What You Should Know About Personal Protective Equipment

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) refers to a vast group of products, such as safety helmets, safety footwear, harnesses, eye protection, gloves,

high visibility clothing, etc…, designed to protect workers against the low medium, and high-level hazards. This group of products is regulated by the European directive EU 2016-425 and by the American Standard 1926.95

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal Protective Equipment is the last line of defense against workplace hazards after using the hierarchy of control method. 

Every worker in the workplace should have and use the appropriate PPE; it minimizes exposure to a variety of hazards while working on the job. PPE that is typically used in the construction workplace includes your hard hat, safety glasses, face shields, gloves, safety boots, earplugs, muffs, and respirators.

The Requirement for PPE

To ensure the most excellent possible protection for employees in the workplace, both employer and worker are requested to cooperate in establishing and maintaining a safe workplace environment.

The employer is responsible for the following actions:

• Conduct a "Risk Assessment" of the workplace to identify and control physical and health hazards;

• Select appropriate PPE for workers;

• Train the worker in the use and care of PPE;

• Manage the PPE, including replacing damaged PPE.

• Periodically review, update and evaluate the effectiveness of the PPE program.

On the other side the worker should:

• Properly wear PPE;

• Attend training on PPE;

• Care for, clean, and maintain PPE; and

• Inform a supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE.

See also the specific requirements for PPE as per OSHA standards 

Head Protection

Protect you from falling or flying materials or swinging objects, and some are rated to protect against accidental head contact with electrical shock and burn hazards or in case of things might fall from above and strike you on the head, or you might bump your head against fixed objects, such as exposed pipes or beams. You should put it on from the moment you set foot in the workplace until you walk off.
Make sure you check the hats ratings to ensure it's the right hardhat for the tasks at hand it should be worn with the visor the bill the front according to the manufacturer's specifications, hard hats are made up of two essential parts the shell and the suspension, the cover protects you from the impact while the suspension serves as a shock absorber and both are necessary to provide full protection. Hard hats must meet ANSI Standard Z 89.1

The suspension has a headband that's adjustable for a comfortable fit adjust your hard hat using the clip or the ratchet to keep your hard hat in good condition don't drill it, paint it, or try to clean it with solvents routinely inspect your hard hat to make sure it's in good condition, checking for dents cracks or deterioration, the hard hat suspension needs to be replaced yearly per most manufacturers and the shell replaced every five years if it never fails an inspection harsh chemicals and extreme temperatures can make a hard hat degrade more quickly and must be replaced more frequently if the hard cap has taken a blow or electrical shock it must be replaced immediately. 

Hard Hats Classes

• Class G – General: hard hats provide impact and penetration resistance along with limited voltage protection (up to 2,200 volts).
• Class E – Electrical: hard hats provide the highest level of protection against electrical hazards, with high-voltage shock and burn protection (up to 20,000 volts). They also provide protection from impact and penetration hazards by flying/falling objects.
• Class C – Conductive: hard hats provide lightweight comfort and impact protection but offer no protection from electrical hazards.

ANSI standard Z 89.1 introduced three non-mandatory tests for hard hats:

1. Reverse donning: Hard hats marked with a "reverse donning arrow" can be worn frontward or backward.
2. Lower temperature (LT) indicates that the hard hat meets all testing requirements of the standard when preconditioned at a temperature of -30°C (-22°F).
3. High visibility (HV) indicates that the hard hat meets all standard testing requirements for high-visibility colors.

High Visibility Garments 

Being able to see workers is important for safety this is especially true for workers working around vehicles or mobile equipment to prevent accidents from struck-by hazards, workers should wear high visibility garments that help alert vehicle operators of their presence, especially in low-light environments it's a good rule of thumb to wear a high visibility safety vest at all times when on the job site no matter what the task. 

Eye and Face Protection

The employer must ensure that workers have appropriate eye or face protection if they are exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, potentially infected material, or potentially harmful light radiation.

Face shields

Transparent sheets of plastic extend from the eyebrows to below the chin and across the entire width of the employee’s head; some are polarized for glare protection.

Face shields protect against nuisance dust and potential splashes or sprays of hazardous liquids but will not provide adequate protection against impact hazards. Face shields used in combination with goggles or safety spectacles will provide additional protection against impact hazards.

