Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

OSHA requires employers to protect their employees from workplace hazards through the use of engineering or work practice controls. When these controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is required. PPE, with few exceptions, must be provided by the employer.

Personal Protective Equipment is gear that a person wears to protect them from hazards. We use PPE as the last line of defense against hazards. The job hazards will dictate what type of PPE will be used.

Hierarchy of Controls

How to Pick PPE

We wear PPE similar to layers of armor. We want to protect all parts of our bodies from hazards. Knowing what hazards we will encounter help determine what and how PPE will be used. We will pick different protection for chemical hazards from electrical hazards.

Types Specific

  • Electrical PPE - provides an insulated barrier from the electrical source to the wearer. Electrical PPE comes in multiple types depending on the level of voltage.
  • Arc flash PPE – are designed to protect the wearer from an arc flash incident. Arc-flash PPE is divided into four types of categories depending on the level of protection needed.
  • Arc flash PPE needs to protect the user from heat, electrical, and high pressure.
  • Chemical Resistant clothing – are designed to protect the wearers from chemical exposures. Different chemicals have different properties and require specific types of chemical resistant clothing. Always check the SDS and manufacture recommendations for chemical PPE.
  • Flame Resistant – (FR) – Clothes that are designed to protect the wearers from flames and thermal exposures. These clothes are designed to not catch on fire easily, or if they do, they should self-extinguish.

Fun Facts

  • Expiration Dates – PPE will typically have an expiration date set by the manufacture. Old PPE can compromise the integrity of the material used for protecting someone.
  • OSHA Approved – OSHA does not approve equipment. PPE with an (OSHA Approved) label does not make the gear safe to use. PPE should be approved by ANSI, NFPA, or other recognized national standard organizations. 

Types of PPE:

Body Protection

Provide protective clothing for those parts of the body exposed to possible injuries.

Common types of body protection are:

  • Laboratory coats
  • Coveralls
  • Vests
  • Jackets
  • Aprons
  • Surgical gowns
  • Full-body suits

Fluorescent Vest

Lab Coat

Tyvek Suit

Eye Protection:

  • Eye protection is the most common type of PPE and should be worn for all kinds of work. The eye is a critical organ and can be easily damaged. Having proper PPE is essential.
  • Eye protection needs to have an ANSI Z87 stamp on eye protection.
  • Perception glasses need to be ANSI Z87 approved or they must be worn under safety glasses or safety goggles
  • We have many types of eye protection depending on the hazards:

Eye protection

Safety Glasses

Protect eyes from: flying debris

Safety Goggles

Different types of vents are used for specific hazards.

• Impact/vented:

• Chemical Splash: sealed goggles

Face Shield

Protect face from: splashes, dust, flying debris, dust

Face shields do not protect eyes.

MUST BE WORN WITH SAFETY GLASSES OR GOOGLES

Specialty Eye Protection

Laser

Protects eyes from: Flying particles and UV light & Lasers

Welding Shields

Protect Eyes from:

Infrared Light & Intense Radiant light

Welding light is 10x brighter than the sun

Fall Protection

Unless working on a ladder, scaffold, or scissor lift, OSHA requires fall protection when exposed to a 4-foot fall or greater. Ladders, scaffolds, and scissor lifts have their own fall prevention requirements. People must be trained before wearing fall protection PPE.

  1. Fall protection PPE is made up of 3 parts known as the ABC.
    1. A – Anchorages
      • Anchorage connectors secure connecting devices to a support structure over 5000lbs per person.
    2. B – Body Harness
      • A full-body harness is a type of PPE that attaches a person to the fall protection chain. There are many types of full-body harnesses. Regardless of make or model, they must be properly sized for the wearer, inspected, used, and maintained according to the manufacturer.
    3. C – Connecting components
      • There are multiple types of connecting components. Connectors attach the body harness to the anchorages points.
  2. Link on MSA fall protection Inspection: 

Anchors

Fixed

Temporary

Body Harness

Back D Ring

Front D Ring

Connection

Retractable Lanyard (YoYo)

Shock Absorbing Lanyard

 

Footwear

  • Employees who face possible foot or leg injuries from falling or rolling objects or from crushing or penetrating materials should wear protective footwear.
  • Also, employees whose work involves exposure to hot substances or corrosive or poisonous materials must have protective gear to cover exposed body parts, including legs and feet.
  • Protective footwear must comply with ANSI Z41, ASTM 2412, or ASTM F-2413
  • Some safety footwear may incorporate multiple different sections below. 

Safety Soles

Help prevents a person from:

Slipping and falling

Puncture Resident

Steal-Toe

 

Provides impact protection to the toes

 

Composite Toe

 Provides impact protection to toes and electrical safe

Liquid/Chemical

Prevents Liquid/chemicals from contacting the foot.

Lab

 

Slip-Resistant, Closed- Toe shoes

Protects against liquid penetration

Non- perforated

No cloth sneakers

Gloves

There are many types of gloves that can protect someone from cuts, punctures, burns, and chemical exposures. It is important to know what protection level the gloves are rated for and what are the potential exposure levels.

Electrical Gloves

Cryonic Gloves

Head Protection

Wearing a safety helmet or hard hat is one of the easiest ways to protect an employee's head from injury. A frequent cause of head injuries is falling objects, bumps to a fixed object, or head contact with electrical hazards.

Hard Hats

Protects head from:

  • Falling Objects
  • Bumps into fixed objects

Bump Caps

Protects head from:

  • Bumping into fixed objects
  • Will Not protect the head from falling objects

Expiration Date

Hard Hats have an expiration date from 2-5 years.

Below is the date of manufactures

July/2012

Special Head Protection

Electrical

Protects head from:

  • Electrical/Utility Work 20,000 volts
  • Falling Objects

Working at heights/rescue

Protects head from:

  • Falling Objects
  • Prevents helmet from falling off

Type II Hard Hats

Protects head from:

  • Falling objects
  • Side, front & back Protection

Hearing Protection

  • Exposure to noise levels over 85 dB can cause hearing loss
  • Hearing protection required at 90 dB
  • There are many types of hearing protection for moderate noise foam earplugs that work well. Over the earmuffs provide greater protection. Technology has even allowed for noise-canceling headphones that will enable the user to hear normal sounds and tune out the loud damaging noises.
  • Employees who are exposed to excessive noise should enrollee in the ÃÛÌÒ½´Hearing Conservation program.

Respirators

  • There are many types of respirators, depending on the hazards. As the risks increase, a higher level of respiratory protection is needed.
  • Air-purifying respirators remove contaminants from the air.
  • SCBA or Supplied Air brings clean outside air into a contaminated area.
  • Before using a respirator, a person needs to have a medical evaluation and needs to be fit tested.
  • Dust masks are not considered respirators and do not provided protection from hazards
  • For more information on respiratory protection click here (link to RP PROGRAM)