Personal Protective Equipment and Job Hazard Assessment Jim Simmons Environmental Protection Specialist Southern Plains Area USDA/ARS 29 CFR 1910, Subpart I

Background ► Hazards exist in every workplace in many different forms: ► Sharp edges ► Falling objects ► Sparks ► Chemicals ► Noise ► Many others

Background ► Mankind has always tried to find a way to protect itself from workplace hazards ► Personal Protective Equipment has been used throughout history and in many different forms

Hazard Control ► Controlling a hazard at it’s source is the best way to protect employees  Engineering practices ► A barrier between the hazard and the employee ► Ventilation ► Etc  Administrative practices ► Changing the way in which employees perform their work

Hazard Control ► When engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective, employers must provide personal protective equipment to their employees and ensure its use ► Commonly known as PPE

THE LAW ► OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I, Personal Protective Equipment Requires employers to: ► Perform and certify a hazard assessment of the workplace to identify and control physical and health hazards ► Identify and provide appropriate PPE for employees

THE LAW ► OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I, Personal Protective Equipment Requires employers to: ► Train employees in the use and care of PPE ► Maintain PPE, including replacing worn or damaged PPE

THE LAW ► OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I, Personal Protective Equipment Requires employees to: ► Properly wear PPE ► Attend training sessions on PPE ► Care for, clean and maintain PPE ► Maintain PPE, including replacing worn or damaged PPE ► Inform supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE

Hazard Assessment ► The employer must perform a hazard assessment of the work place, tasks, and operations effecting an employee  Must investigate the workplace and identify hazards or potential hazards that may cause injury or illness to employees and certify in writing that the assessment was conducted

Hazard Assessment ► The assessment may be conducted of a single employee, a single task or a group of employees if all employees perform an identical task ► The assessment should include an inspection of the worksite and potential hazardous sources

Hazard Assessment ► Potential Hazard Sources  High and low temperature  Chemical Exposure  Harmful dust or particles  Light radiation  Falling or rolling objects  Light (optical) radiation  Sharp objects  Electrical  Confined Space  Biological  Radiological  Noise  Others

Potential Hazard Sources ► High or Low Temperatures that could result in: ► Burns ► Eye injuries ► Ignition ► Heat/cold stress ► Frost bite ► Others ► Examples: welding, cold rooms, extreme weather, chemical

Potential Hazard Sources ► Chemical Hazards such as:  Acids/bases  Solvents  Vapors/mists  Thermal  Fuels/Oils  Others

Potential Hazard Sources ► Harmful Dusts and Particulates  Buffing  Grinding  Sandblasting  Seed Cleaning  Mill operations  Others

Potential Hazard Sources ► Light Radiation ► Welding ► Arc lamps ► Lasers ► Growth lights ► Others

Potential Hazard Sources ► Falling objects  Potential for dropping objects ► Rolling objects  Crush or pinch feet ► Injury from overhead ► Examples: Animal handling, tree trimming, construction, lifting, fork lifts

Potential Hazard Sources ► Sharp objects that may pierce or cut skin, hands or other body parts ► Examples  Needles  Knives  Scalpel  Glass

Potential Hazard Sources ► Electrical Hazard  Energized Equipment  Energized Lines  Others

Potential Hazard Sources ► Noise  Mowers, generators, farm equipment, wind tunnels, etc ► Confined Space  Manhole systems, grain bins, etc ► Biological  Agents that cause disease or illness ► Insect scales, viruses, bacteria, etc ► Radiological  X-Rays, H-3, C-14, etc ► Others  Snakes  etc

Personal Protective Equipment ► The employer must:  Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for protection against hazards identified during the assessment where other controls are not sufficient

Personal Protective Equipment ► Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)  Clothing, work accessories, and devices to protect employees against hazards in the environment. Examples – Safety glasses, goggles, hard hats, gloves, etc

Personal Protective Equipment ► PPE will be provided by the employer  Must be selected to provide protection from hazards identified in the hazard assessment  Must be selected based upon the hazard’s characteristics ► PPE selection criteria will be documented and kept on file  Must fit the employee

Personal Protective Equipment ► PPE will be utilized as the LAST means of protection  Engineering and administrative controls must be utilized first to minimize or eliminate the hazard

Training ► Supervisors must provide employee training to include :  Contents of 29 CFR  Contents of Location PPE Program  Hazards within the work place  When PPE is necessary  What type of PPE is necessary  How PPE is to be worn  Limitations of the PPE  Proper care, maintenance, life and disposal of PPE

Training ► Training must be conducted initially and annually thereafter ► Refresher training must be provided when:  Changes occur in the work place  Changes occur in the types of PPE  Inadequacies in a employee’s knowledge indicate that the employee has not retained the understanding or skill

PPE WHY THE NEED?