IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT(PPE) Article by PJ Mohan, Sr.Faculty, at NIFS

Personal protective equipment (PPE’s) can never be the first line of defense against hazards, they are considered only when injuries due to hazards cannot be eliminated or controlled by other preferred solutions like elimination, substitution, engineering and administrative controls.

In any type of Industrial workplace, it is not possible to completely remove all the hazards and the only way to ensure safety is to provide Personal protective equipment (PPE’s) which act as a barrier/protection between the particular work hazard and the person carrying that work.

Hazards related to every equipment and work area are assessed by risk management studies and required PPE‘s are Identified.

PPE exists to safeguard the wellbeing of workers and is important in terms of best practice and risk mitigation.Before providing the PPE’s, the important points to be considered are

1) CHOOSING THE REQUIRED PPE: It has to be ensured that the right PPE is provided for the right Job. It should give adequate protection against the nature, severity and type of hazard.

o  Helmets protect the head from falling objects, shock, head protection from bumping into low structural components, sudden chemical splashes

o  Goggles protect eyes from flying debris, dust, particles, hot splashes, chemical splashes, welding sparks, gas and radiation effects

o  Earplugs/muffs protect ears from noise

o  Nose Mask /Respirators protect lungs from dust, toxic gases, biological forms like bacterial and virus contaminations.

o  Hand gloves protect hands from cuts, sharp edges, handling hot substances, acid and hazardous chemical handling

o  Face shield protects the face from chemical splashes, flying objects and hot substances

o  Bodysuits to protect the whole body from chemical splashes, fire and during working with toxic and biohazard substances

o  Shoes protect legs from striking objects, falling bodies, accidental striking, chemical spills 

o  Belts and harnesses from protecting the whole body from falling from heights, slipping down, falling from uneven structures

2 )SUITABILITY AND SELECTION OF PPE: There are many types of PPEs available and the suitable one has to be picked up to ensure the intended safety is achieved from that particular hazard, All PPE’S should conform to required standards and tests. PPE should not cause any hazard through its material, design, use or failure. Construction of PPE with different types of materials is done based on the required level of protection to be given for particular hazards

o  HEAD PROTECTION: Head protectors are safety helmets or hard hats  (made from aluminium alloy or PVC fibreglass ), electrical safety helmet  (made of non-conductive PVC), welders cap (made of leather with cloth lining inside), crash helmet (fibre/plastic material, with saddle inside).

o  EAR PROTECTION:  Earmuffs, plugs and aural inserts.

o  EYE AND FACE PROTECTION: Eye protectors are safety spectacles  (shatterproof toughened glass or plastic lenses), panorama goggles (Non fogging clear visor with ventilation holes on either side), impact goggles, welding goggles, foundry goggles, chemical goggles (Acid and alkali resistant rubber frame and clear lenses), gas-tight goggles(air tight-fitting), face shields, welding helmets (similar to panorama glass with the provision of filter glass).

o  HAND PROTECTION: The protective equipment are Leather gloves, Fabric gloves (Heat resistant aluminized fabric), Asbestos gloves, Acid Alkali proof gloves (Neoprene or vinyl material), Canvas gloves (fabric or coated fabric), Electrical gloves (Insulated rubber)

o  FOOT AND LEG PROTECTION: Safety shoes ( rubber boots and steel toe boots), conductive shoes, Leather shoes, Gaiter shoes, Rubber gumboots, Welders safety boots

o  BODY PROTECTION: PVC suit, PVC splash-proof coat. PVC pressure suit, PVC boiler suit, Aluminized suits, Visibility clothing

o  RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: Dust respirator (single or double filters of cotton wool), Chemical cartridges ( Mouth cum nose piece with activated charcoal), Canister gas masks, SCABA (self-contained breathing apparatus),SAR (supplied-air respirator)

3)PROPER USAGE: There is a particular way the given PPE is to be used, any PPE whether it is a shoe, glove, and helmet etc that is not a perfect fit is as good as not wearing that PPE. Correct size and the correct usage makes a perfect fit, hence it has to ensured that all the personnel wearing the PPE  should know the adjustments for a perfect and balanced fit, training should be continuously provided and training should include

o  Criteria and reasons for selecting PPE.

o  Usage and removal of each PPE as removal is particularly important where the PPE may be contaminated with chemicals

o  Practising by workers in the presence of trainer for proper fit and ease of working without causing hindrance to work

o  Understanding parts of the PPE, their importance and to know how to inspect and check for damages so that adequate protection is not lost.

o  Handling of the PPE in a safe way and proper placement before and after use.

o  Understanding the limitations of the PPE

o  To  maintain PPE in good condition

4) PROPER CARE AND MAINTENANCE:  Damaged PPE can result in hazard becoming much greater like torn gloves which will not protect from heat or chemicals, broken cradle of a helmet, broken glasses or dirty glasses will impair visibility and reduce the concentration on work resulting in errors and mistakes. Properly maintained PPE will last longer and helps in the protection. Ensure a standard cleaning procedure if it is a reusable PPE.

o  All equipment must be inspected periodically before and after each use.

o  All respiratory protective equipment shall be cleaned and decontaminated after each use.

o  Replacement of other than disposable parts must be done only by personnel with adequate training to ensure the equipment is functioning properly after the work is accomplished.

5) LIMITATIONS OF PPE: PPE is effective only when used as designed for a particular hazard, for example, leather gloves protect against cuts but cannot be used for protection against chemicals. Safety glasses protect the eyes but not the face, all respirators have limited use for the concentration and time mentioned by the manufacturer. They cannot be used in a higher concentration for a longer time. In heavy concentration, only self breathing apparatus (SBA) is recommended and that too for a limited time.