Eye and face protection

Should be chosen based on what tasks are being performed and hazards encountered such as impact from flying objects chemical splashes harmful dust or radiation from welding, you must wear impact-resistant safety glasses anytime you could be exposed to flying material even if you are not working directly with that material all eye and face protection must meet ANSI Standard Z87.1

 

Goggles

Goggles are tight-fitting eye protection that completely covers the eyes, eye sockets, and the facial area immediately surrounding the eyes and provides protection from impact, dust, and splashes. They should shield the eyes against flying fragments paint or chemical splashes and spray particles keep in mind that some goggles are not made to take impact face shields to protect the entire face against exposure to impact hazards flying objects wood chips and chemical splashes,  always check the shield impact radius to make sure it can withstand impact hazards.

Welding Shield

Constructed of vulcanized fiber or fiberglass and fitted with a filtered lens, welding shields protect eyes from burns caused by infrared or intense radiant light; they also protect both the eyes and face from flying sparks, metal spatter and slag chips produced during welding, brazing, soldering and cutting operations.

Foot Protection

Foot injuries like nail punctures twisted ankles crash injuries are common in construction, PPE for your feet can prevent these injuries in the workplace, and you should wear protective footwear with slip-resistant and puncture-resistant soles and safety-toed or steel-toed footwear to protect toes from falling objects and crushing Injuries safety. If your work involves exposure to hot substances or corrosive or poisonous materials must have protective gear to cover exposed body parts, including legs and feet, If your feet may be exposed to electrical hazards, non-conductive footwear should be worn.

Examples of situations in which you should wear foot and/or leg protection include:

• When heavy objects such as barrels, tubes, pipes, cylinders, or tools might roll onto or fall on your feet;
• Working with sharp objects such as nails or spikes that could pierce the soles or uppers of ordinary shoes;
• Exposure to molten metal that might splash on feet or legs;
• Working on or around hot, wet, or slippery surfaces; and
• Working when electrical hazards are present.

Foot and leg protection choices include the following:

• Leggings protect the lower legs and feet from heat hazards such as molten metal or welding sparks. Safety snaps allow leggings to be removed quickly.
• Toe guards fit over the toes of regular shoes to protect the toes from impact and compression hazards. They may be made of steel, aluminum, or plastic.
• Combination foot and shin guards protect the lower legs and feet and may be used in combination with toe guards when greater protection is needed.
• Safety shoes have impact-resistant toes and heat-resistant soles that protect the feet against hot work surfaces common in roofing, paving, and hot metal industries. The metal insoles of some safety shoes protect against puncture wounds. Safety shoes may also be designed to be electrically conductive to prevent the buildup of static electricity in areas with the potential for explosive atmospheres or nonconductive to protect employees from workplace electrical hazards.
• Electrically conductive shoes provide protection against the buildup of static electricity. Employees working in explosive and hazardous locations such as explosives manufacturing facilities or grain elevators must wear conductive shoes to reduce the risk of static electricity buildup on the body that could produce a spark and cause an explosion or fire.
• Electrical hazard, safety-toe shoes are nonconductive and will prevent the feet from completing an electrical circuit to the ground. These shoes can protect against open circuits of up to 600 volts in dry conditions and should be used in conjunction with other insulating equipment.
• Foundry Shoes insulate the feet from the extreme heat of molten metal and keep the hot metal from lodging in shoe eyelets, tongues, or other shoe parts.

Footwear must meet a CZ 41 or ASTM.

Hand and Arm Protection

On a construction site, you may also be exposed to many tasks that require Hand Protection from sharp ruff objects chemicals, electricity, and flames, wear the right gloves for the task at hand and make sure they fit properly the most common gloves worn on the workplace include knit gloves with a rubber palm to provide basic protection from minor cuts or abrasions chemical resistant gloves when working with wet concrete mortar adhesives or solvents welding gloves made of leather for use around heat and flame and rubber insulating gloves and sleeves when exposed to electrical hazards.

Factors When Selecting Protective Gloves

The following are some factors that may influence the selection of protective gloves:

• type of chemicals handled
• nature of the contact (total immersion, splash, etc.)
• duration of contact
• the area requiring protection (hand only, forearm, arm)
• grip requirements (dry, wet, oily)
• thermal protection
• size and comfort
• abrasion/resistance requirements

Gloves Groups

Gloves fall into four groups:

1. Gloves made of leather, canvas, or metal mesh: Sturdy gloves made from metal mesh, leather provides protection against cuts and burns. Leather or canvas gloves also protect against sustained heat.
2. Fabric and coated fabric gloves: Fabric and coated fabric gloves are made of cotton or other fabric to provide varying degrees of protection.
3. Chemical- and liquid-resistant gloves: Chemical-resistant gloves are made with different kinds of rubber: natural, butyl, neoprene, nitrile, and fluorocarbon (Viton); or various kinds of plastic: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl alcohol, and polyethylene. These materials can be blended or laminated for better performance. As a general rule, the thicker the glove material, the greater the chemical resistance, but thick gloves may impair grip and dexterity, negatively impacting safety.
4. Insulating rubber gloves: See 29 CFR 1910.137

