Ensuring Workplace Safety: The Importance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

1. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) OSHA requires the use of PPE when it is needed 29 CFR 1910.132 By: Chou Lor, Facilities Planning Management UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

2. Personal Protective Equipment • Training Objectives • Identify areas where PPE may be needed • Employee participation • Identify different types of PPE • Care of PPE UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

3. Personal Protective Equipment • Identify areas where PPE may be needed • Evaluate the work areas • What safety hazards are in the work areas? • The workplace conditions • Fall hazards • Evaluate the work task • What safety hazards does the task create? • What safety hazards do the tools and equipment pose? UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

4. Personal Protective Equipment • Employee Participation • Attend required PPE training sessions • Wear PPE as required • Clean and maintain assigned PPE • Inform your immediate supervisor if PPE is in need of repair or replacement UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

5. Personal Protective Equipment • Types of PPE • Head Protection • Head protection is important for many reasons • Head injuries are serious and some injuries may be permanent • Potential Hazards: • Falling objects • Electrical shocks • Splashes, spills, and drips UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

6. Personal Protective Equipment • Head Protection Cont.: • Hard hats: Use rigid shell and suspension system to shield head. • Class A: Falling objects and electrical shocks – up to 2,200 volts. • Class B: Falling objects and electrical shocks– up to 20,000 volts. • Class C: Falling objects only. • Bump caps do not protect from falling objects. UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

7. Personal Protective Equipment • Eye and Face Protection • Hazards associated with the eyes and face: • Flying objects • Splash hazards from chemicals, battery acid, degreasing, plating • Dusts or powders • Radiant energy – welding or lasers UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

8. Personal Protective Equipment • Eyes and Face Protection Cont.: • Provide adequate protection. • Particles, liquids, vapors, gases, radiation • Safety Glasses with side shields, goggles, face shield • Reasonably comfortable. • Fit snugly, no interference to vision • Easily cleanable and durable. UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

9. Personal Protective Equipment • Eyes and Face Protection Cont.: • Safety Glasses • Protects against • Moderate impact • Flying particles • Side Shields • Shatter-proof lenses • Impact-resistant frames UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

10. Personal Protective Equipment • Eyes and Face Protection Cont.: • Safety Goggles: • Offer more protection than glasses. • Fit closer to the face. • Better protection when exposed to fumes, vapors, dusts, and splashing. • If used specifically for splash resistance, they must be labeled as so. UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

11. Personal Protective Equipment • Eyes and Face Protection Cont.: • Face Shield • Offer full face protection • Used in operations that produce flying objects or splashes • Can be worn with a hard hat • Must be worn with safety glasses • Face shields alone are not adequate eye protection UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

12. Personal Protective Equipment • Body Protection • Body Hazards • Extreme temperatures • Chemical exposure • Impact • Falls • Electrical contact • Entanglement UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

13. Personal Protective Equipment • Body Protection Cont.: • Suits • Gas/vapor-tight • Liquid-tight • Particulate-tight • Partial body/limited • Aprons and sleeves • Chaps, knee pads, shin guards • Appropriate attire • no loose clothing • non-melting material UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

14. Personal Protective Equipment • Hearing Protection • Exposure to excessive noise levels (8 hour TWA> 85dBA) • Decide which size and type protector is most suitable for the working environment. • Must adequately reduce the severity of the noise level for each employee’s work environment. • Types of ear protection available include: • Jazz Band • Earmuffs • Earplugs UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

15. Personal Protective Equipment • Hand Protection • Protects against risk of • Cuts • Abrasions • Burns • Punctures • Exposure to hazardous materials. • Requires selection of the appropriate gloves for the job. UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

16. Personal Protection Equipment • Hand Protection Cont.: • How to remove gloves • Grasp the outside of one glove. • Hold the glove with your gloved hand. • Insert your fingers on the inside of the glove. • Turn the glove inside out over the first glove UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

17. Personal Protective Equipment • Foot Protection • Foot Hazards: • Danger of foot injuries due to falling and rolling objects, • Slip hazards or objects piercing the sole, • Where employees are exposed to electrical hazards. • Safety shoes or boots with impact protection are required for: • Carrying or handling heavy materials such as: • Packages, objects, parts or tools, which could be dropped and for other activities where objects might fall onto the feet. UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

18. Personal Protective Equipment • Foot Protection Cont.: • Special situations may require wearing metatarsal protection, electrical conductive or insulating safety shoes or boot. • Must comply with ANSI Z41-1999 Standards. UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management

19. Personal Protective Equipment • Care of PPE • Always check PPE for damage before and after each use • Clean PPE before storing • Dispose of and replace damaged PPE • Store PPE properly and avoid conditions that could damage it, such as heat, light, moisture, etc. UW-Eau Claire Facilities Planning & Management