What type of clothing is required for personnel working around energized high-energy equipment?

• A. Cotton T-shirts and jeans.
• B. Regular non-flame-resistant clothing.
• C. Fire resistant clothing made of Nomex or natural fibers like cotton or wool.
• D. Synthetic fabrics with no flame resistance.

Answer: (C)

Protection from heat and arc flash hinges on wearing clothing that is fire resistant. Fire resistant garments, such as Nomex, are designed to resist ignition and limit burn injury when exposed to high-energy equipment or an arc event. Natural fibers like cotton or wool offer additional protection because they don’t melt and stick to the skin as readily as many synthetic fabrics do, reducing burn severity.

In contrast, ordinary non-flame-resistant clothing can ignite quickly and burn, while synthetic fabrics can melt and fuse to the skin, making burns worse. This is why the recommended attire around energized high-energy equipment is fire resistant clothing made of Nomex or natural fibers like cotton or wool. It provides a safer barrier and aligns with arc-flash PPE guidelines.