In June 2011 PHS Besafe Garment
and Laundry Solutions, in partnership
with SSM Industries and Gore
Technical Garments For Industrial
Work, held a one day conference to
discuss recent developments in arc
protective clothing. Industry experts
attended to impart knowledge and
understanding in Arc risk and
protection and to explain how to
protect workers in live, electrical
industrial environments.

Key note guest speaker was Hugh
Hoagland, one of the USA’s leading
electrical arc protection experts. In
the opening of his presentation he
referenced a 10 year electrical industry
study of 120,000 workers in the US
which found there were on average
125 injuries per year, of which, 77%
were electrical arc injuries, 21%
permanent injuries and 2.4%
fatalities. Hoagland explained that all
industrial and electrical industries
working with the threat of Arc should
carry out a hazard and risk analysis to
enable the establishment of a shock
protection boundary, establishing a
flash hazard boundary and to select
appropriate PPE for workers.

Steve Smith, vice president of sales
and marketing, SSM Industries who
manufacture arc resistant clothing
textiles, discussed the importance of
layering systems for all round arc
protection and worker safety.

PHS Besafe’s Arc:Gear range
provides a breathable, lightweight,
durable range of layered arc protective
garments, including next to skin, mid
layer, and high visibility outer and
foul weather garments. The GORETEX
fabric outer products help to
increase safety while remaining
comfortable for the wearer. The range
is available to purchase or rent and
can be laundered through Besafe’s
specialist technical laundry, ensuring
fabric contaminants that could pose a
fire risk are effectively removed.