IBEW workers have additional safeguards while on the job thanks to a new rule on personal protective equipment and guidance on arc flash hazards.

"The first thing we talk about when we're organizing is safety. Not wages, but working conditions," IBEW Safety Department Director Mark MacNichol said. "Everybody wants to know that they'll come home safe at night, and these new standards will help ensure that happens."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a long-awaited rule that requires the construction industry to provide properly fitting PPE to any worker who needs such equipment. Announced in December, the rule aligns the industry with others that already had such a mandate.

"I've talked to workers in construction, particularly women, who have spoken of personal protective equipment that didn't fit or was simply unavailable at the jobsite in their size," Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker said. "PPE must fit properly to work. I'm proud of the broad support from both employers and unions for OSHA's efforts to make clear that employers must provide the right PPE for each worker who needs it."

The Department of Labor, of which OSHA is a part, cited a study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health that found that 41% of women had reported their PPE not fitting properly. Another study by the Center for Construction Research and Training found that nearly nine in 10 women said they'd experienced such a problem.

"A tradeswoman has every right to expect proper-fitting PPE the same as a tradesman. Addressing that issue removes another hurdle for women considering a career in the trades," IBEW Construction and Maintenance Department Director Matt Paules said. "As a business manager, I dealt with this issue, and it's a safe bet that every construction business manager has as well. It's a simple concept: Employers must provide proper-fitting PPE. We're pleased that OSHA is issuing guidance on this."

With the construction industry booming, there is a need to recruit more people, creating a market for a more diverse selection of PPE. And an employer that does so not only keeps their employees safe but also cultivates a more welcoming and inclusive atmosphere on the jobsite that benefits everyone.

"For a person who is an atypical size and doesn't have the correct gear, it makes them feel like an outlier. It's simply not fair how it impacts them," MacNichol said. "This rule benefits all workers — regardless of gender."

MacNichol noted how PPE that doesn't fit right isn't just an inconvenience — it's a safety hazard.

"A glove that's too big is more dangerous than no glove at all," he said. "They can get caught up; they can pinch your fingers off. It's just common sense to have these additional protections."

OSHA also issued new PPE-related guidance on arc flash protection in November, the first in 20 years. The update outlines new protocols for ensuring the proper use of arc-rated and flame-resistant clothing and PPE for those working on or near energized electrical equipment.

"The IBEW represents 838,000 members across a wide variety of careers, and our members know better than any other industry the dangers associated with electrical arc hazards. This critical measure prioritizes the health and safety of workers who do work vital to maintaining our electrical infrastructure," International President Kenneth W. Cooper said. "Most of us have seen lives irreparably damaged, even lost, to electrical arc flashes, so we fully endorse OSHA's updated rule, based on the strong scientific evidence that supports these worker protections."

The new guidance addresses two main issues, said the Partnership for Electrical Safety, a trade group that works closely with OSHA: categorizing work as deenergized when it doesn't actually qualify and therefore doesn't require the proper PPE, and a lack of PPE when voltage is low because of the myth that low voltage isn't hazardous.

"The primary issue the IBEW has fought for since Henry Miller and our founders created our union is jobsite safety. Arc flash is a serious threat to electrical workers working on energized equipment no matter the classification," Paules said. "OSHA's announcement provides appropriate guidance for employers and employees to ensure that arc flash protective clothing and equipment is provided for and worn by anyone working on or near energized equipment. This new guidance will make everyone who works in such an environment safer."