Open HSI menu
Subscribe Login

Home / Articles and Press Releases / Press Release / Electric Arc Protection at SPIE, a Multi-Technical Services Provider

CATEGORIES

  • Latest Issue
  • Above The Neck Protection
  • Chemical Protection
  • Confined Space
  • Construction
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Energy, Oil and Mining Industries
  • Eye Protection
  • Fall Protection
  • Gas Detection
  • Hand Protection
  • Hazardous and Explosive Atmospheres
  • Health and Safety Awareness
  • Hearing Protection
  • Heat and Flame
  • Lighting and ATEX
  • Noise Monitoring
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Technology
  • Safety Training
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Wellbeing at Work
  • Working at Height
  • Working Rights

MORE

  • Press Releases
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Magazines

COMPANY

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Open HSI menu
Subscribe

Home / Articles and Press Releases / Press Release / Electric Arc Protection at SPIE, a Multi-Technical Services Provider

CATEGORIES

  • Latest Issue
  • Above The Neck Protection
  • Chemical Protection
  • Confined Space
  • Construction
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Energy, Oil and Mining Industries
  • Eye Protection
  • Fall Protection
  • Gas Detection
  • Hand Protection
  • Hazardous and Explosive Atmospheres
  • Health and Safety Awareness
  • Hearing Protection
  • Heat and Flame
  • Lighting and ATEX
  • Noise Monitoring
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Technology
  • Safety Training
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Wellbeing at Work
  • Working at Height
  • Working Rights

MORE

  • Press Releases
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Magazines

COMPANY

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

CATEGORIES

  • Article
  • Press Release
  • Above The Neck Protection
  • Chemical Protection
  • Confined Space
  • Construction
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Energy, Oil and Mining Industries
  • Eye Protection
  • Fall Protection
  • Gas Detection
  • Hand Protection
  • Hazardous and Explosive Atmospheres
  • Health and Safety Awareness
  • Hearing Protection
  • Heat and Flame
  • Lighting and ATEX
  • Noise Monitoring
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Technology
  • Safety Training
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Wellbeing at Work
  • White Papers
  • Working at Height
  • Working Rights

Press Release

Electric Arc Protection at SPIE, a Multi-Technical Services Provider

By Gore

| Read Bio

Published: February 23rd, 2022

Share this article

SPIE is the independent European leader in multi-technical services delivering solutions to the building, plant and infrastructure sectors. Its customers include energy companies, public works departments, electric utilities and car manufacturers. Workplace health and safety is one of the company’s main priorities. The focus is on safety workwear that is truly effective and offers the highest level of class 2 protection  against potentially fatal arc flash injuries. SPIE has placed its trust in Gore’s innovative PYRAD® by GORE-TEX LABS fabric technology. This technology provides maximum protection while offering an extremely lightweight and comfortable solution.

Gore tex professional spie case study image 1 - hsi -

Working with electricity in any environment can be highly dangerous. SPIE technicians work at great heights on pylons supporting high-voltage overhead lines, maintain the electrical substations of regional network operators and install lighting or information systems on high ceilings. Operating giant data centres with their huge electricity consumption is no less dangerous. The work of these technicians can have potentially fatal consequences in environments in which they are at risk of exposure to arc flashes. Such incidents arise from electrical arching between two parts of an electrical system. They produce clouds of plasma reaching temperatures of 5,000°C, burning clothing and causing severe burns within milliseconds.

This is why workplace safety is such a major concern. “The company has two guiding principles,” explains Dr Oliver Polanz, head of HSEQ (health, safety, environment, quality) at SPIE Germany and Central Europe. “Firstly, optimising workplace health and safety through leadership, good discipline and a culture of change. Secondly, no compromising when it comes to workplace health and safety.” At SPIE, this also applies to their employees’ workwear: “In situations in which personal protective equipment needs to be worn, it should have an ergonomic fit and be as lightweight as possible,” says Oliver Polanz. “Wearer acceptance is incredibly important when it comes to protective clothing. People will only wear it, if they feel comfortable in it.” The fact that SPIE employees are given a say in health and safety issues is evident in the day-to-day workings of the company. The employees had become increasingly dissatisfied with their existing multinorm workwear. It had a poor ergonomic design and did not offer adequate protection in wet weather. Furthermore, it caused excessive sweating during strenuous work because of poor breathability. One of the outcomes was frequent workplace absences due to colds.

