Head Protection
Frequently Asked Questions
Head Protection
I have an older Oberon 40 cal arc flash suit with a green shield. Can I replace the shield with the new TCG faceshield?
It is not possible to replace an older style, green arc flash face shield with the a new True Color Grey (TCG™) face shield due to the hole pattern configuration. Each Oberon face shield has a unique hole configuration which allows it to be affixed to an Oberon hood. Due to this fact a new hood must be purchased if your green shield gets damaged.
How do I clean and disinfect my Oberon face shield?
To clean and disinfect an Oberon face shield it is best to use a damp, soft cloth and gently wipe away any dirt or grit. Once this is done gently flush them off with room temperature tap water.
To disinfect a FaceFit™ shield clean first and then dampen a soft cloth with isopropyl alcohol or use a Lysol® wipe. This process may leave streaks as the surface dries. Once dry, use a soft clean cloth and lightly wipe off any streaks or film left on the shield from impurities in the wipes.
As an alternative method a 2% solution of Clorox bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite or NaOCL) and cool water can be used. Apply the solution by gently spraying the face shield and then allowing it to evaporate. Once dry the shield can be rinsed off with cool tap water.
How do I clean and disinfect safety googles and spectacles?
To clean and disinfect Oberon safety goggles and spectacles it is best to use a damp, soft cloth and gently wipe away any dirt or grit. Once this is done gently flush them off with room temperature tap water.
Once the safety goggles or spectacles are cleaned it is also important to disinfect them. Take a soft cloth that has been dampened with isopropyl alcohol or use a Lysol® wipe and gently clean the inside and out of the goggles. It is also important to wipe the elastic strap on the goggles. This process may leave streaks on the surface of the goggles or spectacles as they dry. Once dry, use a soft clean cloth and lightly wipe off any streaks or film left on the shield from impurities in the wipes.
How do I clean the inside of my arc flash hood?
The first step to cleaning and disinfecting an Oberon TCG™ hood is to disassemble your hood. Once done, if the shield has dirt or grit, flush it off with room temperature tap water.
The next step to disinfecting a TCG™ hood window is to take a soft cloth with isopropyl alcohol or use a Lysol® wipe and gently clean both sides of the shield. This process may leave streaks as the surface dries. Once dry, use a soft clean cloth and lightly wipe off any streaks or film left on the shield from impurities in the wipes.
As an alternative method a 2% solution of Clorox® Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite or NaOCL) and cool water can be used. Apply the solution by gently spraying the face shield and then allowing it to evaporate. Once dry, the shield can be rinsed off with cool tap water.
To clean and disinfect the fabric portion of a hood first remove the shield and launder the hood per the washing instructions on the hood label. The steps above will help to remove most of the dirt, germs, and possible viruses that could be on the hood after use.
Does the Oberon TCG™ Series shield block Infrared light?
When you are involved in an arc flash two things occur simultaneously and help prevent damage to your eyes.
- You blink. This happens very quickly. A good example of this at work would be when you accidentally look at the sun. Your first reaction is to immediately close your eyes. The blinding flash of an arc lasts as long as the arc flash is present. This would be about one third of a second for a 12 calorie arc flash and up to 2 seconds for a 100 calories/cm2 arc flash. The human eye response is about 1/10th of a second to blink. Therefore in about 1/10th of a second in all arc flashes the eye blinks to reduce the visible light reaching the eye. While we do not want to overexpose the eye to this visible light there is a natural response and self-limiting mechanism.
- A second protective mechanism occurs in our TCG™ Shields when they are hit with an arc. There are additives in the shields that will carbonize in about 1/10th of a second. This carbonization will reduce all of the electromagnetic spectrum and most of the arc flash visible light. Essentially the front surface looks a lot like asphalt moss once it is hit with an arc flash. Please see the attached picture for reference. The combination of these two things prevents any significant damage to the eyes from occurring.
What are the limitations of an arc flash rated suit?
A common misperception is that a person wearing an arc rated suit is “bullet proof” from the hazards associated with electricity. There are 3 main potential hazards when working with electricity: Electric Shock, Arc Flash and Arc Blast. An arc flash suit can protect you from an arc flash provided that the incident energy level that the suit is exposed to is equal to or less than what the suit is rated for. All arc tested suits will come labeled with an estimated APTV level measured in calories/cm2. Oberon recommends having a risk assessment done before working on any electrical equipment to help identify the possible risks associated with the work task to be performed. Once this analysis is done the appropriate APTV level needed can be determined and the proper PPE selected.
