Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) OSHA requires the use of personal • 1910.132, General requirements protective equipment (PPE) to reduce • 1910.133, Eye and face protection employee exposure to hazards when • 1910.134, Respiratory protection engineering and administrative controls are • 1910.135, Head protection not feasible or effective in reducing these • 1910.136, Occupational foot protection exposures to acceptable levels. Employers • 1910.137, Electrical protective devices are required to determine if PPE should be • 1910.138, Hand protection used to protect their workers. • Appendix A, References for further information (Non-mandatory) If PPE is to be used, a PPE program should • Appendix B, Non-mandatory be implemented. This program should compliance guidelines for hazard address the hazards present; the selection, assessment and personal protective maintenance and use of PPE; the training of equipment selection employees; and monitoring of the program • 1910 Subpart J, General environmental to ensure its ongoing effectiveness. controls • 1910.146, Permit-required confined spaces Applicable standards • 1910 Subpart Q, Welding, cutting, and General Industry (29 CFR 1910) brazing • 1910 Subpart G, Occupational health and • 1910.252, General requirements environment control • 1910 Subpart Z, Toxic and hazardous • 1910.94, Ventilation substances • 1910.95, Occupational noise exposure • 1910 Subpart H, Hazardous materials The Occupational Safety and Health • 1910.120, Hazardous waste operations Administration (OSHA) requires that and emergency response employers protect their employees from • 1910 Subpart I, Personal protective workplace hazards that can cause injury. equipment Controlling a hazard at its source is the 5-2 best way to protect employees. Depending The hazard assessment on the hazard or workplace conditions, Employers should identify physical and OSHA recommends the use of engineering health hazards in the workplace. The or work practice controls to manage or hazard assessment should begin with a eliminate hazards to the greatest extent walk-through survey of the facility to possible. When engineering, work practice develop a list of potential hazards in the and administrative controls are not feasible following basic hazard categories: or do not provide sufficient protection, • Impact employers must provide PPE to their • Penetration employees and ensure its use. • Compression (roll-over) • Chemical To ensure the greatest possible protection • Heat/cold for employees in the workplace, the • Harmful dust cooperative efforts of both employers • Light (optical) radiation and employees will help in establishing • Biological and maintaining a safe and healthful work environment. Documentation of the hazard assessment is required through a written certification In general, employers are responsible for: that includes the following information: • Performing a “hazard assessment” of • Identification of the workplace evaluated the workplace to identify and control • Name of the person conducting the physical and health hazards assessment • Identifying and providing appropriate • Date of the assessment PPE for employees • Identification of the document certifying • Training employees in the use and care completion of the hazard assessment of the PPE • Maintaining PPE, including replacing worn or damaged PPE Training employees • Periodically reviewing, updating and Employers are required to train each evaluating the effectiveness of the PPE employee who must use PPE. Employees program must be trained to know at least the following: In general, employees should: • When PPE is necessary • Properly wear PPE • What PPE is necessary • Attend training sessions on PPE • How to properly put on, take off, adjust • Care for, clean and maintain PPE and wear the PPE • Inform a supervisor of the need to repair • The limitations of the PPE or replace PPE • Proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of PPE 5-3 Employers should make sure that each • Goggles. These are tight-fitting eye employee demonstrates an understanding protection that completely cover the of the PPE training as well as the ability to eyes, eye sockets and the facial area properly wear and use PPE before being immediately surrounding the eyes and allowed to perform work requiring the use provide protection from impact, dust of the PPE. and splashes. Some goggles will fit over corrective lenses. • Welding shields. Constructed of Eye protection vulcanized fiber or fiberglass and fitted OSHA requires employers to ensure that with a filtered lens, welding shields employees have appropriate eye or face protect eyes from burns caused by protection if they are exposed to eye infrared or intense radiant light; they or face hazards from flying particles, also protect the eyes and face from molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or flying sparks, metal spatter and slag caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, chips produced during welding, brazing, potentially infected material, or potentially soldering and cutting operations. OSHA harmful light radiation. requires filter lenses to have a shade number appropriate to protect against Examples of potential eye or face injuries the specific hazards of the work being include: performed in order to protect against • Dust, dirt, metal or wood chips entering harmful light radiation. the eye from activities such as chipping, • Face shields. These transparent sheets grinding, sawing, hammering, the use of of plastic extend from the eyebrows to power tools or even strong wind forces below the chin and across the entire • Chemical splashes from corrosive width of the employee’s head. Some substances, hot liquids, solvents or other are polarized for glare protection. hazardous solutions Face shields protect against nuisance • Objects swinging into the eye or face dusts and potential splashes or sprays such as tree limbs, chains, tools or ropes of hazardous liquids but will not • Radiant energy from welding, harmful provide adequate protection against rays from the use of lasers or other impact hazards. Face shields used in radiant light (as well as heat, glare, combination with goggles or safety sparks, splash and flying particles) spectacles will provide additional protection against impact hazards. Some of the most common types of eye and face protection include the following: • Safety spectacles. These protective Head protection eyeglasses have safety frames constructed of Employers must ensure that their metal or plastic and impact-resistant lenses. employees wear head protection if any of Side shields are available on some models. the following apply: 5-4 • Objects might fall from above and strike Safety footwear must meet ANSI minimum them on the head compression and impact performance • They might bump their heads against standards in ANSI Z41-1991 fixed objects, such as exposed pipes or beams • There is a possibility of accidental head Hand and arm protection contact with electrical hazards If a workplace hazard assessment reveals that employees face potential injury to Hard hats are divided into three industrial hands and arms that cannot be eliminated classes: through engineering and work practice • Class G hard hats provide impact and controls, employers must ensure that penetration resistance along with limited employees wear appropriate protection. voltage protection (up to 2,200 volts). • Class E hard hats provide the highest level of protection against electrical Hearing protection hazards, with high-voltage shock and Employee exposure to excessive noise burn protection (up to 20,000 volts). depends upon a number of factors, They also provide protection from including: impact and penetration hazards by • The loudness of the noise as measured flying/falling objects. in decibels (dB) • Class C hard hats provide lightweight • The duration of each employee’s comfort and impact protection but offer exposure to the noise no protection from electrical hazards. • Whether employees move between work areas with different noise levels • Whether noise is generated from one or Foot and leg protection multiple sources Examples of situations in which an employee should wear foot and/or leg For a more detailed discussion of the protection include: requirements for a comprehensive • When heavy objects such as barrels hearing conservation program, see or tools might roll onto or fall on the OSHA Publication 3074 (2002), “Hearing employee’s feet Conservation,” or refer to the OSHA • Working with sharp objects such as nails Standard at 29 CFR 1910.95, Occupational or spikes that could pierce the soles or Noise Exposure, section (c). uppers of ordinary shoes • Exposure to molten metal that might splash on feet or legs • Working on or around hot, wet or slippery surfaces • Working when electrical hazards are present 5-5 Permissible noise exposures: Duration per day, Sound level in dB* in hours 8 90 6 92 4 95 3 97 2 100 11/25 102 1 105 1/2 110 Minimum PPE required at a precast concrete plant: • Safety shoes/boots • Safety glasses • Hard hats • Gloves • Hearing protection 5-6 Chapter 5 – Summary Employers must protect their Head Injuries are caused by: employees from any and all hazards • Falling objects that are present or created in the work • Bumping head against fixed objects environment. • Contact with exposed electrical conductors If … the machine or work environment Classes of hard hats can be physically changed to prevent • Class G – General service: Good impact employee exposure to the potential protection but limited