THE REQUIREMENT FOR PPE

To ensure the greatest possible protection for employees in the workplace, the cooperative efforts of both
employers and employees will help in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful work environment.

In general, employees are responsible for:

1. Performing a “hazard assessment” of the workplace to identify and control physical and health
hazards.
2. Identifying and providing appropriate PPE for employees.
3. Training employees in the use and care of the PPE.
4. Maintaining PPE, including replacing worn or damaged PPE.
5. Periodically reviewing, updating and evaluating the effectiveness of the PPE program.

In general, employees should:

1. Properly wear PPE,
2. Attend training sessions on PPE,
3. Care for, clean and maintain PPE, and
4. Inform a supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE.
 HAZARD ASSESSMENT
A first critical step in developing a comprehensive safety and health program is
to identify physical and health hazards in the workplace. This process is known
as a “hazard assessment.”

Potential hazards may be physical or health-related and a comprehensive

hazard assessment should identify hazards in both cat-egories.

Examples of physical hazards include moving objects, fluctuating

temperatures, high intensity lighting, rolling or pinching objects, electrical
connections and sharp edges.

Examples of health hazards include overexposure to harmful dusts, chemicals

or radiation.
The hazard assessment should begin with a walkthrough survey of the
facility to develop a list of potential hazards in the following basic hazard
categories:

1. Impact
2. Penetration
3. Compression (roll-over)
4. Chemical
5. Heat/cold
6. Harmful dust
7. Light (optical) radiation, and
8. Biologic.
In addition to noting the basic layout of the facility and reviewing any history of
occupational illnesses or injuries, things 7 to look for during the walkthrough
survey include:
1. Sources of electricity
2. Sources of motion such as machines or processes where movement may exist
that could result in an impact between personnel and equipment
3. Sources of high temperatures that could result in burns, eye injuries or fire
4. Types of chemicals used in the workplace
5. Sources of harmful dusts
6. Sources of light radiation, such as welding, brazing, cutting, furnaces, heat
treating, high intensity lights, etc.
7. The potential for falling or dropping objects
8. Sharp objects that could poke, cut, stab or puncture
9. Biologic hazards such as blood or other potentially infected material
Documentation of the hazard assessment is required through a written
certification that includes the following information:

1. Identification of the workplace evaluated;

2. Name of the person conducting the assessment;
3. Date of the assessment; and
4. Identification of the document certifying completion of the hazard
assessment.
 Eye and Face Protection
1. Safety glasses or face shields are worn any time work operations can cause foreign objects to get
in the eye. For example, during welding, cutting, grinding, nailing (or when working with concrete
and/or harmful chemicals or when exposed to flying particles). Wear when exposed to any
electrical hazards, including working on energized electrical systems.
2. Eye and face protectors – select based on anticipated hazards.

Foot Protection
1. Construction workers should wear work shoes or boots with slip-resistant and puncture-resistant
soles.
2. Safety-toed footwear is worn to prevent crushed toes when working around heavy equipment or
falling objects.

Hearing Protection
1. Use earplugs/earmuffs in high noise work areas where chainsaws or heavy equipment are used;
clean or replace earplugs regularly
 Hand Protection
1. Gloves should fit snugly.
2. Workers should wear the right gloves for the job (examples: heavy-duty
rubber gloves for concrete work; welding gloves for welding; insulated gloves
and sleeves when exposed to electrical hazards).

Head Protection
1. Wear hard hats where there is a potential for objects falling from above,
bumps to the head from fixed objects, or of accidental head contact with
electrical hazards.
2. Hard hats – routinely inspect them for dents, cracks or deterioration; replace
after a heavy blow or electrical shock; maintain in good condition.

SAFETY SPECTACLES
These protective eyeglasses have
safety frames constructed of metal or
plastic and impact-resistant lenses.
Side shields are available on some
models.
EYE PROTECTION
GOGGLES
These are tight-fitting eye protection
that completely cover the eyes, eye
sockets and the facial area
immediately surrounding the eyes
and provide protection from impact,
dust and splashes. Some goggles will
fit over corrective lenses.
LASER SAFETY GOGGLES
These specialty goggles protect
against intense concentrations of
light produced by lasers. The type of
laser safety goggles an employer
chooses will depend upon the
equipment and operating conditions
in the workplace.
 FACE PROTECTION