Lightweight: innovative arc rated waterproof garments

The company set about looking for a replacement for their existing foul weather workwear. They conducted a detailed analysis, held consultations with Iturri, their supplier, did their own market research and discussed the issue with leaders and works council representatives. Ultimately, a decision was made in favour of waterproof workwear equipped with the innovative GORE-TEX PYRAD® product technology. This technology is durably waterproof and windproof and thus ideally suited to outdoor work in wind and rain. In addition to the waterproof GORE-TEX membrane, it features two textile layers: the outer fabric with the PYRAD® by GORE-TEX LABS product technology and an inner lining. This innovative functional fabric means that GORE-TEX PYRAD® protective garments provide the highest level of class 2 electric arc protection. A porous insulating barrier forms on the lightweight outer fabric made of polyester or polyamide within milliseconds of sudden exposure to heat, or the moment at which an electric arc incident occurs. This barrier blocks the convective heat flow during arc exposure and keeps the wearer safe. All this happens “in real-time”. But what makes this solution more comfortable for the wearer? When wet or dry, this innovative material is up to 45% lighter than previously available flame retardant waterproof fabrics. This results in a lightweight garment that is still highly breathable, waterproof and windproof. This is essential because SPIE technicians work outdoors, whatever the weather. They have even been known to work on pylons in wind conditions reaching gale force six.

Gore tex professional spie case study image 3 - hsi -

This fabric technology also allows for the manufacture of protective garments that feature extra benefits to comply with additional standards, such as those covering high visibility, chemical resistance and antistatic protection. There are also all sorts of ways in which the protective clothing can be tailored to suit individual needs. Consequently, SPIE conducted several wear trials before going ahead with procurement. This saw GORE-TEX PYRAD® foul weather garments being tested in strategic areas of the business and at various times of the year. Garment manufacturer Iturri supplied SPIE with various prototypes, each time taking into consideration the suggestions of the trial participants. This approach has certainly led to more wearer acceptance. The new protective garments were either leased or purchased, depending on the needs of the different areas of the company.

For everyday wear: lightweight protective workwear with class 2 electric arc protection

Ordinary foul weather garments do not always provide the level of protection SPIE employees need to go about their work. “There are many sectors in which customers specify that our technicians must wear clothing that complies with the requirements of class 2 electric arc protection,” explains Oliver Polanz. “These workers can find themselves pushed to their limits, especially on hot summer days or in exceptionally hot buildings.” In such situations too much heat can build up inside the garment. In other words, not all foul weather garments produced for protection against electric arc hazards are entirely suitable for everyday wear.

Gore tex professional spie case study image 4 - hsi -

Having seen how satisfied their employees were with the GORE-TEX PYRAD® fabric technology, SPIE decided to try out the same technology in a set of lightweight protective garments intended for everyday wear: when waterproof protection is not required. The first step was to run a series of field tests with arc rated GORE PYRAD® garments – a version of the smart technology developed for lightweight protective clothing for daily use. This material is windproof and extremely breathable. It can be worn in comfort all day long, even in dry environments and on warmer days. This is because body warmth does not accumulate inside the garment, not even during physically strenuous activities.

The ingenious thing about this technology is that, for the first time, a special membrane, the lightweight PYRAD® by GORE-TEX LABS – consists of three components in a one ply solution: the outer shell, a wafer-thin non-flammable ePTFE membrane with an incorporated GORE® PYRAD® technology and a flame-retardant backer. As a consequence, the functional fabric feels thinner and is far more flexible than other options available in this sector. It weighs less than 330 g/m2 and is up to 50 percent lighter than previously available flame retardant textiles, offering significantly enhanced freedom of movement without compromising on protection.

Gore tex professional spie case study image 2 - hsi -

Early field tests revealed that the SPIE workers were just as satisfied with this non waterproof version of the PYRAD® by GORE-TEX LABS product technology: “We had ten sets of clothing on the go. The feedback we received from our workers was overwhelmingly positive,” Oliver Polanz explains. The approach adopted previously with garment manufacturer Iturri had been so successful that the same procedure was used again. It took several months and multiple field tests before the new safety workwear, designed around the specific requirements of the company, was ready for production. These garments were also tested in a wide variety of typical working environments and weather conditions. Iturri manufactured a series of prototypes, each time in the required quantities and reflecting the suggestions of the test participants. Workers can now choose between two alternatives depending on the working environment: the lightweight arc rated PYRAD® by GORE-TEX LABS protective garments for day in day out use and, whenever necessary, the wet weather version, the arc rated GORE-TEX PYRAD® foul weather garments.

