The Basics of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE Training-Initial PPE

 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is any safety

equipment workers wear to prevent injury in the
workplace when engineering and administrative controls
fail to eliminate the hazard.
 Training is required by OSHA regulations contained in
29CFR 1910.132-140.
 After going through training you will know:
 When PPE is necessary
 What PPE is necessary
 How to properly don, doff, adjust and wear PPE
 The limitations of PPE
 The proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of
the PPE
Common Types of PPE

 Head
 Eyes
 Face
 Hands
 Feet
 Body
 Hearing
 Respiratory
Head PPE
Needed when employees are exposed to hazards
that have potential to cause a head injury.
Examples of hazards:
 Flying objects.
 Falling objects or materials.
 Working near exposed energized electrical equipment.
 Working around or on scaffolds.
 Working at construction sites.
 Working around overhead tools or machinery.
Types of Head Protection
 Impact Protection
 Type I – Is designed to protect only against objects falling
from straight overhead, hitting the hardhat on the top.
 Type II – Is designed to protect against blows on the top of the
head as well as side impacts.
 Electrical
 Class A (old American National Standards Institute standard) or
Class G (new ANSI Standard) good up to 2,200 volts.
 Class B (old ANSI standard) or Class E (new ANSI Standard)
good up to 20,000 volts.
 Class C not rated for electrical protection.
Donning Head Protection
 Hard hat protection is effective only if the hat is adjusted
to fit properly and is worn squared and not cocked at an
angle or perched on the back of the head.
 Severe lacerations from relatively light blows have been
incurred by workers wearing hard hats in unusual
positions.
 Must not be worn backwards.
Care and Maintenance
 Check prior to each use for cracks, damaged
suspension and chalky appearance (UV
damage).
 Be aware that stickers placed on hardhat can
conceal damage.
 Replace as necessary.
 Do not store in direct sunlight.
Eye PPE
 Needed when an employee work presents the potential of
causing eye injury from physical, chemical, or radiation
agents.
 Examples of hazards:
 Machines
 Lasers
 Impacts
 Heat
 Tools
 Flying Particles / Dust
 Electrical work
 Chemical handling
Types of Eye Protection
 Non-Prescription safety glasses.

 Prescription safety glasses.

 Employees that wear prescription (Rx) lenses can use non-
prescription eye protection worn over prescription lenses as
long as it does not compromise the fit of either piece of eyewear.
Types of Eye Protection
 Goggles
 Chemical
 Laser
 Welding

 Chemical goggles protect your eyes, eye sockets, and

the facial area immediately surrounding the eyes from
impact, dust, and splashes.
 Chemical goggles are generally stronger than safety
glasses and are used for higher impact, particle and
chemical splash protection.
 Laser and Welding goggles protect the eyes from
harmful light.
Care and Maintenance
 Check prior to each use for cracks or damage.

 Replace as necessary.

 Store in a clean area.

Face PPE
Needed when work presents the potential
of causing facial injury from physical,
chemical, or radiation agents.
Examples of hazards:
 Contents under pressure
 Splash hazard
 Flying objects / particles
 Electrical work
Types of Face Protection

Face Shield
Welding Shield
Donning Face PPE
Safety goggles or goggles must always be worn
under a face shield.

Once goggles are in place, position face shield over

face and secure on brow with
headband.

Adjust to fit comfortably.

Hand PPE
 Needed when work presents the potential of causing
hand injury from physical, chemical, or radiation agents.
 Examples of hazards:
 Absorbing harmful substances
 Sharp objects capable of causing cuts, abrasions, or
punctures
 Chemical or thermal burns
 Electrical work
 High/Low temperatures
Types of Hand Protection
 Chemical Resistant - (check MSDS) or compatibility charts such as the one
found on EHS webpage:

 Puncture / cut / abrasion Resistant

 Those with a latex allergy can use vinyl, nitrile, etc. based on the
compatibility charts or MSDSs.
Types of Hand Protection
Voltage Rated
Temperature Resistant
Infectious Agent / Biohazard Resistant –
Latex, Vinyl, Nitrile, etc)
Care and Maintenance
 Check prior to each use for cuts, cracks or
discoloration.
 Replace as necessary.
 Discard single use gloves after use. (Latex,
Nitrile, Vinyl, etc)
 Store in a clean area.
Feet PPE
Needed when work presents hazards that
have potential to cause a foot injury:
Examples of hazards:
 Falling objects
 Rolling objects
 Piercing/cutting injuries
 Electrical work
 Chemical exposure
Types of Foot Protection
Steel toed
Electrical resistant – (will have the letters
“EH” on the tongue)
Chemical resistant
Care and Maintenance
 Check safety shoes prior to each use for cuts, cracks or
other damage. Replace as necessary.
 Keep electrical hazard shoes dry and free from
conductive materials. Replace if sole is punctured, cut,
or embedded with conductive materials.
 Chemical resistant shoes should be replaced if they are
discolored, disfigured, or exhibit any breaks, cracks, or
other surface degradations.
 Store all shoes in a clean, dry location.
Body PPE
 Needed when work presents a potential for contamination or
injury to other parts of the body such as legs, arms, back, chest.
 Examples of hazards:
 Heat
 Splashes
 Hot/cold metals and liquids
 Impacts
 Sharp objects
 Chemicals
 Electrical work
 Radiation
Types of Body Protection
Lab coats
Aprons
Chemical resistant sleeves
Tyvek suits
Coveralls
Arc Flash Rated
Body PPE Removal

