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The importance of compliant, comfortable PPE
Personal protective equipment (PPE) plays a vital role in keeping electricity industry workers safe.
In recent years, says the ENA, manufacturers of PPE have developed technical garments to meet standards such as IEC 61482-2:2018 (Live working – Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc – Part 2: Requirements) and BS EN 61482-2-2020 (Live working – Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc – Requirements).
“A variety of garments are now readily available that provide a good level of protection,” the ENA says.
One leading manufacturer of PPE to protect workers against arc flash and other electrical hazards is Alsico.
But although high quality PPE is available to procure, those working in environments with live electricity do not always wear it correctly, the company says.
In fact, Alsico’s own research into the industry finds what it describes as “worryingly low PPE compliance rates among workers from diverse industries where electrical systems are present”. Concerningly, the statistics revealed a proportion of workers who chose not to wear their uniform as instructed – or in some cases not at all – despite knowing the risks of this.
The comfort and fit of PPE are a major factor in improving compliance, says the company.
The more comfortable PPE is, the more likely that workers will wear their uniforms fully. Almost half (47%) of the wearer respondents surveyed by Alsico in 2025 claimed they would want to wear their uniform if it was more comfortable.
The research found that softer material, more stretch, and ease of getting PPE on and off were among the qualities workers wanted most from their uniforms. Improving these features would encourage workers to wear their uniforms and be protected.
Knowing how and why to wear PPE correctly is a problem prevalent in more recent recruits, according to the research, with a quarter of those with less than seven years of industry experience stating that they did not know the risks of not wearing uniforms.
Understanding the life-saving protection afforded by uniforms should lead to an increase in engagement and wear rates, Alsico says, yet this relies on that information being consistently available to wearers – rather than simply during an induction when garments are issued.
The focus of education should also include those selecting uniforms in these industries. The research revealed that even employees who had spent many years working in the industry would benefit from more education and support when it comes to knowing what to look for in PPE.
Less than two-thirds of those with experience (working in the industry for over eight years) strongly agreed that they were up to date on the latest developments in protective uniforms for their industry. Only 27% of these decision-makers looked for high ELIM ratings (a relatively new and more rigorous standard) when assessing new uniforms.
Measured in cal/cm², ELIM (incident energy limit) is the highest incident energy a garment can withstand with 0% probability of the wearer sustaining a second-degree burn from an arc flash.
By comparison, the more commonly referenced ATPV (arc thermal performance value), also expressed in cal/cm², indicates the energy level at which there is a 50% chance of a second-degree burn.
ELIM therefore provides a more conservative benchmark.
The British Standards Institute has also recently released a new guidance standard, BS 30417, which supports provision of PPE that suits everyone.
That’s because arc flash PPE should not have boundaries: the standard addresses long-standing issues around the availability, suitability, and safety of PPE for women, disabled workers, and those with varied body shapes, religious requirements, or accessibility needs.
The importance of compliant, comfortable PPE
Personal protective equipment (PPE) plays a vital role in keeping electricity industry workers safe.
In recent years, says the ENA, manufacturers of PPE have developed technical garments to meet standards such as IEC 61482-2:2018 (Live working – Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc – Part 2: Requirements) and BS EN 61482-2-2020 (Live working – Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc – Requirements).
“A variety of garments are now readily available that provide a good level of protection,” the ENA says.
One leading manufacturer of PPE to protect workers against arc flash and other electrical hazards is Alsico.
But although high quality PPE is available to procure, those working in environments with live electricity do not always wear it correctly, the company says.
In fact, Alsico’s own research into the industry finds what it describes as “worryingly low PPE compliance rates among workers from diverse industries where electrical systems are present”. Concerningly, the statistics revealed a proportion of workers who chose not to wear their uniform as instructed – or in some cases not at all – despite knowing the risks of this.
The comfort and fit of PPE is a major factor in improving compliance, says the company.
The more comfortable PPE is, the more likely that workers will wear their uniforms fully. Almost half (47%) of the wearer respondents surveyed by Alsico in 2025 claimed they would want to wear their uniform if it was more comfortable.
The research found that softer material, more stretch, and ease of getting PPE on and off were among the qualities workers wanted most from their uniforms. Improving these features would encourage workers to wear their uniforms and be protected.
Knowing how and why to wear PPE correctly is a problem prevalent in more recent recruits, according to the research, with a quarter of those with less than seven years of industry experience stating that they did not know the risks of not wearing uniforms.
Understanding the life-saving protection afforded by uniforms should lead to an increase in engagement and wear rates, Alsico says, yet this relies on that information being consistently available to wearers – rather than simply during an induction when garments are issued.
The focus of education should also include those selecting uniforms in these industries. The research revealed that even employees who had spent many years working in the industry would benefit from more education and support when it comes to knowing what to look for in PPE.
Less than two-thirds of those with experience (working in the industry for over eight years) strongly agreed that they were up to date on the latest developments in protective uniforms for their industry. Only 27% of these decision-makers looked for high ELIM ratings (a relatively new and more rigorous standard) when assessing new uniforms.
Measured in cal/cm², ELIM (incident energy limit) is the highest incident energy a garment can withstand with 0% probability of the wearer sustaining a second-degree burn from an arc flash.
By comparison, the more commonly referenced ATPV (arc thermal performance value), also expressed in cal/cm², indicates the energy level at which there is a 50% chance of a second-degree burn.
ELIM therefore provides a more conservative benchmark.
The British Standards Institute has also recently released a new guidance standard, BS 30417, which supports provision of PPE that suits everyone.
That’s because arc flash PPE should not have boundaries: the standard addresses long-standing issues around the availability, suitability, and safety of PPE for women, disabled workers, pregnant individuals, and those with varied body shapes, religious requirements, or accessibility needs.
