Demonstration is the Key
Before an employee is allowed to do work requiring PPE, the employer must require each affected employee to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the training elements; and
- demonstrate the ability to use PPE properly.
Testing Types of PPE
Demonstrating is the most common and likely the best way to determine employee knowledge and skills. How does the employee demonstrate an understanding of the six PPE training subjects listed above? It's simple. We measure their knowledge by asking questions like the ones below.
- What PPE is required for your particular job?
- When is the PPE required to be used in your job?
- What are the possible defects your PPE might have?
- How do you properly care for and maintain/store your PPE?
- What is the useful life of your PPE?
- From what hazards does the PPE protect you?
The 'test' to check what you've learned can be written or oral. If you're teaching many employees, it's better to use a written test to clearly measure individual knowledge. It's also the intent of most OSHA law that knowledge be measured by written exams. In addition to the oral or written test, the standard requires some kind of method that provides an opportunity for the employee to demonstrate adequate skills. The next section shows a simple training strategy that ensures the student will have an opportunity to demonstrate.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-4. When training a number of employees, each employee's knowledge is best measured by _____.
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