This week’s question is from another one of our Arc Flash Forum members.

Although it is from an Annex and technically not part of the mandatory language of NPFA 70E, Table H3(a) and (b) says for hazards below 1.2 calories, face shield requirements are "as needed"

Here is this week’s question.
Do you/company/clients use a face shield where the hazard is less than 1.2 cal/cm2?
Yes
No
It Depends

If you have a question that you would like to see as the Question of the Week, email it to me at jphillips@brainfiller.com

I'm not even sure why in the tables a face shield only is required at 4 cal/cm2 while a face shield plus balaclava is required for anything above 1.2 cal/cm2 in Annex H and then 1910.269 says something different yet again. This is an area where there seems to be much agreement from 8-12 cal/cm2, but not in the range of 1.2-8 cal/cm2.

I've never been able to figure out when you would encounter that "as needed" situation. I guess if you were going to stick your nose an inch from an energized conductor the distance used in the arc flash study wouldn't be valid anymore.