Anyone knows how to care for and dispose of PPE? What kind maintenance program that we should provide normally? Any regulation that we should follow? Thanks in advance!

All the manufactures have home and industrial laundering instructions that need to be followed, what material are you using?

Like Zog has mentioned, all PPE must be cared for as per the manufacturer's recommendations. If not, it may not protect the wearer as it is intended.

Inspection for holes, tears, worn areas, etc must completed above and beyond any recommendation. These checks should be done prior to putting on any PPE, every time.

There are two ASTM guides that may address some of your issues.

ASTM F1449 & F2757 provide laundering guidelines as well as when and how to remove from service, repairing, and modifying FR garments.

Are you requesting to establish a PPE maintenance cleaning program for your facility or asking about the laundering instructions for your safety apparel?

Keeping PPE Clean?

We are in the process of getting our underground mine/lab up to speed on NFPA70E. The major stumbling block that I see now is the doning of either the Cat 2 or Cat 4 gear, after the worker has slogged through the muck and water to get to the underground electrical gear. The electrical gear is located in dry areas, but sometimes getting to the electyrical gear requires getting your shoes and pants somewhat wet and/or dirty. The problem I am anticipating is keeping the PPE clean while slipping the pants/bibs over wet and muddy shoes. Does anybody out there have any ideas or suggestions on how to handle this situation?

If I understand correctly it sounds like you all have to walk through puddles & mud to get to the electrical gear? Have you thought of maybe purchasing separate knee high rubber boots that can be taken off once the destination is reached. Because you definitely don't want to wear the wet clothes underneath your FR garments because for one if you all were ever in a Arc flash incident the wet clothes under the FR clothes could create steam in between the daily-wear & the outerwear clothing which could potentially burn someone to death. Especially if you're working in an HRC 4. Let me know if you have any further questions.

When I go to a client site to perform an electrical safety audit I carry my arc rated coveralls, hard hat and leather CSA approved ohm rated work boots in a PPE bag. I put the PPE on just before I need it.

Suggest you buy a good PPE bag, Oberon has one with a plastic base as well so when you put it down on the ground the PPE won't get wet or contaminated. This bag will hold not only a pair or coveralls, but a complete arc flash suit as well, insulated hand tool wrap stored on the bottom and a digital multimeter.

If you need Electrical Safety Program documentation on Electrical Specific PPE, Tools & Equipment I have an Electrical Specific PPE User's Guide Handbook for sale, 5" X 7" in size that is used by a Supervisor to meet their regulated obligations of provided training and documentation that the work can refer to related to care, use and maintenance. I have set up this User's Guide with more information than this in it, an outcome of my audit work and the interviews with electrical workers and what they didn't know even after going to training, as the companies didn't provide them with writtent documentation to refer to.

I use the User's Guide as a complimentary tool to an Electrical Safety Program.

Regards;
Terry Becker, P.Eng.
ESPS Electrical Safety Program Solutions INC.
terry.becker@espsi.ca
403-465-3777