It’s a New Year. And with it comes a new update to two OSHA regulations that experts say will save nearly 20 lives, prevent 118 serious injuries, and result in monetized benefits of $179 million annually: 29 CFR 1910.269 and 29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart V.

As the world leader in flame resistant apparel, training and education, Bulwark is here to help you drive compliance – by offering a little clarification. Here are the basics of this seismic regulatory shift:

• The final rule was published in the Federal Register on
  April 11, 2014.

• The updated standards for general industry and construction include new or revised provisions for host and contract employers to share safety-related information with each other and with employees, as well as for improved fall protection for employees working from aerial lifts and on overhead line structures.

• In addition, the standards adopt revised approach-distance requirements to better ensure that unprotected workers do not get dangerously close to energized lines and equipment. The final rule also adds new requirements to protect workers from electric arcs.

• The new provisions for protection from electric arcs include new requirements for the employer to
  • Assess the workplace to identify employees exposed to hazards from flames and from electric arcs
  • Make reasonable estimates of the incident heat energy to which the employee would be exposed
  • Ensure that the outer layer of clothing worn by employees is flame resistant under certain conditions
  • Generally ensure that employees exposed to hazards from electric arcs wear protective clothing and other protective equipment with an arc rating greater than or equal to the estimated heat energy

Here are a couple of key dates to mark on your calendar for 2015:

January 1, 2015: Companies regulated by OSHA 1910.269 have to complete a hazard assessment of their electrical equipment.

April 1, 2015: Employees have to be wearing Arc Rated clothing equivalent to the hazard determined by the hazard assessment completed in January.

If you still have questions, please contact a Bulwark sales rep by clicking here. Or for more information on this topic, click here to view our Bulwark OSHA 1910.269 Q&A. Feel free to download it so you always have OSHA 1910.269 answers in hand.