This leaves two other potential electrical hazards that could potentially harm you. The arc blast is high pressure sound wave that is caused by a sudden arc fault. It can cause molten metal droplets to be propelled at high speeds as well as sudden expansion of air pressure that can blast out. An arc flash suit offers some protection from these types hazards, but only in a limited capacity. For instance, if a blast pressure wave were to be strong enough to propel a worker across a room an arc flash suit would not be able to protect the worker from the force of the wave.
The last type of electrical hazard that a worker can be exposed to is electrical shock. Shocks are caused when contact is made by a worker with an electrical energy source. Arc flash suits are not tested or designed to protect workers from this type of hazard. Typically workers will wear rubber electrical gloves with leather protectors when there is a risk of electrical shock while performing their work task.
How do I pre-use inspect my arc flash faceshield?
The NFPA 70E Standard requires that all arc flash PPE is pre-use inspected. Refer to Oberon’s resource section of the website for literature resources including User Guides and Storage, Use, Care & Maintenance files. While inspecting your arc flash faceshield if you identify a problem do not use the product until the issue has been repaired, cleaned or replaced. When pre-use inspecting your Oberon arc flash suit you should inspect each item one at a time.
The following steps apply when pre-use inspecting your Oberon arc flash faceshield;
- Check the faceshield visibility, inspect for excessive scratching. If visibility is impaired or the shield is cracked or damaged remove from use (replace with appropriate lens).
- Manually adjust the shield mounting mechanism (adapters) to ensure wing nuts are firmly in place, do not over tighten or the shield won’t be able to operate correctly.
- Inspect adapters for cracks or damage, ensure fingers are locked into hard hat slots.
- Check hard hat slots and inspect for cracks that could allow the adapter to slip out.
- Ensure the nuts and bolts fastening a lower chin guard (double crown) are tight before use.
How do I activate my Oberon anti-fog coating?
Oberon arc flash faceshields and suit hood shield windows are available with anti-fog coatings. Before each and every use the anti-fog coating must be activated. Workers must use humidity to activate the anti-fog properties by pulling the inside of the faceshield or hood lens towards them and breathe on the surface. It’s important for your shield lens to be at room temperature for best results.
When using an Oberon arc flash suit hood, consider using a hood ventilation system that circulates air to your breathing zone. Oberon’s system delivers the external air directly down the inside of the hood shield window to reduce fogging in extreme conditions.
Can we use the new True Color Grey (TCG) shield in our old Oberon arc flash suit hoods?
No, older Oberon hoods that have a green/yellow shield window lens cannot be exchanged for the new clear TCG shield window. When Oberon designed the hoods for the new TCG shield lens, changes were made to the fabric construction and installation method. The new TCG shield lenses have metal snaps that make assembly and disassembly easier for the worker. All older Oberon hoods must be replaced with complete TCG hoods when upgrading to the new technology.
The ASTM F2178 Standard requires the hood to be tested as you would use it. This final product testing requirement is critical for the product to perform as needed during an arc flash exposure.
What is the difference between green versus grey arc flash faceshield or hood lenses?
Both Oberon green/yellow and new clear True Color Grey (TCG) lenses provide protection from an arc flash incident. A clear grey lens is safer than the old green technology because the likelihood of a worker making a mistake that could cause an arc flash has been reduced.
Oberon’s True Colour Grey is a medium density filter that allows all visible light to pass through it with no distortion. Oberon TCG is a nearly clear lens that provides the same protection as old style green with the difference being workers can finally see the true colours of their work.
Can I use Febreze on my PPE?
The stock answer is “the garments should be free of flammable contaminants”…whether that be oily/flammable dirt or additives from the cleaning process such as fabric softeners. The MSDS for Febreze states that Febreze does contain Ethanol which is flammable (also documented in the MSDS). If you require a blanket statement that it is OK to use Febreze regardless of how or how much is used, then the answer is NO because the MSDS states clearly that there is a flammable component in the solution.
Can I use anti-fog wipes on Oberon products?
It is not recommended to use wipes on most of our arc flash face shields and arc flash hood windows as they already have a permanent anti-fog coating on the inner surface. Using wipes will likely damage the coating causing it to stop working. If the coating has been damaged already and does not function, we would then suggest that you experiment with the wipes in a bottom corner of the face shield to insure that it does not have any adverse results. The use of anti-fog wipes (that we are aware of which are primarily alcohol in nature with a small amount of anti-fog surfactant) will not cause the face shield to weaken or crack. The only adverse reaction would be to damage the coating or surface causing it to haze, making visibility difficult. There are Oberon arc flash face shields and safety face shields that do not have the permanent anti-fog coating on the inner surface. The use of anti-fog wipes with a small amount of caution (experimenting as above) should be okay to use with these.
