Personal Protective Equipment 1 PPE Webinar

PPE – What is PPE? What is it for? PPE Program Selection criteria for PPE Types of PPE Considerations for PPE 2 TOPICS COVERED PPE Webinar

1.What is PPE? May be defined as an protective equipment worn by a worker to protect them from one or more hazards likely to endanger their health and/or safety at the worksite. 2.What is it for? It should be the second line of defense for protection from worksite hazards. The first line of defense is elimination of the hazards through engineering and/or administrative controls. 3 Personal Protective Equipment PPE Webinar

1.Hazard assessment. 2.Written Policy or Guidelines on usage of PPE. 3.Selection of proper type of equipment. 4.Implementation of a thorough training program to make certain employees know why the PPE is necessary, its limitations, the correct use, how to maintain (clean, disinfect, repair), useful life span, and how to properly dispose of the PPE. 5.Enforce the use of PPE. 4 PPE Program PPE Webinar

1.Type of work. 2.Type of hazard(s). 3.Effects of exposure to the hazard(s). 4.Threshold limit value. 5.Body part(s) involved. 6.Duration of exposure. 7.Maintenance requirements. 8.Lifespan of the PPE. 5 Selection Criteria for PPE PPE Webinar

Head Eye & Face Hearing Respiratory Hand & Arms Feet & Legs Body Fall Arrest 6 Types of PPE PPE Webinar

7 Head Type 1 –to reduce force to top of head. Type II –to reduce force to sides and/or top of the head. Class G (general ) – general service, limited voltage protection. Class E (electrical) – utility service, high-voltage protection. Class C (conductive) – special service, no voltage protection (bump caps). May incorporate other types of PPE (face shield, hearing protection, etc.). PPE Webinar

8 Eye & Face Safety glasses – may need to have side protection. Safety goggles – primarily for chemical protection. Face shields – solid or wire mesh (depends on hazard). Helmets, goggles, or glasses – protection from electrical flash/arc, and possibly laser beams around construction sites. Must not restrict vision or movement, easily cleaned or disinfected, and does not interfere with other PPE. PPE Webinar

9 Hearing 1.Should consider using PPE when noise level is greater than 85 decibels (dBs). 2.Employees should never work in an environment with noise levels greater than 115 db without hearing protection. 3.Devices should have a Noise Reduction Rating. A good rule of thumb is: if you have to raise your voice to be heard by someone standing three feet away, the noise around you could be damaging. PPE Webinar

10 Respiratory Used to protect workers from one or more of the following hazards: Dust Fumes Mists Gases Vapors Smoke Oxygen deficiency Biological agents PPE Webinar

11 Hand & Arms Used to protect Hands & Arms from one or more of the following: Cuts Abrasions Blisters Chemicals Biohazards Electrical Heat/cold Remember – no single type of glove will protect good against all hazards. Also, it’s a good practice to wash your hands after removing your gloves. PPE Webinar

12 Feet & Legs Protective footwear – to protect from: Slips/trips/falls Strains or Sprains Liquids Chemicals Biohazards Crushing injuries Chaps or Leggings – to protect legs from: Cuts Abrasions Heat PPE Webinar

13 Body Equipment which protects the body from one or more of the following: Liquid splashes Chemical or biological hazards Exposures to extreme heat or cold Impact or penetration Struck by vehicles or equipment PPE Webinar

14 Fall Arrest Used to protect a person from experiencing a fall from elevations. This can be one of the following: Safety net Body harnesses and lanyard Body harness with rope/cable grabbing device Body harness with self-retracting lanyard When selecting a fall arrest system, the height at which the worker will be working should be taken into consideration. PPE Webinar

1.Adequate protection from hazard(s). 2.Light weight & comfortable to wear for employee. 3.Does not restrict essential movement of the employee wearing the PPE. 4.Durable and limited maintenance. 15 Considerations for PPE PPE Webinar

16 Summary PPE is the last resort in protecting an employee. All organizations should have a policy or guidelines concerning the use of PPE. All employees shall be trained on the PPE assigned to them. All PPE should be: –Inspected before use –Kept in good condition (clean/maintained) –Worn correctly –Removed from service if any defects or damage is observed. PPE Webinar

Thank You for your attendance! Remember, PPE is only effective in protecting You, when You use it! 17 PPE Webinar