STATE PERSONNEL MANUAL
Workplace Environment and Health
Section 8, Page 4
July 1, 1995
Personal Protective Equipment
Introduction
The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 was enacted
to assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the State of
North Carolina safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our
human resources.
North Carolina’s OSHA bill which specifies all the occupational safety and
health standards promulgated under the Federal Standard, Subpart-I-Personal
Protective Equipment, was adopted in North Carolina effective November 1,
1994.
General OSHA
Requirements
1. Application
Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE) for
eyes, face, head and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices,
and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used and maintained
in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of
hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological
hazards or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing
injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through
absorption, inhalation or physical contact.
2. Equipment
Where employees provide their own protective equipment, the employer
shall be responsible to assure its adequacy, including proper maintenance,
and sanitation of such equipment.
3. Design
All PPE shall be of safe design and construction for the work to be
performed.
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Personal Protective Equipment
STATE PERSONNEL MANUAL
Workplace Environment and Health
Section 8, Page 5
July 1, 1995
Personal Protective Equipment, Continued
General OSHA
Requirements
(continued)
4. Hazard Assessment and Equipment Selection

The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are
present, or likely to be present, and will necessitate the use of PPE. If
such hazards are present, or likely to be present, the employer shall:
 Select and have each affected employee use the types of PPE that will
protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard
assessment;
 Communicate selection decisions to each employee; and
 Select PPE that properly fits each affected employee.
The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment
has been performed through a written certification that identifies the
workplace evaluated, the person certifying that the evaluation has been
performed, the dates of the hazard assessment, and which identifies the
document as a certification of hazard assessment.
5. Defective and Damage Equipment
Defective or damaged PPE shall not be used.
6. Training
The employer shall provide training to each employee who is required to
use PPE. Each employee shall be trained to know at least the following:





when PPE is necessary,
what PPE is necessary,
how to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE,
the limitations of the PPE, and
the proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of the PPE.
Each affected employee shall demonstrate an understanding of the training
and the ability to use PPE properly, before being allowed to perform work
requiring the use of PPE.
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Personal Protective Equipment
STATE PERSONNEL MANUAL
Workplace Environment and Health
Section 8, Page 6
July 1, 1995
Personal Protective Equipment, Continued
General OSHA
Requirements
(continued)
When the employer has reason to believe that any affected employee who
has already been trained does not have the understanding and skill
required, the employer shall retrain each such employee. Circumstances
where retraining is required, includes but are not limited to the following
situations:


