Last revised March 19, 2015 Electrical Department – EQUAL CODE: EL304 Care, Use, and Maintenance of Rubber Insulating Gloves

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Scope This presentation applies to the following occupations: Maintenance Electrician Electrical Apprentice Instrumentation Technician Power Protection and Control Serviceman Power Line Technician Combustion Serviceman 2

Purpose To provide the user of the equipment with the proper instruction for the care, use and selection of rubber insulating gloves. Rubber insulating gloves are to be used when: Arc flash protection is required; Live testing and trouble-shooting while holding a meter or meter test leads; Establishing a safe work zone; Installing protective grounds; Changing of High Voltage fuses; Used as recommended under EUSA rules for safe limits of approach; When working on systems above 50 volts. 3

Tools and Equipment Glove Class Maximum Use Voltage (phase to phase) Minimum distance between leather protector cuff and glove cuff volts13mm (1/2”) 01,000 volts13mm (1/2”) 217,000 volts51mm (2”) 4

Tools and Equipment Class 0 GlovesClass 2 Gloves 5

Preparation Testing of this equipment should be done in an area that is Clean Low noise With adequate lighting 6

Use, Care & Maintenance 1.Rubber gloves should never be used without protective covers. –The protective cover should match the class of rubber glove being used. –The distance which the rubber glove cuff is exposed from the leather is listed in the equipment description for this procedure. 2.In a clean well illuminated area remove the gloves from the carrying case. –Remove the rubber gloves from their leather protectors. 3.Completely inspect the carrying bag to ensure there is no dirt or foreign objects in the bag which could potentially damage the gloves. 4.Inspect the leather gloves for dirt and damage. 7

Use, Care & Maintenance 5.Rubber gloves must be inspected before use, and any time you suspect the gloves may have been damaged. 6.Protective covers are inspected to detect cuts, holes, and broken beads, particles of dirt, wood chips, grease, oil, or small bits of wire inside and/or embedded in the cover. 7.The field inspection of rubber gloves includes a visual and air test. –Turn the rubber gloves inside out and roll the cuff to trap air in the finger and palm areas. –Look, listen, and feel for air escaping from possible punctures. –At the same time, the worker should look for any abrasions and cuts. –Air should be held in the gloves for sec. 8

Use, Care & Maintenance 9 Cracking & Cutting Shown above is the damage caused by prolonged folding or compressing. Chemical Attack This photo shows swelling caused by oils and other petroleum compounds.

Use, Care & Maintenance 10 Snags Damage shown here is due to wood and metal splinters and other sharp objects. UV Checking Storing in areas exposed to prolonged sunlight causes UV checking.

Use, Care & Maintenance 11 Avoid Folding Gloves The strain on rubber at a folded point is equal to stretching the glove to twice its length. Avoid Storing Inside Out Gloves should never be stored inside out. Storing gloves reversed strains the rubber severely and causes ozone cutting.

Use, Care & Maintenance 8.Turn the rubber gloves right side out, then repeat the air test and visual inspection. 9.The field inspection should include the inspection of the last tested date on the cuff of the gloves. Class 00 and Class 0 gloves must be retested or replaced every year or sooner Class 2 gloves must be retested or replaced every 90 days or every 6months (refer to procedure for details) 10.Rings, watches, and similar jewelry must be removed before inspection and use. These items could create stress or abrasion causing the rubber to prematurely break down. 12

Use, Care & Maintenance 11.Rubber gloves, being made of natural rubber, are subject to corona cutting, and care must be exercised with regard to storage. They must be stored In their natural position, In a properly sized rubber glove bag, Preferably hanging up, Not stuffed under other equipment or tools. Storage should also be in a cool, dry location away from electrical sources and fluorescent lighting. When not in use, rubber gloves must not be left exposed to direct sunlight for any appreciable duration. 13

Use, Care & Maintenance 12.It is important to remember to: wear the proper glove for the voltage, know what system you are working on, and wear any additional PPE as required for arc flash protection. 13.If the gloves are found not to pass any of these tests, do not use them, report the failure to your supervisor, and return the gloves to your supervisor for proper disposal and replacement. 14

Always Wear Your Gloves 15

16 Thank you! For more information contact : Phil Langlois, Lead Electrical Engineer (705)

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