WELDING SHIELD
FACE SHIELDS
Constructed of vulcanized fiber or fiberglass and fitted with a
These transparent sheets of plastic extend from the
filtered lens, welding shields protect eyes from burns caused by
eyebrows to below the chin and across the entire
infrared or intense radiant light; they also protect both the eyes and
width of the employee’s head. Some are polarized
face from flying sparks, metal spatter and slag chips produced during
for glare protection. Face shields protect against
welding, brazing, soldering and cutting operations. OSHA requires
nuisance dusts and potential splashes or sprays of
filter lenses to have a shade number appropriate to protect against
hazardous liquids but will not provide adequate
the specific hazards of the work being performed in order to
protection against impact hazards.
protect against harmful light radiation.
 FOOT PROTECTION
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
METATARSAL GUARDS
protect the instep area from
impact and compression.
Made of aluminum, steel,
fiber or plastic, these guards
may be strapped to the
outside of shoes.
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 from
workplace electrical hazards.
 FOOT PROTECTION

TOE GUARDS fit over the toes of regular shoes to

COMBINATION FOOT AND SHIN GUARDS protect protect the toes from impact and compression
the lower legs and feet, and may be used in hazards. They may be made of steel, aluminum or
combination with toe guards when greater plastic.
protection is needed.
 HELMET COLOR CODE

Managers, Engineers, Electricians, Carpenters and Safety Officers

Firefighters
Supervisors and other technical operators
Foremen apart from civil workers

Road Crews, New Employees Welders and workers with Laborers

Site Visitors high heat application
or Visitors
ANATOMY OF A HELMET
1 – shell
2 – harness
3 – harness fixing
4 – headband
5 – sweatband
6 – peak
7 – chinstrap
 ANATOMY OF A HELMET
• SHELL - is the rigid outer section of the helmet, usually made from polyethylene, ABS
(Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene – a thermoplastic) or fibreglass hardened with
polyester resins
• It provides protection by reducing the force of a falling object striking or impacting on
the users head. Depending on its design, the shell can have a peak, a brim or a rain
gutter, ventilation openings, or attachment devices for eye and face protection and ear
protectors.

• HARNESS - is the internal part of the helmet (fastened to the inside of the shell)
consisting of a system of strips made of woven bands or polyethylene.
• It absorbs the energy from an impact on the shell and to spread the force evenly over
the wearer’s head, minimizing the risk of harm to the user.
• It should be noted that a helmet, with the harness closely attached to the rim of the
shell and without any additional protective padding, will not provide effective protection
against any lateral impacts. However, helmets with shells of sufficient rigidity will also
provide partial protection of the user’s head against any lateral forces.
 Types of Hard Hats
• CLASS A HARD HATS provide impact and penetration resistance along with
limited voltage protection (up to 2,200 volts).

• CLASS B 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 HARD HATS provide lightweight comfort and impact protection

but offer no protection from electrical hazards.

• BUMP HATS are designed for use in areas with low head clearance. They
are recommended for areas where protection is needed from head bumps
and lacerations. These are not designed to protect against falling or flying
objects and are not ANSI approved.
 HAND PROTECTION

LEATHER GLOVES protect against
sparks, moderate heat, blows, chips
and rough objects.
ALUMINIZED GLOVES provide
reflective and insulating protection
against heat and require an insert
made of synthetic materials to protect
against heat and cold.
ARAMID FIBER GLOVES protect
against heat and cold, are cut- and
abrasive-resistant and wear well.

BUTYL GLOVES are made of a synthetic
rubber and protect against a wide
variety of chemicals, such as peroxide,
rocket fuels, highly corrosive acids
(nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric
acid and red-fuming nitric acid), strong
bases, alcohols, gloves also resist
oxidation, ozone corrosion and
abrasion, and remain flexible at low
temperatures.
HAND PROTECTION
NATURAL (LATEX) RUBBER GLOVES
feature outstanding tensile strength,
elasticity and temperature resistance. In
addition to resisting abrasions caused by
grinding and polishing, these gloves
protect employees’ hands from most
water solutions of acids, alkalis, salts and
ketones. Latex gloves have caused allergic
reactions in some individuals and may not
be appropriate for all employees.
NEOPRENE GLOVES are made of
synthetic rubber and offer good
pliability, finger dexterity, high density
and tear resistance. They protect
against hydraulic fluids, gasoline,
alcohols, organic acids and alkalis.
They generally have chemical and
wear resistance properties superior
to those made of natural rubber.
 PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
Protective clothing comes in a variety of materials, each effective against particular
hazards, such as:
1. Paper-like fiber used for disposable suits provide protection against dust and
splashes.
2. Treated wool and cotton adapts well to changing temperatures, is comfortable,
and fire-resistant and protects against dust, abrasions and rough and irritating
surfaces.
3. Duck is a closely woven cotton fabric that protects against cuts and bruises
when handling heavy, sharp or rough materials.
4. Leather is often used to protect against dry heat and flames.
5. 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.
HEARING PROTECTION
 HEARING PROTECTION
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.