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Utility Safety Podcast – Lifesaving Layers – Clearing up the Confusion in The Utility Industry with Derek Sang

Written by Podbean Account on . Posted in Utility Safety in Depth Podcasts.

Join host Kate Wade as she sits down with Derek Sang, Senior Technical Training Manager at Bulwark Protection, to answer the utility industry’s most burning questions about protective clothing. With 25 years of experience, Derek breaks down the critical differences between flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) garments, exposes common field errors in wearing and maintaining PPE, and highlights dangerous everyday products like fabric softeners and DEET. Listeners will also learn how modern fabric innovations help combat heat stress, the importance of worker acclimation, and why continuous education is the key to bridging the gap between compliance and real-world safety.

Visit Bulwark Protection – https://www.bulwark.com/

Key Takeaways

  • All arc-rated (AR) garments must be flame-resistant (FR), but not all FR garments have an arc rating.

  • Wearing gear correctly—keeping sleeves rolled down, shirts buttoned to the neck, and shirts tucked in—is essential to prevent severe burn injuries.

  • Wearing an arc-rated base layer removes the safety hazard of an untucked shirt because it eliminates access to lightweight, flammable cotton t-shirts.

  • Common maintenance errors include using bleach, peroxide (like OxiClean), and fabric softeners or dryer sheets, which can leave a flammable petrochemical buildup over time.

  • Deet-based bug sprays are highly flammable accelerants that can cause FR gear to catch fire; workers should use permethrin-based products instead.

  • Single-layer work clothing does not contribute to heat stress, and modern 5.5-ounce performance fabrics help keep workers cooler by wicking moisture away from the body.

  • Managing heat stress effectively requires a combination of electrolyte hydration, rest, shade, and structured worker acclimation programs.

  • Continuous worker education and annual audits of industrial laundry programs are necessary to close the safety gap and protect workers from arc flashes.

Questions and Answers

Q: What is the main difference between flame-resistant (FR) and arc-rated (AR) clothing?

A: All arc-rated garments are flame-resistant, meaning they self-extinguish and will not melt or drip. However, not all FR garments have an arc rating. AR garments undergo specific testing to measure their ability to protect against the incident energy of an arc flash, making them necessary for electrical utility and general industry environments.

Q: How do everyday laundry and field products like bug spray affect protective gear?

A: Products like chlorine bleach, peroxide (found in OxiClean), and fabric softeners can degrade protective properties or build up flammable residues over time. In the field, Deet-based insect repellents are dangerous because Deet is a severe accelerant that can catch fire. Workers should use permethrin-based repellents instead, which have been proven safe for FR clothing.

Q: What fabric innovations and protocols help utility workers stay cool in extreme heat?

A: The industry has transitioned to lightweight 5.5-ounce fabrics that blend hydrophobic and hydrophilic fibers to push moisture away from the body. Beyond clothing, managing heat stress requires proper hydration supplemented with electrolytes, taking breaks in the shade, and utilizing structured acclimation programs to ease workers back into hot environments after taking time off.

#UtilitySafety #ArcFlash #FRClothing #SafetyEducation #PPE #IncidentPrevention #Bulwark