Personal Protective Equipment
Injury Statistics
• Nearly two million people have a debilitating
work-related injury each year, with more than a
quarter of these injuries involving the hands,
eyes, head and feet.
• Over 41 million people have accidents that
require an emergency room visit per year.
• A little over five thousand people die from
occupational injuries annually.
What is PPE?
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is designed
to protect workers from health and safety
hazards that cannot be removed or engineered
out of the working environment.
OSHA Policy 29 CFR 1910.132
Under the requirements of OSHA Policy 29 CFR 1910.132:
 Engineering controls shall be put into place as the
primary method used to eliminate hazardous exposures
in the workplace.
 PPE shall be provided, used and maintained in sanitary
condition.
 Each affected employee should wear the necessary PPE at
all times after the employer conducts an analysis of the
jobsite and instructs employees what to wear.
OSHA Policy 29 CFR 1910.132
Conducting a Hazard Assessment:
 Employers should pay particular attention to the
following sources of injury when conducting a hazard
assessment of the workplace:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Motion
High temperatures
Chemical exposures
Harmful dust
Light radiation
Falling objects
Sharp objects
• Layout of the workplace
• Electrical hazards
• Rolling or pinching objects
• Current accident and mishap
data to identify further problem
areas
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.133
Eye and Face Protection:
• Eye and face protection should be worn when there is a
reasonable probability that an injury can be prevented or
reduced by wearing equipment. Instances include:
o
o
o
o
Flying objects
Splashes from liquids (acids, solvents, caustics, etc.)
Hot slag and molten metal
Welding glare
• Types of eye protection available:
o
o
o
o
o
Safety glasses
Goggles
Face shields
Welding helmets
Full hoods
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.133
Eye and Face Protection
Purposes:
• Safety glasses and goggles:
o Wear under face shields and welding helmets for added
protection.
• Tinted/shaded lenses:
o Wear to protect against glare.
• Numbered lenses:
o Wear to provide protection against radiant energy in fields such
as welding.
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.133
Eye and Face Protection Limitations:
• Tinted or shaded lenses:
o Limit vision when moving from bright to dim areas.
• Prescription lenses:
o Dust can get caught underneath the lenses.
o Chemical reactions can occur with contacts.
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.134
Respiratory Protections:
• Respiratory protection should be worn when there is a
reasonable probability that workers will be exposed to the
following hazards:
o Dust
o Fogs
o Fumes
o Mists
o Gases
o Smoke
o Sprays
o Vapors
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.135
Head Protections:
• Head protection such as helmets and
hats should be worn to protect
employees from the impact of falling
and flying objects. They also serve to
protect against electrical shock and
burns.
• Protection shells are designed to
absorb impact. The suspension
should be adjusted so that the shell
is 1 to 5 inches above the head.
• Hard hats must meet the weight,
flammability and electrical insulation
standards of the job tasks at hand.
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.135
Head Protections:
Classes of Hard HatsClass G (General):
 Protects against falling objects and electrical shock up
to 2,200 volts. (Formerly Class A)
Class E (Electrical):
 Protects against falling objects and electrical shocks up
to 20,000 volts. (Formerly Class B)
Class C (Conductive):
 Protects against falling objects. Class C hard hats are
not designed for use around live electrical wire or
corrosives.
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.136
Foot Protection:
• Foot protection should be worn when working in conditions
that have a high incidence of, or potential for, foot or toe
injuries.
• There are various types of safety footwear such as:
o Safety shoes or boots with built-in protective boxes designed to
provide protection from heavy or rolling objects
o Semi-conductive shoes
o Molder’s styles for use when working with molten metals
o Electrical hazard footwear designed to withstand less than 600
volts
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.136
Foot Protection Recommendations:
 When working with electrical wires, safety
boots and shoes should be metal-free and
non-conductive.
 Environments that are static-free require
conductive shoes.
 When working with chemicals, workers should
wear rubber or synthetic safety footwear.
 Leather shoes and boots should not be worn
when working with or near corrosives.
 Workers may be required to wear foot guards
and heel and ankle shields depending on the
hazards in addition to safety footwear.
 Foot and toe protection must be worn at all
times in designated foot hazard areas of the
workplace as indicated by signage.
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.138
Hand Protection:
• Hand protection should be worn when working in
conditions that have a potential to cause injury to hands
and fingers such as:
o Skin absorption of poisonous chemicals
o Severe cuts, lacerations, abrasions and punctures
o Chemical and thermal burns and extreme temperatures
• Arms, hands and fingers get injured more than any other
part of the body, so gloves and barrier creams are
essential to worker safety in many workplaces.
