To Wash or Not to Wash … That Should NOT be the Question.

“How should we be washing and caring for our arc-rated PPE?” is a question that I am asked frequently when working with companies on electrical safety issues across the country. The answer to that question has changed a bit, as we continue to deal with the effects of Covid-19.

The one common notion in almost all of these discussions is that arc-rated clothing is hardly being laundered. It was the same with at most recent visit, where they said they have never washed their arc-rated coveralls, ever.

Initially, my thought was how unsanitary this lack of laundering is. But when you really think about it, it almost makes sense. Most workers are in and out of the clothing quickly. Some only use the clothing a handful of times a year, so how can it get dirty?

This situation is similar to how we all probably deal with our winter coats. We wear them when the weather turns cold and then when it warms up, we put them away and don’t think about them until the next cold season.

Therefore, the question is, “Does it really matter if the clothing is not laundered?” This question today is much easier to answer than in previous years. As we are still in the throes of dealing with Covid-19 and as fall and winter are quickly approaching our stance on laundering arc-rated clothing must be: Launder it, after every use!

Covid-19 has caused a major shift in arc-rated personal protective equipment (PPE) use, as it has made the practice of sharing PPE obsolete. To help prevent the spread of the virus, workers and employers no longer want coveralls or hoods to be shared. Many are adopting the practice of purchasing individual sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) for each individual worker. That is a change in the industry that will continue going forward and become the norm.

The CDC’s recommendation is that washing with soap and warm water is the best way to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Disinfecting, the CDC goes on to say, should be done by following the manufacturers care instructions and wash the clothing in as hot of water as appropriate for the garments.

For all Oberon garments, the care instructions are sewn into the garments on the label as well as listed on our resources Page at www.oberoncompany.com/resources/clean-arc-flash-suit/. One thing to be clear – even though you may wash at a high temperature, washing alone, may not disinfects the clothes and rids them of germs.