1. Personal Protective Equipment for the
Pest Control Technician
Eyes, Hands, and Head Protection
To conduct this training you will need to print the quiz questions on slide 19 and slide 27 to a document that will serve as training verification for each student in attendance. The answers are noted on the slides so change those when you transfer them to the quiz document that you will print for attendees.
In this training we are going to take a look at PPE for the Eyes, Hands and Head. First, we are going to review some points regarding eye protection; then move on to hands and head.

2. Common Causes of Eye Injuries
Flying objects
Particles, dust and debris
Chemical (powders and liquid)
Protruding nails, screws or wires
Trees and shrubs
Our eyes are very sensitive and can be easily injured. What are the common causes of eye injuries in pest control? Hazards can include but are not limited to:
Flying objects (bits of insulation, metal, glass, wood, or concrete)
Particles, dust, and debris that are usually stirred up during our treatments or inspections.
Chemicals (powders and liquid)
Protruding nails, screws or wires in crawl spaces and attics
Limbs from trees and shrubs when we are bending down to perform a treatment, checking stations or inspecting mulch.

3. Best Defense Against Eye Injury
Know the dangers
Eliminate the hazard(s)
Read label and SDS
Avoid pouring and mixing in the wind
Determine eye protection needed by considering:
Type of work being done
Specific areas or environments
Required by Label or SDS
What is our best defense against an eye injury? As you can see from the picture at the right, we need to Identify, Review, Control, Evaluate
Use proper eye protection. Proper eye protection is required to be worn
When there is a chance of eye injury from the work you are doing
When you are in areas that pose eye hazards from the type of environment or the work being done there; or
When the label or SDS requires it
Know the dangers to your eyes in every task you complete
You need to eliminate hazards before starting work by assessing the area – this is basically your pre-assessment walk.
We need to read the product label and SDS
We must avoid pouring or mixing in the wind

4. Eye Protection – Safety Glasses
Protect from flying particulates and chemical splashes
Use during:
Inspections
Treatments
Mixing & Handling
Operating Gas Auger or other handheld tools
Eye protection includes;
Safety Glasses
Safety glasses offer Protection from flying particulates and chemical splashes.
Use of safety glasses is not limited to but includes situations such as: Inspections and treatments, Mixing and handling of product, Operating gas auger and other hand held tools.

5. Eye Protection - Goggles
Necessary for any task which could result in an impact/splash to the eye
Required to be worn over prescription glasses if safety glasses do not fit over the frame
Use when handling chemicals or for hazardous work that safety glasses cannot mitigate (heavy debris situations such as removing ceiling tiles, blowing insulation, etc.)
Eye protection also includes
Goggles
Safety Goggles are necessary for any task which could result in an impact/splash to the eye that might not be prevented by safety glasses (even with side shields). They will also be required to be worn over prescription glasses in the event safety glasses do not fit over the prescription frame.
Use of safety goggles is not limited to but includes situations such as: Mixing and handling of Chemicals or hazards that safety glasses cannot mitigate (e.g. - removing ceiling tiles), etc.

6. Eye Protection – Face Shield
Full face protection from splashes or impacts
Use for grinding, spraying or splashing
Mosquito control and upper perimeter treatments
The final type of eye protection is
Face Shields
Face shields are used in conjunction with safety glasses or goggles to offer Full face protection from splashes and/or impacts.
Use of a face shield is not limited to but includes situations such as: grinding, spraying or splashing, mosquito control and upper perimeter treatments.

7. Eye Protection - Evaluate
To determine if other protective equipment is necessary
REMEMBER: Always evaluate the task you are about to perform to determine what additional PPE
equipment is necessary.
One of our defenses to prevent eye injury is to
Evaluate - You always need to be evaluating the job you are about to perform to determine what protective equipment may be necessary.
If you have questions or need additional information, ask your supervisor.
The key however, is to remember you always need to be evaluating the task you are about to perform to determine what protective equipment may be necessary.

8. An injury to your hands can be debilitating.
Button your shirt
Pour a cup of coffee
Eat with a spoon or fork
Dial and use the phone
Use hand tools
Operate machinery
Show of hands – how many people have suffered a hand injury that limited the use of that hand for a period of time?
Hands and fingers are versatile tools that we use for so many tasks that we take for granted. Think about how difficult it would be to: Button your shirt, Pour a cup of coffee, Eat with a spoon or fork, Dial and use the phone, Use hand tools, Operate machinery if you had a broken finger, severely cut thumb, deep puncture in your palm, or other similar hand injury.
Hands have the strength and flexibility to squeeze, grasp, and hold objects; the coordination necessary for playing the piano and typing; and the sensitivity for touching, feeling pressure and temperature, and performing delicate tasks. Do NOT take your hands for granted!
An injury to your hands can be debilitating.

9. Hand Injuries 25% of disabling workplace injuries involve the hands.
Common injuries include:
Cuts
Burns
Fractures
Skin irritations
Amputations
Studies show that 25% of all disabling injuries involve hands and fingers. These injuries can vary from minor cuts, burns, fractures or irritation to amputations and even poisoning can occur by handling chemicals with bare hands.
A hand injury can ruin your day or change your life. So, take the time to consider the hazards and protect yourself from injury.

10. Hand Protection Knives, Sharp Edges, Splinters Excessive Vibration
Blood & Bodily Fluids
Electricity
There are many types of protective gloves available depending on the type of task you will perform. For example, there are cut resistant gloves to protect against knives, sharp edges, or splinters. There are gloves to protect against excessive vibrations, electricity, blood and bodily fluids, hot objects and extreme cold. We also have gloves to protect us from the products we use.
Hot Objects
Extreme Cold

11. Hand Protection in Pest Control
Nitrile chemical resistant gloves prevent contact with products.
Primarily, employees in pest contol are provided Nitrile chemical resistant gloves to prevent contact with products.
Leather gloves are also provided to protect your hands from rough surfaces.
Leather gloves protect your hands from rough surfaces.

12. Glove Limitations Gloves can get caught in moving machinery.
Gloves can fail in extreme conditions.
Gloves don’t last forever.
Dexterity may be limited
Proper fit is essential
Gloves can get caught in moving machinery.
Some people may be allergic to some glove materials.
Chemicals can get inside the gloves and cause irritation.
Like all personal protective equipment, gloves are not fail-safe and in some cases can actually increase hazards if not used properly. For example:
Gloves should not be worn around moving machinery.
Some people may be allergic to a certain type of material for example Latex.
Gloves can actually cause more problems if chemicals get inside glove.
Glove can fail in extreme conditions for example when handling extremely harsh chemicals.
Gloves will not last forever. For example, gloves that provide protection from chemical exposure often break down over time and allow the chemical to seep through.
Dexterity may be limited with the use of some gloves
Finally, proper fit is an important component in being able to work effectively while wearing gloves

13. Glove Size & Fit Too big A better fit
Glove can come in many sizes so, making sure the gloves fit your hand properly is important. Gloves that are too small will limit your hand’s mobility and could tear. Gloves that are too big will limit your dexterity.
Too big
A better fit

14. Glove Use & Care Gloves must fit properly. Hands should be clean.
Clean fabric and leather gloves regularly.
Inspect gloves for damage and replace if necessary.
Glove use and care
As we mentioned on the previous slide, make sure the gloves fit your hand properly.
Hands should be clean before using gloves. If you put dirty or greasy hands inside your gloves, you are subjecting your hands to potential irritation because dirt and chemicals are being rubbed into your skin inside the glove.
Fabric and leather gloves should be cleaned regularly or discarded.
Before wearing, inspect gloves for damage. Replace gloves if they have tears, holes, or other minor defects.

15. Glove Use & Care Gloves should be the right type for the job.
Do not use fabric or leather gloves with liquid chemicals
Remove gloves before touching other items
Here are some additional reminders on glove use and care.
Make sure gloves are the right type for the job being performed. Depending on tasks, evaluate to determine if the gloves should be taped at the wrist or perhaps the gloves may need to be worn inside or outside sleeves.
Do not use fabric or leather gloves with liquid chemicals because the material will soak up the chemical.
Finally, be sure to remove your gloves before touching personal items such as cell phone, pens, steering wheel etc.

16. Inspection Signs of chemical degradation Holes Punctures Cleanliness
Swelling
Cracking
Shrinking
Discoloration of material
Holes
Punctures
Cleanliness
Correct size
Refer to manufacturer’s information on packaging for complete care and maintenance.
Our gloves we use each day need to be properly maintained in order to ensure they will provide the necessary protection.
When inspecting gloves, we need to look for:
Signs that the glove is degrading or breaking down for example: swelling, cracking, shrinking or discoloration
Look for holes, punctures, or tears, cleanliness and correct size.
When cleaning PPE refer to manufacturer’s information on packaging for complete care and maintenance.

17. Remove contaminated gloves safely and properly.
Watch video
Watch video
Contaminated gloves need to be removed safely and properly. This is a major hazard if the gloves are heavily contaminated or extremely toxic chemicals were handled or if you were not able to clean them before removal. A variety of methods can be used to remove gloves without touching the outside. Watch both of these short videos on two methods of removing gloves.
Remove contaminated gloves safely and properly.

18. Review Gloves must fit properly
Inspect gloves for damage and replace if necessary
Gloves should be the right type for the job
Do not use fabric or leather gloves with liquid chemicals
Remove gloves before touching other items
Gloves don’t last forever
Don’t take your hands for granted
To wrap things up, remember:
Make sure gloves fit your hand properly.
Before wearing, inspect gloves for damage. Replace gloves if they have tears, holes, or other minor defects.
Make sure gloves are the right type for the job being performed.
Do not use fabric or leather gloves on liquid chemicals because the material will soak up the chemical.
Be sure to remove your gloves before touching personal items such as cell phone, pens, steering wheel etc.
Finally, don’t take your hands for granted. Take the time to consider the hazards and protect yourself from injury.

19. Head Protection Hard Hat and Bump Cap
Our head is an important part of our body. We think, feel, talk, smell, and hear with our head. Therefore, it makes sense that we should protect our head from any injury. However, the effectiveness of any PPE on the job is limited when the product is not properly worn, maintained, and replaced when needed. Over the next few slides, we will discuss some essential facts you should know about your hard hat and bump cap.

20. Head Protection at Cook’s
Bump Cap
Hard Hat
Primarily we use to types of head protection – Bump Caps and Hard Hats.
Bump caps are made from lightweight plastic and are designed only to protect you from bumping your head on protruding objects. We wear them in attics and crawlspaces and anywhere we have overhead hazards or limited clearance.
Hard hats provide protection from impact or penetration. Some industrial/commercial sites we visit may require hard hats.
WARNING: You can never substitute a bump cap for a hard hat.
WARNING: These two caps have very different applications. You can never substitute a bump cap for a hard hat.

21. Inspection Visually Inspect the Shell for: Cracks, nicks
Holes and dents
Loss of surface gloss
Other signs of wear
Visually inspect the shell of your hard hat or bump cap for:
Cracks, nicks, holes and dents.
Loss of surface gloss
Other signs of wear

22. Inspection Visually Inspect Suspension for: Cracks or tears
Frayed or cut straps
Loss of flexibility
Other signs of wear
In addition to the shell, you also need to visually inspect to make certain the suspension of your hard hat or bump cap is present then check for:
Crack, tears, frays or cut straps.
Loss of flexibility
Other signs of wear

23. Maintenance and Care of Head Protection
Clean the shell and suspension system
Inspect the shell for any signs of damage
Inspect suspension straps
Do not use adhesive, or cleaning solvents
Never drill holes in the shell
Do not paint or place stickers on the shell
Store away from extreme temperatures or direct sunlight
Periodic cleaning and inspection will extend the useful life of protective headgear. A daily inspection of the hard hat shell, suspension system and other accessories for holes, cracks, tears or other damage that might compromise the protective value of the hat is essential. Paints, paint thinners and some cleaning agents can weaken the shells of the headgear and may eliminate electrical resistance. Never drill holes, paint or apply labels to protective headgear as this may reduce the integrity of the protection. Do not store protective headgear in direct sunlight, such as on the rear window shelf of a car, since sunlight and extreme heat can damage them.

24. Replacement of Head Protection
Cracks appear in shell
Shiny surface appears dull or chalky
Shell or suspension becomes brittle
The suspension will no longer hold securely
If it has been struck
Remove and destroy any head protection if it’s protective abilities are in doubt.”
Hard hats or bump caps are to be replaced when:
Cracks appear in shell
Shiny surface appears dull or chalky
Shell or suspension becomes brittle
The suspension will no longer hold securely
If it has been struck even if no damage is visible
Finally, remove from service and destroy any head protection if it’s protective abilities are in “doubt”

25. Key Points to Remember Inspect head protection prior to each use
Periodically clean head protection
Store head protection away from extreme heat or direct sunlight
Altering head protection is prohibited
Wear the correct type of head protection for the hazards found
Remove and destroy any head protection if it’s protective abilities are in doubt.”
To wrap things up, here are a some key points to remember about head protection:
Wear your bump cap whenever there is limited clearance from overhead.
Inspect your head protection prior to each use
Periodically clean your head protection according to the manufacturers instructions. In general, normal washing methods using warm water and a mild detergent are adequate.
To avoid damage to your head protection, store it away from extreme heat or direct sunlight.
Making any type of alteration such as drilling holes, painting or applying labels to protective headgear is prohibited as this may reduce the integrity of the protection
Evaluate the work to be done to ensure that the correct type of head protection is worn for the hazards found.
Finally, remove from service and destroy any head protection if it’s protective abilities are in “doubt”

26. Discussion time
Be sure to have each participant complete the quiz questions on slide 19 and 27.