I've been asked by one of our electricians if there are any gloves that are easier to use for working on 24vdc control terminals than the class 0 gloves with leather protectors that we have as a standard. We have panels with 480v entering the top, feeding starters, etc, and a control transformer, a PLC, etc... It IS difficult to work on small terminals with the big leather gloves, but perhaps it takes a lot of practice. Any ideas?
Thank you!
Jeannine

Jeannine,
The information below came to me not from ASTM but from someone who knows their standard, so before you use it, please double-check

Following is an excerpt from ASTM F496, the ASTM standard on the in-service use of insulating gloves and protectors.

"8.7.4 Protector gloves may be omitted for Class 0 gloves, under limited use conditions, where small equipment and parts manipulation require unusually good finger dexterity. Under the same conditions, Class 00 gloves may be used without protectors, but only at voltages up to and including 250 V ac or 375 V dc. Other classes of gloves may be used without protector gloves for similar conditions only where the possibility of physical damage to the gloves is unlikely and provided the voltage class of the glove used is one class above the voltage exposure. Rubber insulating gloves that have been used without protectors shall not be used with protectors until given an inspection and electrical retest."

So if you have a situation which requires "unusually good finger dexterity", then it can be justified to use the insulating glove without the leather protector. Also required after the use of the glove without the protector is for the glove to be electrically tested before reuse.

There is no possibility realistically of a fatal shock st 24 volts. Only one extreme case at 48 volts. Thats why the equipment is not intended to be worked with gloves.

We require gloves if the 480V terminals (or any other equipment greater than 50V) is exposed where contact is reasonably possible. I believe that was the underlying concern in the original post

Thank you !

We have a similar requirement for shop floor equipment electrical panels (i.e. presses, welders, assembly machines, etc.); this type of equipment all falls into HRC 0. If there are exposed energized parts greater than 300 V rubber insulating gloves are required inside the entire panel. If there is a large exposure area of 120 V that should also be guarded, and our revised build spec requires no exposed parts greater than 50 V.

We believe electric shock is a more likely hazard than arc flash, particularly on this type of equipment. Requiring the wearing of gloves in such panels helps drive our guarding initiative on the older equipment, and helps us enforce the finger-safe requirements on newer equipment.