I don't have very much information regarding cooling/fan hoods. Anything you can share, product reviews, etc. An electrical contractor mentioned they were interested in them but had heard they can not be used. The reason for that is if you have an employee wearing the hood and they pass out that smoke will enter the hood through the fan and suffocate the employee.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Hi,
I just bought hoods with fans. It is interesting that the contractor would say that as my understanding is that the air diminishes after 3 mins and you could pass out from lack of oxygen. So you pass out without the fans.

Whom or what regulation does this electrical contractor cite, as stating that they can't be used?

We use them as one of our options for level 4 arc flash protection. Yes there is a concern of arc flash gasses being pulled into the suit by the cooling fans. The danger of arc flash gasses and mitigation of them, is hopefully one of the next major areas of arc flash study.

Where I work at now they use Tyndale and the fans in the 40 cal suits are built into the hood. They do help most of the time depending on out side heat (outside the arc flash suit). The place I was working at use Salisbury and they have a sealed (using velcro) system that you wear like a fanny pack. I like this one better as it has twin hoses that run up the back and go under the hood. You can also buy flame retardant rap for the hoses.

As for not being able to breath with out a fan this is not true, the hood doesn't seal to anything it blouses over you. The fan not only helps to reduce fog on the face piece it also help the person with the hood by trying to keep them cool so the hard hat doesn't slide all over the place and reduces fatigue. This is always the last part I put on and the first one off.

As for the smoke, what smoke if the flash is strong enough it will probably knock them out and that is why you should work in pairs for this type of work.

I've asked him the same question out of curiosity. Still awaiting a reply. The information all of you shared was exactly what I needed. Thank you so much!

Ummm.. I have a question....

If you are working in a 40 cal suit with a fan, and a failure occurs. Gear explodes but the suit does it's job and you are still conscious. Are you standing there, hangin out to see what it looks like? Or are you getting your but back out of the area to a safe zone, regrouping and formualting your next plan (ERP)??

Unless you are standing in the middle of an arc flash watching it with your slow motion eyes and the breaker clearing time is around 60 cycles or more (which you have more problems than the fans) you should be ok with the fans..

I agree with Glen, plus the pressure wave will probably throw/push you away from the Arc source

What most people don't realize is that after your hood has been exposed to an arc flash the IR dye has activated and the shield window is opaque (torched). Wouldn't you think the first instinct for any worker would be to remove their hood ASAP if they can't see anything?? Remember that the surface, in this case the hood/shield, becomes the point at which radiant converts to thermal energy.