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.138
Types of Hand Protection:
 Vinyl or neoprene gloves when working with
chemicals.
 Leather or cotton-knitted gloves when handling
abrasives, metals and sharp objects.
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1926.101
Hearing Protection:
• Hearing loss is a very common
workplace injury and is ignored all too
often because it occurs gradually over
a long period of time.
• Workers may suffer permanent hearing loss when exposed to loud
noises that don’t cause immediate irritation or when hearing
protection is worn incorrectly.
• Hearing protection should be used in the following circumstances:
o When the sounds of the workplace are irritating to the ear.
o When workers must raise their voices to be heard by someone standing
less than two feet away.
o When sound levels are above 85 dbA TWA (indicated on signage).
o Double hearing protection is required when sound levels are above 104
dbA (indicated on signage).
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1926.101
Types of Hearing Protection:
• Ear Plugs:
o Offer the most hearing protection.
o Insert a disposable ear plug into the ear by rolling it into a small
diameter oval and inserting it into the ear canal. The ear should
be pulled up and back as the plug is inserted. Then, hold the
plug in the ear for several seconds to allow it to expand and fit
securely.
• Ear Muffs:
o Ear muffs are only as effective as the seal around the entire ear.
Facial hair and eyeglasses can decrease the protection ear muffs
can provide because they get in the way of the seal.
o Ear muffs can be worn with ear plugs to increase protection.
o If ear muffs are cracked, cut or missing gaskets, they are not as
effective in protecting the worker’s hearing.
PPE Words of Wisdom
 PPE must fit properly to protect against hazards.
 Workers should sanitize and clean equipment
daily to keep it in good condition.
 If PPE is damaged, it should not be used.
Instead, it should be replaced or repaired (if
possible).
 PPE should always be worn when suggested,
even if it seems bulky or unnecessary at first.
Final Personal Protective Equipment Rule
 All PPE required by OSHA’s general industry,
construction and maritime standards will be
provided at no cost to the employee, with a few
exceptions.
 OSHA anticipates this clarification will lead to
greater compliance, resulting in the potential
avoidance of thousands of workplace injuries
each year.
Exceptions to Final PPE Rule
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ordinary safety-toe footwear (including steel-toe shoes or steel-toe
boots): Employers are not required to pay for ordinary safety-toe
footwear if the employer allows the employee to wear them off the
jobsite.
Ordinary prescription safety eyewear: Employers are not required
to pay for ordinary safety eyewear that is allowed to be worn off
the jobsite.
Shoes or boots with built-in metatarsal protection: Employers are
not required to pay for shoes with built-in metatarsal protection as
long as the employer provides and pays for metatarsal guards that
attach to the shoes.
Logging boots: The general industry logging standard does not
require employers to pay for logging boots required for the job but
leaves the responsibility for payment open to employer and
employee negotiation.
Exceptions to Final PPE Rule (Con’t)
5.
6.
Ordinary clothing: OSHA recognizes that there are certain
circumstances where long-sleeve shirts, long pants, street shoes,
normal work boots and other similar types of clothing could serve
as PPE. However, the final rule excludes everyday clothing from
the employer-payment rule.
Ordinary weather-related gear, skin creams, sunglasses or other
items used solely for protection from the weather: Employers are
not required to pay for ordinary clothing used solely for protection
from weather, such as winter coats and gloves. In the rare case
that special equipment or extraordinary clothing is needed to
protect the employee from unusually severe weather conditions,
the employer is required to pay for such protection. Note: Clothing
used in artificially-controlled environments with extreme hot or
cold temperatures, such as freezers, is not considered part of the
weather-related gear exception.
Clarifications to Final PPE Rule
Employee-Owned PPE
To accommodate employees who frequently move from job to
job, the final rule acknowledges that employees may use their
own equipment, if the employer allows them to do so. In these
instances, the employer is not required to reimburse the
employees for the PPE. To qualify: (a) employee use of PPE
must be completely voluntary, (b) employer must ensure
equipment meets standard requirements and is properly
maintained, and (c) employee can adopt the use of employerprovided PPT at any time.
Replacement PPE
The final rule stipulates that employers must pay for
replacement equipment, unless the employee has intentionally
damaged or lost the gear.
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worker safety!