1. (1) Rubber insulating equipment designed for the voltage levels to be encountered must be provided and the employer must ensure that they are used by employees as required by this section. The requirements of WAC 296-24-980 Safeguards for personnel protection, must be followed except for Table 2.

2. (2) The employer is responsible for periodic retesting of all insulating gloves, blankets, and other rubber insulating equipment. This retesting must be electrical, visual and mechanical. The following maximum retesting intervals must apply:

   Table 2

   Gloves, Blankets andOther InsulatingEquipment	NaturalRubber(Months)	SyntheticRubber(Months)
   NewReissued	129	1815

3. (3) Protector for gloves. Approved protectors must be worn at all times over rubber gloves. Inner liners may be worn if desired.

   Exception:

   Protector gloves need not be used with Class O gloves, under limited-use conditions less than 250 volts, where small equipment and parts manipulation necessitate unusually high finger dexterity.

   Note:

   Extra care is needed in the visual examination of the glove and in the avoidance of handling sharp objects.

4. (4) Gloves and blankets must be marked to indicate compliance with the retest schedule and must be marked with the date the next test date is due. Any rubber gloves found to be defective must be removed from service and marked as being defective.
5. (5) Patching rubber goods is prohibited; rubber protective equipment must not be vulcanized or patched.
6. (6) A pair of rubber gloves must be issued and assigned to each employee when required to work on or be exposed to energized parts. Employees must not use or share gloves issued to another employee.
7. (7) Rubber gloves when not in use must be carried in an approved bag provided and designed for that purpose. It must be provided by the employer and made available to the employees.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 20-20-109, § 296-32-22550, filed 10/6/20, effective 11/6/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060, and chapter 49.17 RCW. WSR 17-20-069, § 296-32-22550, filed 10/2/17, effective 1/1/18.]