Personal
Protective Equipment
Healthcare Workers
Session Objectives
You will be able to:
• Recognize the importance of PPE
• Identify job hazards that require PPE
• Select appropriate PPE
• Inspect and fit PPE properly
• Remove and dispose of PPE safely
• Maintain PPE in good, safe condition
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What You Need to Know
• Why using assigned PPE is essential
• Common healthcare hazards that require
PPE
• Types of PPE that could be necessary
• Proper selection, inspection, use, and
maintenance of PPE
• When new or different PPE might be
required
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Why You Need to Wear
Assigned PPE
• You could face a variety of workplace
hazards
• Safety controls don’t always eliminate
hazards
• When hazards can’t be eliminated, PPE
serves as a barrier between you and the
hazards
• OSHA regulations and our policy require
appropriate PPE
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OSHA Requirements
• What PPE is needed for each task
• How to use it correctly
• Limitations of PPE
• How to maintain PPE properly
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Common Healthcare
Hazards Requiring PPE
• Skin penetration by
•
•
•
•
sharps
Chemicals
Antineoplastic and
other potentially
harmful drugs
Blood and other
potentially infected
materials
TB or other airborne
bacteria
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Common Healthcare
Hazards Requiring PPE (cont.)
• Mechanical hazards
• Heat
• X rays
• Light radiation (e.g., lasers or UV)
• Any other identified hazard
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PPE Is Your Personal
Defense Against Hazards
• Eyes and face
• Skin
• Respiratory system
• Feet
• Hearing
• Head
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Eye and Face Protection
• Shatterproof safety
•
•
•
•
glasses
Goggles
Filtered lenses
Face shields
Eye protection with
prescription glasses
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Skin Protection
• Gloves
•
•
•
•
Disposable
Cotton
Leather
Rubber, neoprene,
or vinyl
• Heat resistant
• Protective clothing
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Respiratory Protection
• Masks
• Respirators
• Respirator fit testing
and training
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Foot Protection
• Sensible, sturdy shoes
with nonslip soles
• Safety shoes
• Boots
• Shoe covers
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Hearing Protection
• Earmuffs
• Earplugs
• Canal caps
• Homemade hearing
protection IS NOT
effective and should
NOT be used
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Head Protection
Hard hats protect your
head in two ways:
• Hard outer shell resists
blows and penetration
• Shock-absorbing
suspensions act as a
barrier between the
outer shell and your
head to absorb impact
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Hazards and Protections
• Do you understand the
information that has
been presented so far?
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Select the Right PPE for
the Job You’re Performing
We will provide you with PPE that:
• Protects from identified hazards
• Is of safe design and construction and gives
you a good fit
• Is sanitary and reliable
• Provides more than minimum protection
• Meets required safety and health standards
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Select the Right PPE for
Chemical Hazards
• Read the label
• Check the MSDS
• Ask your supervisor if
you have any
questions
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Inspect PPE Before Use
• Inspect before each use
• Look for holes, tears, cracks, wear, or other
problems
• Don’t use defective, worn, or damaged PPE.
Turn it in and get an effective replacement.
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Get a Good Fit
PPE fits well when it:
• Provides you with the
protection you need
• Is comfortable enough
to allow you to move
and perform your job
well
Remember to check fit
before each use
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Remove and Dispose
of PPE Correctly
• Remove PPE when it’s contaminated
• Remove PPE from the top down, wearing
gloves to protect your skin
• Grasp contaminated gloves on the inside
and peel down without touching the outside
• Place contaminated PPE in assigned
containers
• Wash thoroughly after removing PPE
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Maintain PPE Properly
• Clean PPE before you
put it away
• Store PPE in a safe
place where it won’t be
damaged or lost
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Selection, Use,
and Maintenance
• Do you understand the
information in the
previous slides?
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When New or Different
PPE May Be Required
• When tasks change, hazards may
change too
• When new equipment or substances are
introduced, you may face new hazards
• When hazards change, new or different
PPE may be required
• When technology changes, you may be
assigned new and improved PPE
• Your supervisor will explain any changes
and prepare you to use new PPE
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Use PPE Responsibly
• Know the job hazards
• Use the equipment provided
• Check the equipment
• Take care of your equipment
• Remove equipment carefully and clean or
dispose of it properly
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Key Points to Remember
• OSHA requires the use of PPE when
workplace hazards can’t be eliminated
• PPE provides you with a barrier of
protection against job hazards
• You need to know how to select, inspect,
use, and maintain your PPE correctly
• Always use assigned PPE
• If there’s anything about PPE you don’t
understand, ask your supervisor
© Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609