A primer on personal protective equipment
Post date: May 11, 2021 7:39:14 PM
For Capt. Martin Sanders, a PPE or personal protective equipment, is a worker's last defense line in any hazardous workplace. It should be the responsibility of the employer to provide PPE at no cost to the worker. Capt. Martin Sanders discusses PPEs in today's blog.
Head protection: A hard hat is a primary head protection most often seen at a construction site. These places are hazardous with falling or flying debris that may hit your head without knowing. Hard hats must conform to a certain ANSI standard and must be properly labeled as such. Hearing, eye, and face protection: Hearing protection like earplugs, earmuffs, semi-insert canal caps, and the like must always be worn in work areas with high noise levels (above 85 decibels for more than 8 hours). Meanwhile, eye protection like impact protection, laser protection goggles, splash protection, welding goggles, etc., are worn to prevent eye injuries from dust, chemicals, harmful light radiation, and splashing bodily fluids and sewage. Lastly, face protection like face masks and face shields, welding helmets, biological splash shield, etc., are usually worn in addition to eye protection to increase the amount of coverage received.
Respiratory protection: There are two types of respiratory protection. One is a filtering respirator that uses a filtering system that allows air except for contaminants. Meanwhile, an oxygen supplying respirator supplies fresh air for a person, generally through a hose, like in scuba gear. Torso and body protection: Coveralls, reflective safety vests, full-body harness, Tyvek suits, etc., are just some of the equipment required for torso and body protection. The PPE designed for this depends on a wide range of conditions. Consider the hazards before determining which type of PPE will be required for a particular job. Captain Martin Sanders is a public health professional with more than a decade of experience in the occupational health and safety sector. He was the acting Chief of Safety for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), related to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). For similar reads, visit this page. Disclaimer: This site was prepared by Martin Sanders in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the USPHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, or the United States Government.