Ppe 296r29

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal Protective Equipment • Definition: Devices used to protect an employee from injury or illness resulting from with chemical , biological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. • The need for PPE and the type of PPE used is based on hazard present. 04/07/15

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Personal Protective Equipment • PPE is used as a last resort • The use of PPE signifies that the hazard could not be controlled by other methods, such as: – istrative controls (i.e., shift rotation) – engineering or industrial hygiene controls

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Engineering Controls • • • • • • • •

Design (remove hazard from process) Substitution (of less hazardous materials) Process modification (how and where) Isolate the process or the worker Wet methods for dust reduction Local exhaust ventilation (at source) Dilution ventilation (area) Good housekeeping 04/07/15

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So, what is it???

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Personal Protective Equipment • • • • • • •

Head protection Eye and Face protection Hearing protection Respiratory protection Arm and Hand protection Foot and Leg protection Protective clothing 04/07/15

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Head Protection

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Hard Hats work by dissipating force

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Eye Protection

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Eye Protection • Common Uses: – Impact Protection – Chemical Hazards – Radiation Protection • • • •

welder’s goggles laser goggles UV Infrared

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Eye Protection - Selection • Visitor specs are only appropriate for nonemployees with no true exposure to hazards • Safety glasses are used to protect the eyes from flying objects (no face protection) • Chemical splash goggles protect against fluids by sealing tightly against the face • Face shields provide highest level of protection 04/07/15

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Face Shield - the highest level of face protection

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Hearing Protection

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Hearing Protection Basics • Noise induced hearing loss can occur with exposures >90 dBA • A hearing conservation program becomes a requirement at exposures >85dBA • Higher levels of noise exposure have shorter allowable exposure times

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Noise levels versus Duration Sound Level (dBA) 90 92 95 100 105 110 115 04/07/15

Exposure (hours) 8 6 4 2 1 0.5 0.25 16

Hearing Protection • Rule of Thumb - if you cannot carry on a conversation in a normal tone of voice with someone at arm’s length, you are likely near 90dBA • All hearing protection devices should have a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) = # of decibels they will reduce noise levels. 04/07/15

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Hearing Protection - Types • Ear Plugs - less expensive, disposable, good ones have fairly high NRRs - sometimes difficult to tell if employees are wearing them • Ear Muffs - more expensive, more durable, typically higher NRRs than plugs, more obvious • Can be used together in very high noise areas 04/07/15

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Arm and Hand Protection

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Gloves - Typical Uses • • • • •

Chemical protection Biohazard protection Abrasion protection Friction protection Protection from extremes of heat and cold

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Gloves • No glove is good against all hazards; consult laboratory safety link on EHS web page for glove selection chart • Gloves have a finite lifespan and must be periodically replaced • When donning gloves, examine them for signs of tears, cracks, holes and dry rot • Hands should always be washed after removing gloves 04/07/15

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Handwashing and gloves

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Foot and Leg Protection

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Protective Footwear • Steel-toed footwear, preferably with metatarsal guards, is used to protect feet from crushing injuries caused by heavy objects • Rubber boots are often used to protect feet from exposure to liquids.

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Other Protective Clothing

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Other Protective Clothing • Used to protect street clothes from hazards in the workplace • Often hazard specific • To be considered effective, protective clothing must prevent the contaminant from reaching the clothing or skin of the wearer!

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Respiratory Protection

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Respiratory Protection • Protects s by removing harmful materials that may enter the body via the lungs • Inhalation is one of the quickest, most efficient ways to introduce lethal levels of hazardous materials into the body

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