OSHA Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

OSHA Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) aims to ensure safe and healthful workplaces.
• This guidance is not a standard or regulation, but contains recommendations and descriptions of mandatory safety and health standards.
• Recommendations are advisory and informational.
• Employers are required to comply with safety and health standards by OSHA or a state with an OSHA-approved state plan.
• The General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that may cause death or serious physical harm.
• Material in the publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced.
• Information is available to sensory-impaired individuals.

Introduction

• Hazards exist in every workplace, ranging from sharp edges to falling objects to chemicals to noise.
• Controlling hazards at their source is ideal. Engineering and work practice controls are preferred when feasible.
• If engineering or work practice controls are not sufficient, employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE).
• PPE includes gloves, eye protection, protective hearing devices, hard hats, respirators, and full-body suits.
• This guide helps employers and employees understand PPE types, hazard assessments, PPE selection, and training requirements.

The Requirement for PPE

• Employers are responsible for conducting hazard assessments to identify physical and health hazards.
• Employers are responsible for providing appropriate and sufficient PPE for employees exposed to hazards.
• Employers are required to train employees on PPE use and maintenance.

The Hazard Assessment

• A hazard assessment identifies physical and health hazards in the workplace.
• Physical hazards include falling objects, flying sparks, chemicals, heat/cold, and harmful dusts.
• Health hazards include exposure to harmful dusts, chemicals, or radiation.
• Conducting a thorough workplace walkthrough helps identify hazards.

Selecting PPE

• All PPE must be safe of design and construction and should fit comfortably to encourage employee use.
• Selection should consider employee comfort and the specific use case.
• Employees should be trained on PPE.
• Documentation of hazard assessment is needed, including details of the workplace evaluated, assessor details, assessment date, and certification documentation.

Training Employees in the Proper Use of PPE

• Training must teach employees when and what PPE is necessary.
• Training must teach employees how to properly put on, take off, adjust, and wear PPE.
• Training must cover PPE limitations and proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal.
• Demonstrating PPE use, understanding, and ability is critical before employees use the PPE.
• Retraining is required in case of workplace or PPE type change.

Eye and Face Protection

• OSHA requires appropriate eye or face protection for hazards like flying particles, molten metals, chemicals, acids, caustic liquids, and potentially harmful light radiation.
• Prescription lenses need to be incorporated or worn over eye protection.
• Eye protection should be clearly identified with the manufacturer.

Head Protection

• Protecting employees from head injuries is crucial.
• Hard hats are crucial for protecting employees from impacts, penetrations, electrical shocks, and burns.
• Several types of hard hats exist, each with different protective qualities.
• Hard hats must meet ANSI standards for safety and to prevent workplace injuries.

Foot and Leg Protection

• Employees exposed to falling or rolling objects, hot substances, or corrosives need protective footwear.
• Footwear must meet consensus standards to guarantee protection (e.g., ASTM F-2412-2005, ASTM F-2413-2005, ANSI Z41-1999).
• Footwear choices include leggings, metatarsal guards, and toe guards for specific hazards.

Hand and Arm Protection

• Gloves are used for hand injury prevention from chemical, heat, and mechanical hazards (e.g., sharp objects and abrasions).
• Different glove types are available for varied hazards.
• Type of chemicals handled, method of contact, and duration of contact influence glove selection.

Body Protection

• Protective clothing like coats, coveralls, vests, jackets, aprons, or full-body suits may be required to minimize exposure from body injury hazards (e.g., high temperatures, toxic chemicals).
• Employers should choose appropriate PPE based on the hazard assessment and the type of work being done.

Hearing Protection

• Employee exposure to excessive noise determines hearing protection needs.
• Factors include noise levels, duration of exposure, and noise source types.

Personal Fall Protection Systems

• Fall protection systems are employed when engineering and work practice controls are not sufficient.
• Personal fall arrest systems, positioning systems, and travel restraint systems are common fall protection types.

OSHA Assistance, Services, and Programs

• OSHA provides programs to assist employers in identifying and correcting workplace hazards to improve safety and health programs.
• OSHA also offers educational programs through training centers for various occupational safety issues.

Compliance Assistance Specialists

• Assistance specialists provide information, educate, provide educational materials, and answer questions about OSHA standards and rights/responsibilities.
• OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program is a free resource for small businesses, focused on high-hazard worksites.
• OSHA's cooperative programs bring together businesses, labor groups, trade associations, etc. to improve workplace safety.

Appendix A: OSHA Standards that Require PPE

• Specific OSHA standards detailing mandatory PPE requirements are listed.