A Chilling Lesson in Safety: The Crucial Role of PPE in Harsh Conditions
Ed Rideout has been involved with the electrical field in many ways for nearly 54 years. His electrical experience started when he was just out of vocational school and was hired as the sole electrician at a local fish plant in charge of six fishing trawlers, a power house and a fish plant facility. In 1975 Ed we...
A Chilling Lesson in Safety: The Crucial Role of PPE in Harsh Conditions
During a training session I led in the chilly city of North Bay, where temperatures plummeted to minus 35 degrees Celsius, I encountered a safety officer with over fifty years of electrical experience. Despite his extensive background, his approach to safety standards was somewhat relaxed—a common issue in professionals who’ve been in the field for a long time. I decided to use this opportunity to emphasize the importance of proper safety practices, particularly the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
As part of the exercise, I had the participants, including the veteran safety officer, perform electrical tasks under challenging conditions. I intentionally let the room cool by opening the doors, aiming to simulate a harsh working environment. This setup wasn't just to test their endurance but to also highlight how crucial the right gear can be under extreme conditions.
The officer donned his arc flash suit for the exercise. Initially, he was the only one comfortable in the biting cold, a testament to the suit’s effectiveness against the frigid temperature. However, the real test began when his arc flash hood quickly frosted over after only a few breaths, and visibility became a significant challenge. To add to the difficulty, I provided him with grounding equipment that did not fit properly—another layer of complexity to the task.
Confident in his abilities, the officer had wagered that he wouldn’t reach a point of frustration where he’d want to discard his protective gear. Yet, within minutes of me turning off the lights, forcing him to work by flashlight, his hood came off. Shortly after, as predicted, the gloves followed. When we turned the lights back on, the realization dawned on him, and it was a profound teaching moment—not just for him but for everyone involved.
This experience vividly illustrated the critical role PPE plays in ensuring safety, even for the most experienced professionals. It showed that no matter how seasoned one is, the environment and external conditions can drastically impact one’s ability to adhere to safety protocols.
At Canada Training Group, we use these real-world scenarios to reinforce the importance of rigorous safety standards and proper use of PPE. Through our arc flash and high voltage safety courses, we prepare our students to handle not just the technical aspects of their jobs but also to navigate the unpredictable and hazardous environments they might encounter. This story from North Bay is just one of many that underscore our commitment to safety and the indispensable value of protective gear in the electrical profession.
