Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is equipment worn to reduce exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses.
Injuries and illnesses in the workplace may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests, and full body suits.
When other hazard controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective equipment to their workers and ensure its proper use. PPE should be used in conjunction with, not instead of, the other hazard control strategies.
A mistake management may make is to purchase low-quality PPE to save money. They don't realize the important life-saving benefits of investing in only high-quality PPE.
Employers must ensure that every worker who uses PPE receives thorough training on several key aspects:
- The reasons for its necessity.
- The situations in which it is required.
- The specific type of equipment needed.
- The correct procedures for donning, adjusting, wearing, and removing the equipment.
- The limitations of the equipment.
- The proper care, maintenance, lifespan, and disposal methods for the equipment.
When the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary, implementing a well-structured PPE program is essential. Such a program should cover the identification of existing hazards, the selection, maintenance, and proper use of PPE, employee training, and regular monitoring to guarantee the program's continued effectiveness.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-8. What is a common mistake management may make when they purchase PPE?
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