Personal Protective
Equipment
OSHA Office of Train 1
Protecting Employees from
Workplace Hazards
Employers must protect employees from hazards
such as falling objects, harmful substances, and
noise exposures that can cause injury
Employers must:
Use all feasible engineering and work practice
controls to eliminate and reduce hazards
Use personal protective equipment (PPE) if the
controls dont eliminate the hazards.
PPE is the last level of control!
OSHA Office of Train 2
Engineering Controls
If . . .
The work environment can be physically
changed to prevent employee exposure to the
potential hazard,
Then . . .
The hazard can be eliminated with an
engineering control
OSHA Office of Train 3
Engineering Controls
Examples . . .
Initial design specifications
Substitute less harmful material
Change process
Enclose process
Isolate process
OSHA Office of Train 4
Work Practice Controls
If . . .
Employees can change the way they do their
jobs and the exposure to the potential hazard
is removed,
Then . . .
The hazard can be eliminated with a work
practice control
OSHA Office of Train 5
Work Practice Controls -- Examples
OSHA Office of Train 6
Responsibilities
Employer
Assess workplace for hazards
Provide PPE
Determine when to use
Provide PPE training for employees and
instruction in proper use
Employee
Use PPE in accordance with training
received and other instructions
Inspect daily and maintain in a clean and
reliable condition
OSHA Office of Train 7
Examples of PPE
Body Part Protection
Eye safety glasses, goggles
Face face shields
Head hard hats
Feet safety shoes
Hands and arms gloves
Bodies vests
Hearing earplugs, earmuffs
OSHA Office of Train 8
PPE Program
Includes procedures for selecting,
providing and using PPE
First -- assess the workplace to determine
if hazards are present, or are likely to be
present, which necessitate the use of PPE
After selecting PPE, provide training to
employees who are required to use it
OSHA Office of Train 9
Training
If employees are required to use PPE, train them:
Why it is necessary
How it will protect them
What are its limitations
When and how to wear
How to identify signs of wear
How to clean and disinfect
What is its useful life & how is it disposed
OSHA Office of Train 10
Head Protection
OSHA Office of Train 11
Causes of Head Injuries
Falling objects such
as tools
Bumping head
against objects,
such as pipes or
beams
Contact with
exposed electrical
wiring or
components
OSHA Office of Train 12
Selecting the Right Hard Hat
Class A
General service (building construction, shipbuilding,
lumbering)
Good impact protection but limited voltage protection
Class B
Electrical / Utility work
Protects against falling objects and high-voltage
shock and burns
Class C
Designed for comfort, offers limited protection
Protects against bumps from fixed objects, but does
not protect against falling objects or electrical shock
OSHA Office of Train 13
Eye Protection
OSHA Office of Train 14
When must Eye Protection be Provided?
When any of these hazards are present:
Dust and other flying particles, such as metal
shavings or sawdust
Corrosive gases, vapors, and liquids
Molten metal that may splash
Potentially infectious materials such as blood
or hazardous liquid chemicals that may splash
Intense light from welding and lasers
OSHA Office of Train 15
Eye Protection
Criteria for Selection
Protects against specific hazard(s)
Comfortable to wear
Does not restrict vision or movement
Durable and easy to clean and disinfect
Does not interfere with the function of
other required PPE
OSHA Office of Train 16
Eye Protection for Employees
Who Wear Eyeglasses
Ordinary glasses do not provide the required protection
Proper choices include:
Prescription glasses with side shields and protective
lenses
Goggles that fit comfortably over corrective glasses
without disturbing the glasses
Goggles that incorporate corrective lenses mounted
behind protective lenses
OSHA Office of Train 17
Safety Glasses
Made with metal/plastic safety frames
Most operations require side shields
Used for moderate impact from particles produced
by jobs such as carpentry, woodworking, grinding,
and scaling
OSHA Office of Train 18
Goggles
Protects eyes and area around the eyes
from impact, dust, and splashes
Some goggles fit over corrective lenses
OSHA Office of Train 19
Laser (Welding) Safety Goggles
Protects eyes from intense concentrations
of light produced by lasers
OSHA Office of Train 20
Face Shields
Full face protection
Protects face from dusts and splashes or sprays of hazardous liquids
Does not protect from impact hazards
Wear safety glasses or goggles underneath
OSHA Office of Train 21
Welding Shields
Protects eyes against burns from radiant light
Protects face and eyes from flying sparks,
metal spatter, & slag chips produced during
welding, brazing, soldering, and cutting
OSHA Office of Train 22
Hearing Protection
OSHA Office of Train 23
Hearing Protection
When its not feasible
to reduce the noise or
its duration use ear
protective devices
Ear protective devices
must be fitted
OSHA Office of Train 24
When Must Hearing Protection
be Provided?