The SPIE Group The SPIE Group is listed on the stock exchange and employs some 47,000 people throughout Europe and 13,000 in Germany. The company describes itself as the European leader in multi-technical services. SPIE provides engineering solutions integrating its specialist expertise across a diverse range of technology disciplines. These include electrical and power engineering, automation, information technology, electronics, mechanics and building technology. Technology company Siemens has commissioned SPIE with the technical facility management of its German office buildings and production spaces. The company is also responsible for the facility management of the Elbphilharmonie concert hall complex in Hamburg. Furthermore, it operates the high security data centres of various German banks, where online payments and money transfers are processed and failure is not an option.

Share this article

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gore

W. L. Gore & Associates is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Since 1958, Gore has solved complex technical challenges in demanding environments — from outer space to the world’s highest peaks to the inner workings of the human body. With more than 10,500 Associates and a strong, team-oriented culture, Gore generates annual revenues of $3.7 billion. gore.com

Visit Website

POPULAR POSTS BY Gore

Gore_tex-professional-spie

Press Release

Electric Arc Protection at SPIE, a Multi-Technical Services Provider

Gore workwear wet lab 002 - hsi -

Press Release

Scientific GORE-TEX Test Labs Virtually Accessible in a 360° View

Gore signs s. O. S. Soil´s manifesto to help “save organics in soil” thumbnail

Press Release

Gore Signs S.O.S. SOIL´s Manifesto to Help “Save Organics in Soil”

Gore garment centre 002 - hsi -

Press Release

Scientific GORE-TEX Test Labs Virtually Accessible in 360° View

Gore image for press release - hsi -

Press Release

Gore Exhibit At Utility Week

Get email updates

Sign up for the HSI newsletter

Keep up-to-date through the power of email with Europe's largest audited safety magazine - delivering the latest news and products to satisfy all your occupational safety needs.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Article

 Thameslink Traffic Management Programme

Press Release

‘Working At Height’ Remains Biggest Danger

Press Release

“Uncertainty and Ignorance” Risks More Asbestos Deaths

Advertisement

SOCIAL MEDIA

HSI on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/HSIMagazine/

Advertisement

SOCIAL MEDIA

HSI on Twitter

hsimagazine HSI Magazine @hsimagazine ·
25 Jan

Global gas sensing leader @ionscience has today formally announced the addition of a high-specification Particulate Matter (PM) sensor to its portfolio.

Read all about this exciting addition!
https://www.hsimagazine.com/press-release/worlds-best-performing-particulate-matter-pm-sensor-now-available-from-ion-science-ltd/

#hsimagazine #ionscience #particulatematter

Reply on Twitter 1618280038557970432 Retweet on Twitter 1618280038557970432 Like on Twitter 1618280038557970432 Twitter 1618280038557970432

Advertisement

SUBSCRIBE

Stay up to date with our newsletter

    • Keep up-to-date with Europe’s largest audited safety magazine

 

    • Delivering the latest news and products to satisfy all your occupational safety needs

 

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Subscribe

SUBSCRIBE TO HSI MAGAZINE

5 reasons to subscribe to our digital and print package

  • Stay up to date from anywhere in the world, with instant access to the latest issue straight from your phone, tablet or laptop.
  • Trust that you’re getting the best content from our range of internationally accredited authors.
  • Get full access to our archives and see how occupational safety has evolved with us over the years.
  • Enjoy our monthly newsletter curated with up-to-the-minute news and a selection of editor’s top picks.
  • Hot off the press and straight to your door – look forward to your own glossy copy of HSI, delivered five times a year
Subscribe View Subscription levels

STAY SAFE & INFORMED

Subscribe to the best health & safety articles, news, products and regulations

Find out more

Stay up to date with our newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

ABOUT

  • About HSI International
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

YOUR ACCOUNT

Sign In Register Account Subscribe to HSI

RESOURCES

Request Media Pack

CONNECT

ACCREDITATIONS

Copyright Bay Publishing 2023. All Rights reserved.

Designed & Built by:
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT