Personal Protection Equipments includes equipment such as safety footwear, hard hats, high visibility waistcoats, goggles, life jackets, respirators and safety harnesses.
Waterproof, weatherproof, or insulated clothing is subject to the Regulations only if its use is necessary to protect employees against adverse climatic conditions that could otherwise affect their health and safety.
Types of Personal Protective Equipment
1.0 Eye and Face Protection
Faculty, staff, students, contractors, and visitors shall wear the appropriate eye and face protection when involved in activities where there is the potential for eye and face injury from:
- Handling of hot solids, liquids, or molten metals
- Flying particles from chiseling, milling, sawing, turning, shaping, cutting, etc.
- Heat treatment, tempering, or kiln firing of any metal or other materials
- Intense light radiation from gas or electric arc welding, glassblowing, torch brazing, oxygen cutting, laser use, etc.
- Repair or servicing of any vehicle
- Handling of chemicals and gases
Eye protection choices include the following:
Safety Glasses
Ordinary prescription glasses do not provide adequate protection. All safety glasses should have side shields. Whenever protection against splashing is a concern.
Goggles
Use - Goggles are intended for use when protection is needed against chemicals or particles. Impact protection goggles which contain perforations on the sides of goggle are not to be used for chemical splash protection, therefore are not recommended. Splash goggles which contain shielded vents at the top of the goggle are appropriate for chemical splash protection, and also provide limited eye impact protection. Goggles only protect the eyes, offering no protection for the face and neck.
Face Shields
Full-faceshields provide the face and throat and partial protection from flying particles and liquid splash. For maximum protection against chemical splash, a full faceshield should be used in combination with chemical splash goggles. Face shields are appropriate as secondary protection when implosion (e.g vacuum applications) or explosion hazards are present. Face shields which are contoured to protect the sides of the neck as well as frontal protection are preferred.
Eye Protection for Intense Light Sources
(welding, glassblowing, gas welding, oxygen cutting, torch brazing, laser use, etc.)
The radiation produced by welding covers a broad range of the spectrum of light. Exposure to ultraviolet light (UV-B) from welding operations can cause “welders flash”, a painful inflammable of the outer layer of the cornea. Arc welding or arc cutting operations, including submerged arc welding, require the use of welding helmets with an appropriate filter lens. Goggles with filter plates or tinted glass are available for glassblowing and other operations where intense light sources are encountered, including but not limited to, gas welding or oxygen cutting operations.. Spectacles with suitable filter lenses may be appropriate for light gas welding operations, torch brazing, or inspection. Users and visitors to Laser use areas (the laser nominal hazard zone) must be protected with suitable laser protection eye wear.
2.0 Hand Protection
Employees shall use hand protection when exposed to hazards including:
- Skin absorption of harmful substances
- Lacerations
- Severe cuts
- Severe abrasions
- Punctures
- Chemical burns
- Thermal burns
- Harmful temperature extremes
Wear proper hand protection whenever the potential for contact with chemicals, sharp objects, or very hot or cold materials exists. Select gloves based on the properties of the material in use, the degree of protection needed, and the nature of the work ( direct contact necessary, dexterity needed, etc). Leather gloves may be used for protection against sharp edged objects, such as when picking up broken glassware or inserting glass tubes into stoppers. When working at temperature extremes, use insulated gloves.
When considering chemical gloves, note that glove materials will be permeated (pass through) by chemicals. The permeation rate varies depending on the chemical, glove material, and thickness. Double gloving is recommended when handling highly toxic or carcinogenic materials. Before each use, inspect the gloves for discoloration, punctures and tears. Before removal, wash gloves if the glove material is impermeable to water. Observe any changes in glove color and texture, including hardening or softening, which may be indications of glove degradation.
3.0 Body Protection
Employees working around hazard materials or machinery shall not wear loose clothing (e.g. saris, dangling neckties, necklaces ) or unrestrained long hair. Loose clothing, jewelry, and unrestrained long hair can become ensnared in moving parts of machinery or contact chemicals. Finger rings can damage gloves and trap chemicals against the skin.
Where contact with hazardous materials with your protective clothing is likely, such as during spill cleanup or pesticide application, polyethylene- coated or similar protective clothing should be used to provide additional protection . The limitations of the protective clothing must always be understood, particularly in situations where contact with the material is likely.
Employees should know the appropriate techniques for removing protective apparel, especially any that has become contaminated. Special procedures may need to be followed for cleaning and/or discarding contaminated apparel. Chemical spills on leather clothing accessories (watchbands, shoes, belts and such) can be especially hazardous because many chemicals can be absorbed in the leather and then held close to the skin for long periods. Such items must be removed promptly and typically be discarded to prevent the possibility of chemical burns.
Lab Coat Selection
They also provide some temporary protection against fire. Although, most lab coats are not designed to be impermeable to hazardous substances or flameproof, they provide additional safety because they can be quickly removed to isolate harmful exposures or flames.
To minimize body exposures in the lab and provide some temporary protection against fire, adhere to the following:
- Beware of limitation of each type of the lab coat
- Make sure that additional protective measures are selected and in use based on the hazard reviews
- Wash/maintain lab coats as recommended by vendors.
4.0 Occupation Foot Protection
Wear proper shoes, not sandals or open toed shoes, in work areas where chemicals are used or stored. Perforated shoes, sandals or cloth sneakers should not be worn in areas where mechanical work is being done.
Safety shoes are required for protection against injury from heavy falling objects (handling of objects weighing more than fifteen pounds which, if dropped, would likely result in a foot injury), against crushing by rolling objects (warehouse, loading docks, etc), and against laceration or penetration by sharp objects.
Pullovers, worn over regular shoes, are available for protection against certain chemicals. These boots are made of a stretchable rubber compound and are well suited for cleaning up chemical spills.
5.0 Respiratory Protection
Respirators may not be used without prior approval from the Industrial Hygiene section of the Environmental Health and Safety Center. This assures that respirators are properly selected, users are properly trained, and the appropriate medical exams are conducted
6.0 Occupational Head Protection
Helmets designed to protect the head from impact and penetration from falling/flying objects and from limited electric shock and burn shall meet the requirements and specifications.
7.0 Electrical Protection
Specific design and performance, use, and care requirements apply to protective equipment used for isolation against electrical hazards. Persons selecting for purchase, maintaining, and using such equipment (insulating blankets, matting, covers, line hose, gloves, and sleeves made of rubber) must be familiar with these requirements