After implementing engineering and
work practice controls
When an employees noise exposure
exceeds an 8-hour time-weighted
average (TWA) sound level of 90 dBA
OSHA Office of Train 25
Examples of Hearing Protectors
Earmuffs Earplugs Canal Caps
OSHA Office of Train 26
Foot Protection
OSHA Office of Train 27
When Must Foot Protection be
Provided?
When any of these are present:
Heavy objects such as barrels or tools that
might roll onto or fall on employees feet
Sharp objects such as nails or spikes that
might pierce ordinary shoes
Molten metal that might splash on feet
Hot or wet surfaces
Slippery surfaces
OSHA Office of Train 28
Safety Shoes
Impact-resistant toes and heat-
resistant soles protect against
hot surfaces common in roofing
and paving
Some have metal insoles to
protect against puncture
wounds
May be electrically conductive
for use in explosive
atmospheres, or nonconductive
to protect from workplace
electrical hazards
OSHA Office of Train 29
Hand Protection
OSHA Office of Train 30
When Must Hand Protection be
Provided?
When any of these are present:
Burns
Bruises
Abrasions
Cuts
Punctures
Fractures
Amputations
Chemical Exposures
OSHA Office of Train 31
What Kinds of Protective
Gloves are Available?
Durable gloves made of metal mesh, leather, or
canvas
Protects from cuts, burns, heat
Fabric and coated fabric gloves
Protects from dirt and abrasion
Chemical and liquid resistant gloves
Protects from burns, irritation, and dermatitis
Rubber gloves
Protects from cuts, lacerations, and abrasions
OSHA Office of Train 32
Types of Rubber Gloves
Nitrile protects against
solvents, harsh
chemicals, fats and
petroleum products and
also provides excellent
resistance to cuts and
abrasions.
Butyl provides the
highest permeation
resistance to gas or
water vapors
OSHA Office of Train 33
Other Types of Gloves
Kevlar protects against
cuts, slashes, and
abrasion
Stainless steel mesh
protects against cuts
and lacerations
OSHA Office of Train 34
Body Protection
OSHA Office of Train 35
Major Causes of Body Injuries
Intense heat
Splashes of hot metals and other hot liquids
Impacts from tools, machinery, and materials
Cuts
Hazardous chemicals
Radiation
OSHA Office of Train 36
Body Protection
Criteria for Selection
Provide protective clothing for parts of the
body exposed to possible injury
Types of body protection:
Vests
Aprons
Jackets
Coveralls
Full body suits
Coveralls
OSHA Office of Train 37
Body Protection
Cooling Vest Full Body Suit Sleeves and Apron
OSHA Office of Train 38
Summary
Employers must implement a PPE program where they:
Assess the workplace for hazards
Use engineering and work practice controls to
eliminate or reduce hazards before using PPE
Select appropriate PPE to protect employees from
hazards that cannot be eliminated
Inform employees why the PPE is necessary, how
and when it must be worn
Train employees how to use and care for their PPE,
including how to recognize deterioration and failure
Require employees to wear selected PPE
OSHA Office of Train 39
