As the standard for electrical safety in the workplace, NFPA 70E is designed to help you, your workers and your organization properly identify potential workplace hazards, better understand and assess those risks, and determine which PPE is appropriate for which task. In the NFPA 70E 2015 edition, there are several significant updates, including a very important change in the terminology around PPE classifications.

Specifically, the industry’s long-used HRC (Hazard Risk Category) designation has been eliminated and replaced by the term “PPE Category”. This was done in an effort to simplify the selection of which PPE is appropriate for any given task, and to be more reflective of PPE’s defining purpose – personal protection.

You’ll also notice that “HRC 0” has been removed from the table of arc-related clothing requirements, as it was decided that the table should only be reserved for requirements where arc-rated clothing was necessary. Please note that PPE Categories 1, 2, 3 and 4  (formerly HRC 1, HRC 2, HRC 3 and HRC 4) will maintain the same requirements and minimum arc ratings as they had before.

As means of reflecting this change in terminology, please note that Bulwark will be replacing “HRC” with “CAT.” Given this development, we will be adjusting to the industry’s new requirements language on a rolling basis. For the foreseeable future, however, you’ll see either “HRC” or “CAT” labels on our garments, along with their respective arc ratings.