Subpart I — the written certification nobody has.
PPE requirements are straightforward. The requirement that gets cited is the one before the PPE: a written certification that a hazard assessment was performed.
The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present that necessitate PPE, select appropriate PPE, communicate the selection to the employee, and verify that the assessment has been performed through a written certification identifying the workplace evaluated, the person certifying, and the date.
Sites with excellent PPE and no written hazard assessment certification. It is a five-minute document and one of the most reliably cited items in Subpart I. If you have arc flash labels and a PPE program but no certification, you have the hard part done and the easy part missing.
§ Section by section
| Section | Topic | Data center note |
|---|---|---|
| 1910.132 | General requirements, hazard assessment, employee-owned equipment, training, employer payment | The certification lives here |
| 1910.133 | Eye and face protection | ANSI Z87.1. Safety glasses under an arc flash face shield, not instead of it |
| 1910.134 | Respiratory protection | Written program, fit testing and medical evaluation where used — battery electrolyte spill response, silica during coring |
| 1910.135 | Head protection | Class E (electrical, 20 kV) hard hats for electrical work. Class G is 2.2 kV; Class C offers no electrical protection |
| 1910.136 | Foot protection | ASTM F2413. EH-rated footwear for electrical work — and note EH rating degrades when wet or worn |
| 1910.137 | Electrical protective equipment | Rubber insulating gloves, sleeves, blankets, covers, line hose. See below |
| 1910.138 | Hand protection | Cut and abrasion protection, plus — since the 2027 edition of 70E — thermal hand protection for contact thermal hazards |
| 1910.140 | Personal fall protection systems | Harnesses, lanyards, anchorages. Pairs with Subpart D |
§ 1910.137 — rubber insulating equipment
| Class | Max AC use voltage (rms) | Max DC use voltage (avg) | Min. protector / glove cuff distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | 500 V | 750 V | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| 0 | 1,000 V | 1,500 V | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| 1 | 7,500 V | 11,250 V | 25 mm (1 in) |
| 2 | 17,000 V | 25,500 V | 51 mm (2 in) |
| 3 | 26,500 V | 39,750 V | 76 mm (3 in) |
| 4 | 36,000 V | 54,000 V | 102 mm (4 in) |
Values from NFPA 70E Table 130.7(C)(7)(a). The cuff column is the minimum distance the leather protector must extend beyond the glove cuff — get this wrong and the glove is not protected where it matters most.
- Test intervals. Rubber insulating gloves must be electrically tested before first issue and every 6 months thereafter. Sleeves every 12 months. Blankets every 12 months. NFPA 70E Table 130.7(C)(7)(b) carries the same intervals.
- Air test before each use. Roll and inspect for pinholes, cuts, embedded material, ozone cutting and swelling.
- Leather protectors are required over rubber gloves unless the specific exception applies. The leather is not the insulation — it protects the rubber, which is.
- Storage. Not folded, not in direct sunlight, not near ozone sources. A glove bag exists for a reason.
Rubber goods management is where good data center programs quietly fail. Gloves live in a truck, get used, get tossed in a bag, and the six-month test date passes unnoticed. A simple dated-bag system with a tracking log closes it. See the tools index →
§ Who pays
- 1910.132(h) — the employer pays for PPE, with narrow exceptions: non-specialty safety-toe footwear and non-specialty prescription safety eyewear that the employee may take off-site, and everyday clothing.
- Arc-rated clothing is not everyday clothing. The employer pays.
- Employee-owned PPE is permitted, but the employer remains responsible for its adequacy, maintenance and sanitation.
Get the selection right, then the paperwork
Classes cover arc-rated clothing selection, rubber goods intervals, the new contact thermal requirement and conformity marking.
See the schedule Bring it onsite