Electricity can be dangerous – everyone knows that. Electrical technicians who work with it every day, however, can sometimes push caution into the background and fail to adequately protect themselves from the dangers of electricity--like not wearing flame resistant (FR) clothing properly. Worn correctly, FR clothing can protect against such workplace hazards as arc flashes, flash fires, or splashes of molten metal. There are industry standards for wearing FR clothing but one manufacturer – Workrite Uniform – says electrical technicians often make five common mistakes that could put them in danger. Workrite’s five bad FR clothing habits include wearing a non-FR outer layer over flame resistant clothing, like wearing an extra jacket in winter). Should the jacket catch fire, the worker can be put in serious danger. In addition, wearing non-FR under layers to enhance comfort or moisture control can be dangerous. Workrite cautions those layers could actual melt into the skin if a fire occurs. All too often, electrical technicians may roll up their sleeves, unzip coveralls, unbutton shirts, or not tuck in their shirttails. Any one of these practices also could expose skin to flames and lead to serious burn injuries. Basically, if you’re going to dress for protection--do it right. Otherwise, you may consider yourself safe when you’re actually in danger If you’ve got an electrical project, but you’re not an electrician—be sure tocall in a professional.
