What type of clothing should be worn when working with electrical circuits?

• A. Synthetic clothing
• B. Non-synthetic clothing
• C. Leather gloves
• D. Cotton only

Answer: (B)

Exposure to arc flash makes the fabric you wear part of your protection. Synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon can melt and fuse to the skin when heated, causing severe burns and making injuries worse. Natural fibers like cotton and wool don’t melt in the same way, so they’re less likely to cause severe burn-through during an arc event. For that reason, clothing made from non-synthetic fibers offers safer baseline protection, and is the preferred choice when working with electrical circuits. (Leather gloves protect the hands, but the clothing itself should be non-synthetic to reduce burn risk.)