Image: University of Hawaii

Hearing PPE
 Needed when the average (over an 8 hour period)
noise level of an area reaches 90 decibels.
 Hearing protection must be made available to
employees when the average (over an 8 hour
period) noise level reaches 85 decibels.
Examples of high noise areas can be:
 Mechanical rooms
 Shops
 Construction Sites
 When working with machinery/power tools
Types of Hearing Protection
Ear Plugs
Ear Muffs
Canal Caps
Donning Hearing Plugs
 Follow manufacturers recommendations. The steps
below is a commonly used method.

 1. Roll the earplug up into a small, thin "snake" with your

fingers. You can use one or both hands.

 2. Pull the top of your ear up and back with your opposite
hand to straighten out your ear canal. The rolled-up
earplug should slide right in.

 3. Hold the earplug in with your finger. Count to 20 or 30

out loud while waiting for the plug to expand and fill the
ear canal. Your voice will sound muffled when the plug
has made a good seal.
Ear Plug Fit Check
Check the fit when you're
all done. Most of the foam
body of the earplug should
be within the ear canal. Try
cupping your hands tightly
over your ears. If sounds
are much more muffled
with your hands in place,
the earplug may not be
 ehstoday.com/images/PPE-fit.gif
sealing properly. Take the
earplug out and try again.
Care and Maintenance
 Check hearing protection for damage prior to each use
for cuts, cracks or other damage. Replace if damage is
found.
 Store all hearing protection in a clean, dry location.
 Replace disposable ear plugs frequently.
Full Body Harness

• Needed whenever working at a

height of 6 feet or more above a
lower level.
• whenever a worker is exposed to a
fall hazard.
• Safety harnesses are a necessity in
fall protection
Fall Protection

There are 4 types of fall protection equipment

1. Fall Arrest
2. Positioning
3. Suspension
4. Retrieval
Fall Arrest
• Fall arrest systems are required
whenever a worker is exposed to a fall
hazard.
• OSHA defines a fall hazard of 6 feet or
more to a lower level.
• Common fall arrest equipment
includes an anchor point, body
harness, and connector (such as a
lanyard or self-retracting lifeline)
Positioning
• These systems hold workers in
place while leaving their hands
free, to allow them to work.
They are activated every time
the workers lean back. They do
not provide fall arrest.
Suspension

• These systems lower and support

workers while leaving their hands
free for the activities they need to
perform.
• They are commonly used in painting
and window washing, in conjunction
with fall arrest systems.
Retrieval
• This category covers retrieval
methods in the event of a fall and
should be included in all fall
management programs.
• Otherwise known as a rescue plan,
retrieval is a crucial step in the
development of a fall protection
plan.
Lanyards Types
• Rope lanyards are used as restraint means due to their
elastic properties.
• Web lanyards are ideal for work environments with fall
hazards under 2 feet.
• Cable lanyards work best in hot or corrosive environments
but should be backed up by shock absorbing systems.
• Shock absorbers reduce fall arresting forces and fall injury
risks.
• Safety nets are best used for projects where there are no
temporary floors or scaffolds, and the fall distance is higher
than 25 feet.
One-Point Harness

Harness's attachment point can be

found at the rear, allowing for a
simple connection to your anchor
point
Three-Point Harness

• This type of harness has three

points of attachment - one at the
rear, one on the chest, and then
one on the waist belt of the
harness
Care and Maintenance
• D-rings, snaphooks, and carabiners must be
capable of sustaining a minimum tensile load
of 5,000 pounds (22.2 kN).
• Lanyards and vertical lifelines must have a
minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds
(22.2 kN).
• Connectors must have a corrosion-resistant
finish, and all surfaces and edges must be
smooth to prevent damage.
Respiratory PPE
Needed when work presents an inhalation
hazard.
Examples of hazards:
 Working with uncontained chemicals.
 Working with highly toxic chemicals.
 Working in dusty environment.
 Painting.
 Welding.
Types of Respiratory Protection
Dust Mask
½ mask
Full Mask
Powered Air Purifying respirator (PAPR)
Supplied Airline Respirator
Self Contained Breathing Apparatus
(SCBA)
PPE Cleaning and Care
 PPE must be kept clean and sanitary. Clean PPE with mild soap
and water . Some PPE may require special cleaning, in these
cases use the manufacturer’s recommendations.
 If PPE is contaminated and cannot be decontaminated safely, it may
need disposed of in a special manner to protect other employees
from exposure to the hazard. EHS shall be contacted.
 PPE shall be stored in such a way that it will not become
contaminated such as plastic bags, lockers, closet, drawers.
PPE Maintenance and Repair
Do not use PPE if it is damaged and in
need of repair.
It is the responsibility of the employee to
make their supervisor aware as soon as
PPE becomes damaged so that new PPE
can be obtained.
Do not attempt to repair PPE.