, 1910.335(a)(2)(ii)]
Ropes and handlines used near exposed energized parts must be nonconductive. [1, 1910.335(a)(2)(i)(B)]
Ground mats (grounding grids) can be used to establish an equipotential surface and provide connection points for attaching grounds. [6, APPENDIX C -- PROTECTION FROM STEP AND TOUCH POTENTIALS]

Safe Work Practices

Portable equipment must be handled in a manner which will not cause damage. Flexible electric cords connected to equipment may not be used for raising or lowering the equipment. [2, 1910.334(a)(1)]
Portable cord and plug connected equipment and flexible cord sets (extension cords) must be visually inspected before use on any shift for external defects and for evidence of possible internal damage. [2, 1910.334(a)(2)(i), 11, 1910.334 (c)(2)]
Employees' hands may not be wet when plugging and unplugging flexible cords and cord and plug connected equipment, if energized equipment is involved. [2, 1910.334(a)(5)(i), 4, 1910.334(a)(5)(i), 9, WAC 296-24-985]
Locking type connectors shall be properly secured after connection. [2, 1910.334(a)(5)(iii), 4, 1910.334(a)(5)(iii), 9, WAC 296-24-985]
Only qualified persons must perform testing work on electric circuits or equipment. [9, WAC 296-24-985]
Test instruments and equipment and all associated test leads, cables, power cords, probes, and connectors must be visually inspected for external defects and damage before the equipment is used. [9, WAC 296-24-985, 11, 1910.334 (c)(2)]

Training

Employers shall provide training in the various precautions and safe practices and shall ensure that employees do not engage in the activities until they have received proper training. [10, 1910.268(c)] Such training shall include recognition and avoidance of dangers relating to encounters with harmful substances and animal, insect, or plant life; procedures to be followed in emergency situations; and first aid training, including instruction in artificial respiration. [10, 1910.268(c)]

Arc Flash PPE Selection

Workers must know how to select, use, and care for the necessary PPE, and understand the limitations of the PPE. [8, Arc Flash]

Incident energy analysis: This method is based on the distance between the worker's face and chest to the source. It uses the value of the estimated energy of the flash to determine the level of protection that must be provided by the PPE. [8, Arc Flash]
Arc flash PPE category method: This method uses the arc flash risk assessment of the tasks and equipment condition to determine if arc flash-rated PPE is required. Once determined that arc flash PPE is required, one of four PPE categories is selected based on indicators such as minimum working distance, and maximum fault current available and maximum fault clearing time (for AC current) or short-circuit range (for DC current). [8, Arc Flash]

In addition to appropriate clothing and footwear, other PPE items, such as a hard hat (class G or E), face shield, balaclava, hood, safety glasses or goggles, heavy duty leather/arc- rated/rubber insulating gloves, hearing protection, and footwear are required when there is a risk of arc flash incident. All PPE used must be appropriate for energy expected if an arc flash occurs. [8, Arc Flash]