Bay Electric,Full Service Electrical Contractor providing services for commercial and residential electrician in San Francisco Bay Area,California.

2. Personal Protective Equipment for Electrician
The safety of the individuals is of the utmost importance in working with electrical equipment. There is no
doubt about the hazards of electricity and its damages to the human body. Working with live or energized
circuits can be dangerous and requires a certain level of protection from both the equipment and personal
point of view.
It is a public safety tip for electricians to always de-energize the circuits before working on parts or
electrical components. But, SFECA (San Francisco Electrical Contractor Association Inc.) an organization for
Electrical Contractor San Francisco offers tips for personal protection of employees and electricians. The
following is the list of personal protective equipment that workers should wear when working with
electrical equipment.

3. PPE for Head:
If you are working in an area where there are electrical wires overhead, you must wear personal
protective equipment for the head. There are different types of helmets available for protection
of head from injury and electric shocks. The ANSI Z89.1-1986 is the performance guidelines
issued by OSHA for helmets and has two different types and three different classes of the
helmet.
If you are working with low voltage, a class-c helmet with reduced impact of falling objects and
without protection from electric shock will work. But, if you have high voltage wires in
proximity to your head, you must choose a Class-A or Class-B helmet with proper electrical
insulation.

4. PPE for Exposed Face and Eyes:
If you are an electrical worker, you would know the hazards of electric arcs and flashes. Following the OSHA
guidelines, SFECA’s registered San Francisco Electricians should wear protective equipment for eyes and
face whenever there is a risk for injury from arcs and flashes. In the case of an electrical explosion, the
flying objects can injure the eyes or face. So, the protective equipment should be non-conductive, heat-
resistant, and should be able to reduce the impact of objects.
PPE for Body:
The protective equipment for the body should both be heat resistant and electrical resistant. In the case of
an event of arc-flash, the temperature can be above 1000°C and at this temperature, the normal clothing
can catch fire. Therefore, the protective body suit should be non-conductive for heat and should be able to
sustain fires.

5. PPE for Hands:
Proper protection for hands and arms for electrical workers has almost no exception. The electricians have
to work on electrical components and circuits with their hands, and the hands can come in contact with the
energized circuit accidently. Apart from the electrical shocks resulting in electrical injury and burns, there is
also a risk for abrasion and cuts. The gloves should have proper insulation properties and must be
comfortable to use to avoid hindrance in the task at hand.
The OSHA’s standard for insulating gloves is 1910.137, and there are two types of gloves under this
standard. The Type I gloves are not resistant to ozone or UV flashes while Type II gloves are safe for ozone
charged environments. The rubber insulating gloves have six classification and color tags based on their
insulation quality and level. Starting from 2500 Volts for Class-00, the Class-4 gloves can provide protection
against 40,000 Volts.
The registered San Francisco Electricians will always have the right gloves programs for their safety and
safety of their employees.

6. Contact:
Kevin Valerio
1288 Columbus Ave. #164
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-563-5645
http://www.bayelectricsf.com