Hearing Protection

Some jobs on the worksite are allowed and may require hearing protection to reduce the amount of noise that gets through and lessen the risk of long-term hearing loss you should use earplugs or earmuffs when using tools like drills powder-actuated tools pneumatic grinders and other heavy loud equipment the noise reduction rating (NRR) is used to determine the effectiveness of hearing protection the higher the noise reduction rating the more reduction in sound exposure when using earplugs. Always make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to properly wear them in the workplace.

• The loudness of the noise is measured in decibels (dB).
• The duration of each employee’s exposure to the noise.
• Whether workers move between work areas with different noise levels.
• Whether the noise is generated from one or multiple sources.

Generally, the louder the noise, the shorter the exposure time before hearing protection is required. For instance, employees may be exposed to a noise level of 90 dB for 8 hours per day before hearing protection is required. On the other hand, if the noise level reaches 115 dB hearing protection is required if the anticipated exposure exceeds 15 minutes.

 The table below shows a sample of the permissible noise exposures that require hearing protection for employees exposed to occupational noise at specific decibel levels for specific periods.

*When measured on the A scale of a standard sound level meter at slow response. 

Source: 29 CFR1910.95, Table G-16.

Some types of hearing protection include:

• Single-use earplugs are made of waxed cotton, foam, silicone rubber, or fiberglass wool. They are self-forming and, when properly inserted, they work as well as most molded earplugs.
• Pre-formed or molded earplugs must be individually fitted by a professional and can be disposable or reusable. Reusable plugs should be cleaned after each use.
• Earmuffs require a perfect seal around the ear. Glasses, facial hair, long hair, or facial movements such as chewing may reduce the protective value of earmuffs.

Attenuation: If engineering and work practice controls do not lower employee exposure to workplace noise to acceptable levels, employees must wear appropriate hearing protection. It is essential to understand that hearing protectors reduce only the amount of noise that gets through to the ears. The amount of this reduction is referred to as attenuation, which differs according to the type of hearing protection used and how well it fits.

Action Level: Manufacturers of hearing protection devices must display the device’s NRR on the product packaging. If employees are exposed to occupational noise at or above 85 dB averaged over eight hours (the action level), the employer must institute a hearing conservation program that includes regular testing of employees' hearing by qualified professionals.

Respiratory Protection

The purpose of a respirator is to prevent the inhalation of harmful airborne substances and/or an oxygen-deficient atmosphere. A respirator is designed as an enclosure that covers the nose and mouth or the entire face or head.

There are some common materials like paints lacquers insulations sealants and dust that can harm you if inhaled, this is one of the most common waste chemicals that can enter your body when used, respirators can remove contaminants from the air, and the most important steps in using any kind of respirator is to ensure a proper fit to protect yourself from harmful dust, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays getting into your respiratory system, using the right PPE is one of the most important safety tips to prevent serious injuries when working on the workplace.

Examples of Respiratory Hazards

• Particulates: These are airborne particles such as dust, fibers, fumes, mists, soot, and smoke. Some are so small they can only be seen with an electron microscope. The diameter of particulate is usually measured in micrometers (one micrometer equals 1/1,000 millimeters or 1/25,400 inch). Particles with diameters under 10 micrometers are more likely to enter the respiratory system.
• Gas and vapors: Gases can spread freely in the air. Vapors are the gaseous states of substances that are liquids or solids at room temperature. Gases and vapors are classified by their chemical forms.
• Biological organisms: These include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other living organisms that can cause respiratory infections.
• Oxygen-deficient atmosphere: Normal air has an oxygen concentration of 20.8 percent by volume. When the concentration drops below 19.5 percent, the air is oxygen deficient and considered immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH). The harmful effects of oxygen deficiency include impaired thinking and coordination, unconsciousness, and death.

Respirator Types

To understand how respirators can be used to protect employees, it is essential to understand what a respirator is and what it is not. A respirator protects against respiratory hazards by removing specific air contaminants from the ambient (surrounding) air or by supplying breathable air from a safe source.

