Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The US FDA describes Personal Protective equipment (PPE) as protective clothing, helmets, gloves, face shields, goggles, facemasks and/or respirators or other equipment designed to protect the wearer from injury or the spread of infection or illness.

PPE is commonly used in health care. When used properly, PPE acts as a barrier between infectious materials such as viral and bacterial contaminants and your skin, mouth, nose, or eyes (mucous membranes). The barrier has the potential to block transmission of contaminants from blood, body fluids, or respiratory secretions. PPE may also protect patients who are at high risk for contracting infections through a surgical procedure or who have a medical condition, such as an immunodeficiency from being exposed to substances or potentially infectious material brought in by visitors and healthcare workers.

When used properly and with other infection control practices such as hand-washing, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and covering coughs and sneezes, it minimizes the spread of infection from one person to another.

Effective use of PPE includes properly donning (putting on), doffing (taking off), and disposing of contaminated PPE to prevent exposing both the wearer and other people to infection.

In the US, the FDA sets standards for PPE.

The following video demonstrates the proper donning and doffing of PPE: