OBERON TCG25 User manual
1
Oberon Arc Flash Suit
User Guide
Oberon Company
22 Logan Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
P: 800-322-3348
F: 508-999-4443
www.oberoncompany.com
Oberon User Guide
Arc Flash Suit Storage, Use, Care, & Maintenance
2
OBERON INTRODUCTION
Oberon is the leading arc ash personal protective
equipment (PPE) manufacture in the World. Located in
New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA, Oberon manufactures
arc-rated products used for protection from arc ash
hazards. As a leader, Oberon provides innovative new
shield and fabric technologies. Since manufacturing
the rst ever arc ash face shield in 1985, Oberon has
continued to provide leading edge technologies including
its True Color Grey (TCG) technology.
CARE & USE TRAINING
Standards for electrical safety in the workplace including
NFPA 70E and CSA Z462 require care and maintenance of
arc rated clothing and suits. Oberon has created this
User’s Guide to assist with training on care and use of its
products.
Requirements include:
•Pre-Use Inspection
•Manufacturer’s instructions
•Storage
•Cleaning
CAUTION
Flammable contaminants will reduce the thermal
performance of any flame resistant arc rated garment.
Wash garments to ensure that no grease, oil, soiling
or other flammable contaminants are present when the
garments are worn. Repairs must be made with the same
thread & fabric and may void warranty.
Do not reuse Oberon arc flash PPE after an arc exposure.
IMPORTANT WARNING
Oberon arc ash suits do not provide insulation from
electric shock. Oberon arc ash suits when properly
selected and worn are designed to provide protection
from burn injuries resulting from an electrical arc ash in
accordance with ASTM F1506 & NFPA 70E. It is important
to note that Oberon arc ash suits will provide limited or
no protection against sound, pressure, projectiles and
respiratory hazards which may result from an arc ash
incident. Face protective products which are eective
against the arc ash hazard can reduce visibility. NFPA
70E calls for the use of additional lighting if work
conditions require.
REMEMBER
Always perform an arc ash risk assessment to determine
the potential arc ash incident energy exposure level.
Only use arc ash PPE with an arc rating (ATPV or EBT)
that is equal to or greater than your potential arc ash
incident energy level.
COMPLIANCE
Oberon arc ash PPE is compliant with every applicable
Standard necessary as per NFPA 70E and CSA Z462.
This includes:
•ANSI/ISEA 125 National Standard for Conformity
Assessment of Safety and Personal Protective
Equipment
•ASTM F2178, Standard Test Method for Determining
the Arc rating of Face Protective Products
•ANSI Z87.1, Practice for Occupational and Educational
Eye and Face Protection.
• ASTM F1506, Standard Performance Specification for
Textile Material for Wearing Apparel for Use by
Electrical Workers Exposed to Momentary Electric Arc
and Related Thermal Hazards.
•ASTM F1959, Standard Test Method for Determining
the Arc Rating of Materials for Clothing.
ARC FLASH SUIT HOOD
• Generous t with the least possible resistance to
movement and minimal discomfort while in use.
•Clear “True Color Grey” (TCG) hood shield window.
•Hood shield window made of polycarbonate material.
•
•
•
Hood shield window provides high impact and high
mass protection for maximum protection from
shrapnel, projectiles and flying debris. ANSI Z87.1+
(plus symbol indicates high impact models).
Optional hood ventilation system (HVS) for fresh air
to optimize worker comfort. External components
constructed of FR plastic to prevent component
ignition in the event of an arc flash accident.
Optional LED head lamp for task lighting necessary in
most work tasks.
ARC FLASH SUIT COAT AND BIB-OVERALLS
• Constructed of 100% arc rated inherently flame
resistant fabric, see label for fiber breakdown.
•Compliant label includes:
- Manufacturer
-Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV) or EBT
rating in calories per square centimeter
- Care instructions
-Fabric fiber content (e.g. oz weight/sq yard)
Oberon User Guide
Arc Flash Suit Storage, Use, Care, & Maintenance
3
- Garment size
- Manufacturer tracking code
- Meets requirements of Performance
Specication ASTM F 1506
•Each item (Hood, Coat & Bib-Overall) are labeled with
individual serial numbers with numbers and
corresponding bar code for inventory, tracking and
total accountability.
• Coat includes double closure; Nomex® Velcro &
Zipper Tape and High Temperature Delrin® Zipper.
INSTRUCTIONS ON STORAGE
•Use a storage bag or storage locker in a clean dry
environment. Never store with sharp objects, or in
dusty areas.
•To avoid color fading and loss of strength never store
under direct sunlight or other UV light sources (UV
radiation does not affect heat and flame protection)
• Front flap of the hood should be used to protect the
window inside of the storage bag; otherwise when
placing the hood inside of a storage bag flip up the
front flap to cover the hood shield window.
• Recommend folding the arc flash suit coat, bib-overall
or coverall before placing in storage.
• Be sure all powered components are turned off before
storage including the fan unit and LED lamp.
•To ensure the hood ventilation system fan does not
turn on while using a storage bag, disconnect the fan
unit from the coupling (turn fan counter clockwise),
open battery storage compartment cover and remove
one battery. Replace the battery compartment cover
and store in a pouch inside of the overall storage bag.
LAUNDRY INSTRUCTIONS
NOTE: Always follow the instructions on the care label
found inside of your Oberon PPE.
GENERAL CLEANING REQUIREMENTS
•Wash Arc Flash PPE regularly.
•Repairs to the garment must be made with the same
thread and fabric.
•Always completely disassemble your hood before
laundering (see instructions below). Do not launder
hood with window, hard hat, hood ventilation system
and LED lamp in place.
•Close all hook & loop fasteners before laundering to
avoid unwanted pilling or clogging the hook portion
of the fastener.
•Suits shall be washed or cleaned separately from
any other clothing.
WASHING PROCEDURES
The following instructions apply to domestic as well
as industrial washing. Load washing machine evenly at
2/3 of volume of the drum. Machine wash at temperatures
up to 40°C with a water to soap relation of 1:10.
DETERGENTS
To wash PPE in a correct way, the bath should have a ph
value <10. General commercial detergents for colored
clothing can be used and proportioned according to the
detergent manufacturers information. Full detergents
contain brighteners and are therefore not suitable. Do not
use bleaching agents or products which contain bleaching
agents.
FABRIC SOFTENER
Do not use fabric softener.
RINSING
After washing, PPE shall be rinsed carefully in order to
remove all remains of alkaline and/or possibly flammable
residues of the detergent. Up to 2-3 rinsing cycles may be
necessary.
DRYING
Garments may be spin-dried and dried in a cylinder drying
machine with low or normal temperatures until a
remaining humidity of 10-20%.
IRONING
Do not iron.
DRY (CHEMICAL) CLEANING
Chemical drying is recommended when clothing becomes
very dirty by e.g. oil or grease. Dry cleaning shall be done
according to the care labeling by usual 2 bath procedure.
Boosters should only be used in extreme situations and
only with reduced mechanism. Dry cleaning shall only be
executed by experts. Before PPE is used again it should be
completely free of solvents. Therefore the clothing should
ventilate for at least one day after being cleaned.
Oberon User Guide
Arc Flash Suit Storage, Use, Care, & Maintenance
4
I
The important distinction to be made here is that cleaning your
PPE is not enough to kill germs and viruses. To protect your
workers you must also disinfect it between each use. When it
comes to Arc Flash PPE this is a complicated process as we have
both porous and non-porous surfaces. For example, a face shield
is considered a non-porous surface and can be easily cleaned.
The fabric portion of an Arc Flash Suit would be considered a
porous surface and is much more difficult to disinfect.
Oberon User Guide
Arc Flash Suit Storage, Use, Care, & Maintenance
The first step to cleaning and disinfecting an Oberon TCG™
hood is to disassemble your hood. Once done, if the shield has
dirt or grit, flush it off with room temperature tap water.
The next step to disinfecting a TCG™ hood window is to take a
soft cloth with isopropyl alcohol or use a Lysol® wipe and
gently clean both sides of the shield. This process may leave
streaks as the surface dries. Once dry, use a soft clean cloth
and lightly wipe off any streaks or film left on the shield from
impurities in the wipes.
*For any plastic parts without coatings use a 10% solution of Clorox bleach
(Sodium Hypochlorite or NaOCL). Allow it to evaporate. Please do not rinse
off.
How to Clean and Disinfect a Hood
The fabric portion of a suit is very porous which creates a very
challenging proposition when it comes to disinfection. One
method currently available is to turn the suit inside out
and withan approved disinfectant on the inside of the
hood and suit. While this will not kill 100% of all bacteria and
viruses, but it is one of the best defenses currently available.
When spraying the inside of the suit and hood, be careful not to
get any spray on the outside of of the suit. It is very
important to let the suit dry completely before putting it back
into service.
Another method to disinfect the suit is to launder it according to
the directions on the label. If higher temperatures are needed to
kill bacteria and viruses the suits can be washed and dried at
higher temperatures without diminishing their protective
qualities. This may, however, cause additional shrinkage that
could hamper the overall fit of the suit.
As a third method, consult your local commercial laundering
facility and inquire what options are available that will clean and
disinfect Arc Flash PPE according to ASTM F1449 Standards.
*Caution: When consulting your commercial laundering facility it is important to
note that any deviation from the washing instructions has the potential to
damage the protective properties of the suit. Please consult your local Oberon
representative for further guidance on this topic.
How to Clean and Disinfect a Arc Flash Suit
Oberon Company ▪ 800-322-3348 ▪ service@oberoncompany.com ▪ www.oberoncompany.com 5
Hard Cap: Check shield
adapters, ensure no cracks
and correctly tted inside
cap side slots. Inspect for
cracks, shell expiration date
and that the suspension
adjusting mechanism works.
Hood: Inspect hood window
inside/out and look for
excessive scratching, cracks
or other damage; replace
if necessary. Ensure snaps
are securely attached to the
fabric and shield. Ensure
fabric inside/out does not
have rips, tears, or holes.
Look for stains or other
types of damage from
contamination. Look for
excessive fading of material.
Coat: Ensure fabric
inside/out does not have
rips, tears, or holes.
Look for stains or other
types of damage from
contamination. Look for
excessive fading of material.
Check zipper and/or hook
and loop closure; conrm
no visible signs of damage.
Ventilation System:
Perform system check by
turning fan on. Replace
batteries if needed. Check
fan connection to coupling,
ensure fully engaged into
locked position. Fan unit
fully secured inside pocket,
loop or strap (located at
back).
Bib-Overalls: Ensure
fabric inside/out does not
have rips, tears, or holes.
Look for stains or other
types of damage from
contamination. Look for
excessive fading of material.
Check suspenders, inspect
for signs of excessive wear
and conrm no visible signs
of damage. Conrm buckles
are operable and suspender
strap is at inside of the
adjustment mechanism.
Inspect cinch strap(s) for
hook and loop seal.
How to Perform a Visual Pre-Inspection of an Oberon Arc Flash Suit
Coat, Bib-Overall, Hood, Ventilation System
Suit Pictured: TCG40 Series
Oberon User Guide
Arc Flash Suit Storage, Use, Care, & Maintenance
6
HOW TO PUT ON (DONNING)
NOTE: Oberon products shall be used in accordance
with all labeling and applicable Standards. The following
“How to Wear” instruction is only an example. Worker
instruction is the sole responsibility of their Supervisor &
Employer.
HOOD PREPARATION
•Open storage bag, remove hood, and perform visual
inspection.
•If the hood is equipped with a hood ventilation
system, perform a battery check by turning the fan
switch to “ON”. If the fan does not operate, change
the batteries and repeat this step. Switch fan to “OFF”
before proceeding to the next step.
•Remove the can of Disinfectant spray and soft cloth
from inside of the storage bag.
•Holding the can 18” away from the hood surface,
lightly spray the inside of the hood with the can of
Disinfectant being careful to never spray the outside
of any part of the arc ash suit or over spraying cre-
ating pooling on the inside of the hood and hard hat.
•Avoid spraying the inside of the hood window.
•Using a clean, lint free soft cloth, clean the outside
of the hood window to ensure best possible visibility
(remove any dirt, nger prints, etc.). Using the same
cloth, wipe out the inside of the hood window (lens).
•Place the hood down on a clean surface with the hood
opening facing up, allowing the inside of the hood to
completely dry before use.
BIB-OVERALLS
•Remove bib-overalls, perform visual inspection.
• Optional: Don arc ash cooling vest over top of Daily-
Wear and underneath the bib-overalls.
•If bib-overall suspender buckles are open, close
buckles.
•Don bib-overalls by using a bare wall or chair to take
the weight of your legs, once balanced, place one leg
through the pant legs at a time.
•While donning the bib-overalls point your toes to the
oor allowing your work boots to slide through the
opening. If your work boots are excessively soiled
remove them before putting on the bib-overalls.
•Once both legs are through stand up and pull the
suspender straps over your shoulders and adjust the
tension for a comfortable t, removing any excess
slack in the suspenders.
•If possible, close the side cinch straps with hook and
loop closures.
•Close the lower cinch straps using the hook and loop
tabs at your ankles to ensure the suit legs do not fall
down under your heals, avoiding a potential tripping
hazard.
COAT
•Remove the coat from the storage bag, perform visual
inspection.
•Put on the coat over top of the bib-overalls.
•Place the can of Disinfectant spray and soft cloth
back inside of the storage bag, stow bag in a safe
location.
•Completely zip up the front coat closure and seal the
zipper using the hook and loop placard, including the
strap at the neck to ensure all open areas have been
fully sealed.
Other Personal Protective Equipment, worn before the
Hood:
•Don approved Safety Glasses or Goggles.
•Don appropriate Hearing Protective Device(s).
•Don any other PPE that is appropriate for the hazard
(respiratory protection, over boots, etc.).
HOOD
•Pick up the hood and inspect inside using your bare
hand touching the surfaces to ensure the Disinfectant
spray has completely dried.
• Don the hood by rst turning the hard hat ratchet
suspension knob opening the suspension so the hard
hat will generously t on top of your head.
•Place the hood over top of your head. While holding
the bottom of the lens pull the window/shield close to
your mouth and reactivate the anti-fog coating on the
inside of the hood by breathing over the entire inside
surface of hood window.
•Once the hood is on, reach your hand up inside the
back of the hood and tighten the ratchet suspension
knob to the point at which the hard hat does not slip
or easily pull o your head
GLOVES
•Complete visual inspection, air testing and pre-use
procedures.
•Put on the gloves one hand at a time, ensuring the
cu of the suit coat or coverall is well inside of the in-
ner most gloves, ie. Rubber insulating (Voltage Rated)
or Arc-rated gloves, lying at in a natural position and
not rolled or bunched up.
FINAL CHECK
•After the hood is on and the hard hat suspension is
properly adjusted, make sure the lower hood aps are
Oberon User Guide
Arc Flash Suit Storage, Use, Care, & Maintenance
7
not folded inwards and are lying at over top of the
coat. Do not tuck the hood inside of the collar.
•Double check all closures, sealing any gaps and
inspecting for correctness of t. Reach your hand
around to the back of the hood and switch the fan
back to “ON” before proceeding to use your arc ash
suit.
HOW TO TAKE OFF (DOFFING)
HOOD
•Remove hood, turn fan switch to “OFF”.
•Retrieve the suit storage bag; remove the can of Dis-
infectant spray and soft cloth.
•Holding the can 18” away from the hood surface,
lightly spray the inside of the hood with the Disinfec-
tant being careful to never spray the outside of any
part of the arc ash suit or over spraying creating
pooling on the inside of the hood window.
•Always avoid spraying the inside of the hood window.
• Immediately wipe accidental spray o the inside of
the hood window using soft cloth.
•Place the can of Disinfectant spray and soft cloth
back inside of the storage bag.
•Place the hood down on a clean surface with the hood
opening facing up, allowing the inside of the hood to
completely dry before storing.
COAT
•Remove your coat and fold lengthwise before placing
back inside of the storage bag.
•Proceed to removing the bib-overalls by opening the
cinch straps on the sides and at the ankles, then pull-
ing the suspender straps over your shoulders.
BIB-OVERALLS
•Find a bare space on a wall or by sitting on a chair,
balance your weight and pull your legs through the
bib-overalls. It is helpful to use your opposite hand to
hold the bottom of the bib-overall pant legs allowing
your work boot to easily pull through. Remember to
point your toes down. If your work boots are ex-
cessively soiled remove them before removing the
bib-overalls.
•Once the bib-overalls are removed fold them length-
wise and place them on top of the coat inside of the
suit storage bag.
STORAGE
• Pick up the hood, using the lower ap from the front,
fold up and over the outside of the hood window to
prevent shield damage while being stored.
•Fold the back of the hood including the fan unit inside
of the hard hat and place the hood into the storage
bag.
•Zip closed the storage bag and store in a safe dry
location.
INSTRUCTIONS ON STORAGE
•Use a storage bag or storage locker in a clean dry
environment. Never store with sharp objects, or in
dusty areas.
•To avoid color fading and loss of strength never store
under direct sunlight or other UV light sources (UVra-
diation does not aect heat and ame protection)
• Front ap of the hood should be used to protect the
window inside of the storage bag; otherwise hood
•storage bags are available.
- When placing the hood inside of a storage bag
ip up the front ap to cover the hood shield
window.
• Recommend folding the arc ash suit coat, bib-overall
or coverall before placing in storage.
• Be sure all powered components are turned o before
storage including the fan unit and LED lamp.
•To ensure the hood ventilation system fan does not
turn on while using a storage bag, disconnect the fan
unit from the coupling (turn fan counter clockwise),
open battery storage compartment cover and remove
one battery. Replace the battery compartment cover
and store in a pouch inside of the overall storage bag.
Oberon User Guide
Arc Flash Suit Storage, Use, Care, & Maintenance
Oberon Company
22 Logan Street
New Bedford, MA
P: 800-322-3348
F: 508-999-4443
service@oberoncompany.com
www.oberoncompany.com
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