• Air-purifying respirators: Respirators that remove contaminants from the ambient air are called air-purifying respirators. Particulate respirators are a type of air-purifying respirator. The part of a respirator that forms a protective barrier between the user’s respiratory tract and air contaminants is called an inlet covering. Most inlet coverings are classified as either tight-fitting or loose.
• Tight-fitting respirator: A tight-fitting respirator has an inlet covering, also called a face piece or mask, designed to form a seal with the face of the wearer. It is available in three types: quarter mask, half mask, and full face piece.
• Loose-fitting respirator: A loose-fitting respirator has an inlet covering that typically covers the user’s head and may extend over the shoulders. It is designed to form a partial seal with the face. These include loose-fitting face pieces, as well as hoods, helmets, blouses, or full suits, all of which cover the head completely. 
• Atmosphere-supplying respirators: Respirators that supply air from a safe source other than the ambient air are called atmosphere-supplying respirators. There are two types of atmosphere-supplying respirators: Supplied-Air Respirators (SARs) and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).

Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

SCBAs have a full face-piece with an AssignedProtection Factor (APF)  of 10,000. APFs are used to select the appropriate class of respirators that will provide the necessary level of protection.

Key Features

• Provides very pure, dry compressed air to full facepiece mask via a hose.
• Air is exhaled into the environment.
• By law, this type of respirator must be worn whenever entering environments immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) or when information is inadequate to rule out an IDLH atmosphere.
• Fit testing is required

Advantages

• Provides the highest level of respiratory protection.
• Several different types are available depending on need.
• Offers improved mobility over Supplied-Air Respirators.
• Provides both respiratory and eye protection.

Disadvantages

• They are heavy to wear.
• Limited oxygen supply limits the duration of use.
• Fit testing is required.
• Communication can be difficult.

Are Dust Masks Respirators?

One important distinction that must be made when discussing respirator use is the difference between respirators and facemasks. Facemasks include surgical masks, which are fluid-resistant, and procedure or isolation masks which are not fluid resistant.

While some people may call both respirators and facemasks "masks," this is incorrect as they are very different in their design, performance, and purpose.

Only dust masks certified by NIOSH are considered respirators and are covered under the 1910.134 rules. A NIOSH-certified dust mask – called a filtering facepiece – is a tight-fitting, negative pressure, particulate respirator. The particulate filter is the face piece. Dust masks that don't have NIOSH certification are not respirators.

The video below helps to explain the differences between respirators and facemasks.

Care and Maintenance of Respirators

Employees must clean and inspect their own respirators by the provisions of the respiratory protection program. Here are some important things to remember:

• Maintenance involves a thorough visual inspection for cleanliness and defects.
• Worn or deteriorated parts must be replaced before use.
• No components are to be replaced or repairs made beyond those recommended by the manufacturer.
• Repairs to regulators or alarms of atmosphere-supplying respirators are to be conducted by the manufacturer.

Watch the following video; it will guide you in respirators maintenance:

Watch this video and follow the procedure for putting the respirator in and taking it off:

Body Protection

Workers who face possible bodily injury must wear appropriate body protection while performing their jobs. In addition to cuts and radiation, the following are examples of workplace hazards that could cause bodily injury:

• temperature extremes;
• hot splashes from molten metals and other hot liquids;
• potential impacts from tools, machinery, and materials;
• hazardous chemicals.

Examples of body protection include laboratory coats, coveralls, vests, jackets, aprons, surgical gowns, and full-body suits.

If a hazard assessment indicates a need for full body protection against toxic substances or harmful physical agents, the clothing should:

• Be carefully inspected before each use,
• Fit each employee properly, and
• Function properly and for the purpose for which it is intended.

Protective clothing comes in a variety of materials, each effective against particular hazards, such as:

• The paper-like fiber used for disposable suits provides protection against dust and splashes.
• Treated wool and cotton adapt well to changing temperatures, are comfortable and fire-resistant, and protect against dust, abrasions, and rough and irritating surfaces.
• Duck is a closely woven cotton fabric that protects against cuts and bruises when handling heavy, sharp, or rough materials.
• Leather is often used to protect against dry heat and flames.
• Rubber, rubberized fabrics, neoprene, and plastics protect against certain chemicals and physical hazards. When chemical or physical hazards are present, check with the clothing manufacturer to ensure that the material selected will provide protection against the specific hazard.

Find below some other resources regarding Personal Protective equipment:

• OSHA Personal Protective Equipment
• Personal Protective Equipment - Video
• Donning A Supplied Air Respirator (SAR) - Video
• Maintenance And Care Of Respiratoires - Video
• Respirators Color Coding
• Respirator Protection In General Industry
• The deference Between Respirators and Surgical Masks - Video
• Voluntary Use of Respirators - Video
• CE Mark - How your PPE’S Conform to legal  standards