1. Procedure for the selection and use of Personal Protective Equipment (Revision 3 – 11 th June 2014) Toolbox Talk

2. INTRODUCTION Personal protective equipment only protects the person wearing or using it - it does not remove the hazard from the workplace. Personal protective equipment should only be used as a control measure as a last resort where other control measures are not reasonably practicable. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Maintenance Line managers will carry out quarterly inspections of the personal protective equipment issued to Estates Section Maintenance staff. Equipment needs to be looked after and properly stored in a dry and clean place when not in use. Staff must check their personal protective equipment for damage both before and after use – do not use any defective equipment. Lost or defective equipment should be reported to line managers.

3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (continued) Personal protective equipment should be cleaned after use. Disposable personal protective equipment should be used only once and disposed of safely after use. Do not use any personal protective equipment once its recommended shelf life has expired. All personal protective equipment must be ‘CE’ marked. Estates Section staff must be adequately trained in the correct use of the personal protective equipment that they use. Personal protective equipment should be selected from the list of approved Personal Protective Equipment

4. SAFETY FOOTWEAR Steel toe capped safety footwear must be worn by Estates Section Maintenance staff at all times. The wearing of riggers boots should be avoided where possible, as these do not provide good support for the ankles. Riggers boots must not be worn for any work on slopes or rough and uneven ground. In cases where staff may have to walk through heating ducts or chambers where there may be pools of hot water then steel toe capped wellington boots must be worn. 

5. DISPOSABLE HALF MASK RESPIRATORS Where disposable half mask respirators have to be worn, Estates Section staff must wear the following model of disposable half mask respirator – 3M Aura 9332+.* Note: Disposable half mask respirators only provide protection from dusts. They don’t protect from fumes (e.g. welding fume) or vapours (e.g. paints). Staff wearing disposable half mask respirators must have passed a Portacount fit test for that model of mask and received training on the correct procedure for putting on the mask. Face fit tests are only valid as long as the person’s facial characteristics remain the same. Repeat face fit testing will be required if the person loses or gains a substantial amount of weight or undergoes extensive dental work. *If the person fails then a Portacount (quantitative) face fit test with a 3M 8835 disposable half mask respirator should be carried out. If both of these fail then the Health and Safety Co-ordinator should be contacted to discuss.

6. The protection provided by disposable half mask respirators relies on a good seal being achieved between the face and mask. Disposable half mask respirators are not suitable for persons with stubble, beards or thick sideburns. Disposable half mask respirators must not be worn over the hoods of disposable coveralls as this can cause slippage of the mask and loss of the face seal. The disposable half mask respirator should be the last item of PPE to be removed once the task has been completed. 

7. GLOVES AND GAUNTLETS (REUSABLE AND DISPOSABLE) The use of latex disposable gloves is not permitted. When contaminated gloves are removed, the hands may become contaminated when handling the gloves. If the same pair of gloves are put on again the contaminant could be transferred to the inside surface of the glove and reside next to the skin which could cause greater exposure than if a glove had not been worn at all. To prevent this wash the gloves thoroughly before removing them (if this is possible). Never re-use a pair of disposable gloves once they have been removed. Wearing a glove for extended periods of time can lead to sweating of the hand, which can lead to skin irritation. Dispose of single use gloves after one use.

8. Gloves must be appropriate for the risks and conditions where they are used (see Appendix 1). They must provide adequate protection from any chemicals being used. Gloves must be robust enough not to tear or cut when the work activity is carried out. Leather and stitched gloves are not suitable for working with chemicals. Gloves must fit the wearer correctly. If the task requires good manual dexterity, the glove must not restrict movement of the hand. Do not use this type of glove with chemicals 

9. Correct removal of re-usable gloves (chemically resistant) http://www.hse.gov.uk/skin/posters/glovesreu se.pdf

10. Correct removal of single use gloves (splash resistant) http://www.hse.gov.uk/skin/posters/singleuseg loves.pdf

11. Removing single-use gloves without contaminating your hands - video clip http://www.hse.gov.uk/skin/videos/gloves/removegloves.htm http://www.hse.gov.uk/skin/videos/gloves/removegloves.htm

12. BOILERSUITS Boilersuits should be washed at an industrial laundry if they become contaminated with chemicals (including fuels, oils, lubricants, herbicides and paints). They should not be taken home and washed with the ‘family’ wash. Flame retardant boilersuits must be worn when carrying out welding.

13. DISPOSABLE COVERALLS Disposable coveralls must be worn over boots rather than be tucked into them. Gloves must be worn over the sleeves to stop contamination getting onto the inside of the coverall sleeves. Disposable half mask respirators must not be worn over the hoods of disposable coveralls as this can cause slippage of the mask and loss of the face seal.   

14. HEAD PROTECTION The Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989 require suitable head protection, normally hard hats, to be provided and worn when there is a risk of injury to the head falling objects or overhead obstructions. Hard hats should be compatible with other PPE being worn, eg ear defenders or eye protectors. Chin straps should be provided and used if a job involves work in windy conditions, especially at height, or repeated bending downwards or constantly looking upwards. 

15. Hard hats must be worn the right way round - it does not give proper protection when worn back to front. Hard hats must not be stored in direct sunlight, or excessively hot or humid areas as this can quickly weaken the shell of the hard hat. Hard hats must be replaced at least every five years from the date of manufacture or less if the hard hat manufacturer states this. 

16. Hard hats should be checked regularly for signs of damage or deterioration - they will need replacing if the harness is damaged or the protective properties of the shell have been affected e.g. if the shell has received a severe impact, deep scratches occur (to a depth greater than 25% of the shell thickness) or if the shell has any visible cracks. Never use solvents or abrasives to clean hard hats. Use warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Replace the hard hat if it cannot be cleaned. Bump caps are provided for protection in areas where there is a risk of bumping or scraping the head against stationary objects (e.g. ducts and plantrooms). Bump caps only provide lightweight impact protection and are not suitable for protection against the effects of falling or thrown objects, moving or suspended loads. 

17. HEARING PROTECTION Hearing protection must be worn for activities where staff could be exposed to potentially harmful levels of noise (the Estates Section health and safety procedures state which specific activities require the wearing of hearing protection). Hearing protection must be compatible with other PPE being worn such as hard hats and eye protection. Ensure that hands are clean when inserting earplugs into the ear. Earmuff seals must be undamaged, defective equipment should be reported to the line manager. 

18. EYE AND FACE PROTECTION Prescription safety glasses must have polycarbonate lenses manufactured to BS EN 166F (the lenses must have a stamp stating this). For applications where there is a risk from flying debris safety goggles provide greater impact protection than safety glasses.