changes in the workplace, rendering previous training obsolete;
changes in the type of PPE to be used, rendering previous training
obsolete; and
 inadequacies in an affected employee’s knowledge or use of assigned
PPE indicates that the employee has not retained the requisite
understanding or skill.
The employer shall verify that each affected employee has received and
understood the required training through a written certification that
contains the name of each trained employee, the dates of training, and that
identifies the subject of the certification.
Policy
In compliance with the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) the following shall apply to personal protective
equipment.
The State as an employer will furnish, at no cost to the employee, certain
personal protective equipment required by the job. Included as part of this
policy is the “General Personal Protective Equipment Guide” as established
by the North Carolina Department of Labor. The State’s policy in providing
this equipment is noted in each category.
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Personal Protective Equipment
STATE PERSONNEL MANUAL
Workplace Environment and Health
Section 8, Page 7
July 1, 1995
Personal Protective Equipment, Continued
GENERAL PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT GUIDE
Equipment
Eye Protection
Safety Glasses
Safety Glasses with
side shields
Goggles
Chemical/Dust
Nuisance
Welding Goggles Indirect Ventilation
Funding
100% State funded
except that employees
who wear prescription
glasses pay for the
cost of the exam
Guide
As required to protect employee form eye
hazards, such as optical radiation or glare
when only frontal protection is required.
Shaded or special purpose lenses may be
required.
100% State funded
except that employees
who wear prescription
glasses pay for the
cost of the exam
As required to protect employee form flying
fragments, objects, large chips, particles,
sand, dirt, etc. For severe exposure, add
face-shield over safety glasses.
100% State funded
100% State funded
Cup Goggles - Direct 100% State funded
Ventilation
Cup Goggles Indirect Ventilation
As required to protect employee form
chemical splashes, mist, sprays or nuisance
dust. For severe exposure, add face shield
over goggles.
As required to protect employee against
hazards of welding, cutting, and brazing
operations.
As required to protect employee against eye
hazards.
100% State funded
Welding Helmet
100% State funded
Face Shield
100% State funded
As required to protect employee against eye
hazards.
As required to protect employee against eye
hazards of welding, cutting, and brazing
operations.
As required to protect employee’s eyes and
face.
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Personal Protective Equipment
STATE PERSONNEL MANUAL
Workplace Environment and Health
Section 8, Page 8
July 1, 1995
Personal Protective Equipment, Continued
Equipment
Hard Hat
Funding
100% State funded
Guide
As required to protect employee’s head
against impact and falling or flying objects.
Class A - used in construction and general
industry where there is no exposure to high
voltage, electrical shock or burns. Class B use to protect the head against high voltage
electricity. Reference: ANSI-Z89.1-1986
As required to protect employee against the
cold weather if hard hat is worn.
As required to protect employee from
airborne contaminants.
As required to protect employee from
physical, biological, chemical, radiation, or
electrical hazards. Gloves used for electrical
protection must be marked as to class of
equipment and whether or not they are
ozone-resistant, and shall meet the (ASTM)
D 120-87 Specification for Rubber
Insulating Gloves.
Hard Hat Liners
100% State funded
Respirators
100% State funded
Gloves
100% State funded
Coveralls or Aprons
Canvas
100% State funded
As required to protect employee from
contact with hazardous substances when
canvas provides adequate protection.
Non-Porous (Plastic/
rubber)
100% State funded
Leather or Other
Flame Resistant
Material
100% State funded
As required to protect employee from
contact with hazardous substance when
plastic or rubber is needed to provide
adequate protection.
As required to protect employee from
hazardous substances when leather is needed
to provide adequate protection and when
leather or other flame-resistant material is
required to protect employee from fire
hazards.
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Personal Protective Equipment
STATE PERSONNEL MANUAL
Workplace Environment and Health
Section 8, Page 9
July 1, 1995
Personal Protective Equipment, Continued
Equipment
Body Protection Personal protective
footies, vests, aprons,
coats, pants, coveralls
and suits in a range of
suitable materials and
sizes
Foot Protection
Safety Shoes
Funding
100% State funded
Guide
As required to protect employee against
biological, radiation, physical, or chemical
hazards. Base selection on information in
the workplace hazards control program.
Reference: Appropriate OSHA-NC
standard(s) purchase request.
State funds for one
pair per year, cost not
to exceed dollar
amount established by
the Office of State
Budget and
Management, which
includes inflationary
cost increase.
Employee may
purchase and be
reimbursed on Form
BD-403 or agency
may supply under the
rules and regulations
of State Purchase and
Contract Division
As required to protect employee working in
areas where there is a danger of foot injuries
dues to falling or rolling objects piercing the
sole or where protection is needed against
electrical hazards. As required to protect
employees from solid objects weighing 15
lb. or greater that (1) are handled routinely
each work period (more than once per eight
hours) by the employee or other employees,
or (2) can fall on the exposed employee’s
toes from a height exceeding one foot. In
general, does not apply to office employees.
NOTE: Protective footwear purchased shall
comply with ANSI Z41-1991, “American
National Standard for Personal ProtectionProtective Footwear.”
Rubber and
Specialized Safety
Boots
100% State funded
As required to keep employee’s feet dry
when employee routinely works in wet
locations such as flooded ditches and to
protect from electrical hazards or other
hazards requiring specialized safety boots.
As required to protect employees form
falling while working at elevated (10ft. or
greater) locations not protected by standard
guardrails or safety nets or as required when
working in confined spaces.
Safety Belts, Harnesses 100% State funded
and Life Lines
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Personal Protective Equipment
STATE PERSONNEL MANUAL
Workplace Environment and Health
Section 8, Page 10
July 1, 1995
Personal Protective Equipment, Continued
Equipment
Safety Nets
Funding
100% State funded
Ear Protection
100% State funded
Life Ring
100% State funded
Life Jacket (flotation
vest)
100% State funded
Guide
As required to protect employees working
over 25 feet above ground or water surface
where other protective devices are
impractical and conventional fall protection
system cannot practically be made use of.
As required to protect employee against
hearing loss due to noise.
As required to protect employee from
drowning.
As required for employees working over or
near water where the danger of drowning
exists.
Personal Protective Equipment