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Personal Protective Equipment Program

The purpose of the program is the use of personal protective equipment. The program will cover arm and body protection, body protection, hearing protection, eye and face protection, foot protection, head protection, and safety showers.

Program it is the responsibility of the employee and supervisor to ensure employees are not under protected of over protected. The first PPE coverage areas are arm and hand protection. Arms and hands are vulnerable to cuts, burns, bruises, electrical shock, chemical spills etc. Gloves provide protection for the hands and arms from chemicals, temperature extremes, and abrasion. Their proper selection is vital to their ability to protect. Another factor in the selection of gloves is the wearer’s need for dexterity. It is often advisable to reduce the size and thickness of the glove to increase the dexterity. Caution is also required when using gloves around moving equipment. Types of gloves: disposable latex gloves, chemical resistant gloves, leather gloves, heat-resistant, and cotton gloves.

Always wear the appropriate hand and arm protection. For arm protection, wear a long-sleeved shirt, chemical resistant sleeves etc.

Body protection hazards that threaten the torso tend to threaten the entire body. A variety of protective clothing, including long pants, coveralls, and disposable body suits are available for specific work conditions. Never take home contaminated clothing. Coveralls, aprons, and disposable body suits protect employees and everyday clothing from contamination. Welding aprons/jackets provide protection from sparks.

Hearing protection if you work in a high noise area, wear hearing protection. Most hearing protection devices have an assigned rating that indicates t he amount of protection provided.  Examples of hearing protection provided would be disposable earplugs, reusable earplugs and sealed earmuffs.

Eye and face protection employees must wear protection if hazards exist that could cause eye or face injury.  Eye and face protection should be used in conjunction with equipment guards, engineering controls and safe practices. Safety glasses or goggles are required in laboratories.

Thousands of people are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection. Eye injuries alone cost more than $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses, and workers compensation.

Eye protection is provided whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental or mechanical irritants and hazards.

Always wear adequate eye and face protection when performing tasks such as grinding, buffing, welding, chipping, cutting, or pouring chemicals. Safety glasses with shields provide protection against impact and splashes, but safety googles provide protection against impact, splashes and hazardous atmospheres. All safety glasses must be ANSI 287 certified.

Safety glasses if you wear prescription glasses, wear goggles or other safety protection over glasses. Safety glasses with side shields provide primary protection to eyes and are four times as resistant as prescription glasses to impact injuries. Do not wear contact lens in the laboratory, or other areas where hazardous atmospheres may be present. Contact lenses do not provide eye protection and may reduce the effectiveness of an emergency eyewash.

Goggles protect against impacts, sparks, chemical splashes, dust and irritating mist. Wear full goggles, not just safety glasses, when working with chemicals.

Welding eyecup welding goggles with filter lenses give protection from glare and sparks. A welding, soldering, or brazing, but does not provide primary eye protection; safety glasses or goggles should be worn with the helmet. Face shields are designed to protect the face from some splashes or projectiles, but does not eliminate exposure to vapors. A face shield should be worn with the helmet. Sunglasses are useful to prevent eyestrain from glare and to minimize ultraviolet light exposure.

Foot protection to protect feet and legs from falling objects, moving machinery, sharp objects, hot materials, chemicals or slippery surfaces, employees should wear closed toed shoes, boots, footguards, leggings or safety shoes, as appropriate.

Head protection safety hardhats protect the head from impact, penetration, and electrical shock. Head protection is necessary if you work where there is a risk of injury from moving, falling, or flying objects or if you work near high voltage equipment.