Hello!
I have a question about norm/standards for head/face protection. For clothes it is often referred to the IEC 61482. But for head and face protection is it the ASTM F2178:17a? (Is it like an equivalent, but for head/face?)?

This is in Europe, that might be different from american standards?

No one that has any comments on this?

I'm not sure if there is a European standard for this. I hate to say it but the American practice is to just wear PPE and not do any mitigation. The European practice is to do only mitigation and then not bother with the PPE. Note that I said practice, not standard. Both sides are slow to wake up to the fact that mitigation alone as well as PPE alone is NOT a solution to the problem.

I'm not aware of any European head/face equipment standards. This is an area where absent a local (IEC/EN/DIN/BSA/ISO) standard your option is pretty much to adopt a standard from somewhere else even though although NIST/ASTM purport to be internationalized standards, the A stands for American. Just as we have begun adopting IEC standards in lieu of our own arc resistant equipment standards (the ANSI standard is limited to medium voltage switch gear only), the opposite is true as well. Since there is really only one testing lab in the world for arc flash (Kinetrics) which does ALL the PPE testing and the ASTM standards are written for that lab (and by the way, Kinetrics is in Canada), you're still adopting what is used world wide or at least what may eventually be harmonized world wide (in other words, copied). The only deviation from harmony that I'm aware of is that there is an arc-in-a-box test promoted early on in Europe that has been mostly discredited.

We have a draft PT in IEC TC 78-15 working on an IEC version of a head/face protection standard.

This is slower since the ISO eye and face standard is in flux from the EN equivalent but they are both in process.

PPE manufacturers can certify to ASTM F2178 if they desire but must also meet the current EN standards too.

There are several PPE manufacturers in the EU and selling into the EU doing this.

I see MANY American companies doing mitigation but there are always situations where mitigation does not remove the risk (like making safe, grounding and testing). Having the proper PPE standards makes the products safer.

Hugh Hoagland
ArcWear.com
e-Hazard.com

For us, we think we've found an easier solution regarding wearing head protection. We feel the answer is the Solisbury system. No balaclava is needed and because the shield flips up, you get fresh air until you have to close it to do your work. The fact that it has protective cloth flaps that lay over the top of body PPE makes this a good choice for us. See the attached photo. These are not cheap, but they work pretty well.

Great option. I have tested them for Salisbury. But there is still no IEC standard. They might have EN testing on them but that should be verified.

This is great. Thanks.