2. LET’S DEFINE PPE, WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT ISN’T
PPE = Personal Protective Equipment
It is designed to protect the wearer against a known hazard.
PPE does not eliminate the hazard.
We must look at the Hierarchy of Control to understand
the limitations of PPE to begin with.
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3. Notice Where PPE Lies In The Order On The
Hierarchy Of Controls Chart
If we solve the hazard by any other
control measure, the employee doesn’t
encounter the hazard. If the hazard
cannot be mitigated by any other means,
the employee must face the hazard with
only the PPE as a barrier. Unfortunately,
PPE is fallible, manmade, and sometimes
misused. These factors increase the risk
of injury. It is imperative, however, to
require it’s continued use and proper care.
PPE is, after all, the last line of defense
against known hazards.
Way at the
bottom!
3
4. Everyone Likes Statistics, Right?
The U.S. averages nearly 2 million disabling work-related
injuries annually
Hard Hats were worn by only 16% of workers who
sustained head injuries
40% of workers with eye injuries were wearing eye
protection! (PPE doesn’t always work, but without it, there
may be zero protection!) 4
5. Employer Responsibilities
Assessment
Employers are required to
conduct an assessment to
determine the various
physical hazards that may be
present in your work area
Physical hazards include:
Sources of motion
Sources of high and low
temperatures
Sources of light radiation
• welding
• brazing
• heat treating
• high intensity lights
5
6. Employer Responsibilities Continued
Employers must also identify:
Sources of falling objects
Sources of sharp objects
Sources of rolling or pinching objects
Sources of electric hazards
Sources of slips, trips, and falls
Sources of harmful dusts 6
7. Assessments By The Employer Continued
As part of the assessment, employers
must also determine various other
hazards such as:
Chemicals hazards
Biological hazards
Mechanical hazards
The employer’s job is to find anything
that has potential to harm the
employee(s). So, get to lookin’!
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8. 29 CFR 1910.132(d) Talks about the assessment
Written certification of hazard assessment
identifies:
Workplace evaluated
Person certifying that the evaluation has been
performed
Date(s) of the hazard assessment
Identification of document as a certification of
hazard assessment
In other words, the assessment must be documented. If
you don’t document it, it didn’t happen.
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9. You’ve Done An Assessment, Now What?
Now you’ve got to select the proper equipment to mitigate the
hazards you have identified.
Areas of consideration to include, but are not limited to:
Head Protection Eye and Face Protection
Hand Protection Foot Protection
Bodily Protection Respiratory Protection
Hearing Protection
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11. 29 CFR 1910.135 (a) States that the employer
Must ensure that each affected
employee wears a protective helmet
where there is a potential for head
injury from falling objects.
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12. 29 CFR 1910.135 (b)
Ensure that each affected employee wears a protective
helmet designed to reduce electrical shock hazard when
near exposed electrical conductors which could contact
the head
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13. Classes And Types Of Hard Hats
(must comply with ANSI Z.1-1986)
Class G (old A) – General
• Withstands 2200 volts
Class E (old B) – Electrical
• Withstands 20,000 volts
Class C (old C) – Conductive
• Offers no electrical protection
A Class E HH is the only
type we should be wearing
in Telecommunications. 13
15. Eye And Face Protection
Employer assures that employee uses eye or face protection
from hazards:
Flying particles
Molten metal
Liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids
Chemical gases or vapors
Potentially injurious light radiation
15
Note: Curly’s PPE is his
hand!
16. Eye And Face Protection Continued
Employers must also account for flying objects and
provide for side shields on safety glasses as well.
Employees with prescription lenses:
Incorporate prescription in eye protection or
Wear eye protection over prescription lenses
Without disturbing proper position of prescription lenses
or the protective lenses 16
17. Eye And Face Protection
Continued
Don’t forget about those employees
engaging in welding applications.
They need their protection to match
the welding operation they’re
employing.
All glasses, and face protection must
comply with ANSI Z.87.1-1989
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19. 1910.138(a) General Requirements
You’ll need the appropriate hand protection required
for employee hand hazards such as:
Skin absorption of harmful substances
Severe cuts or lacerations
Severe abrasions
Punctures
Chemical burns
Thermal burns
Harmful temperature extremes
Not all hand protection
is created equally. There
is not one set of gloves
manufactured to
mitigate each of the
hazards your employees
may face. Consider the
high probability that
your employees may
need more than one set
of gloves.
20. What To Look For When Buying
Employer selects based on:
• Performance characteristics of the hand protection
relative to the task(s) to be performed
• Conditions present
• Duration of use
• Hazards and potential hazards identified
• Do the employees like them? (This goes for any PPE
you buy. If they don’t like it, they won’t wear it.
Simple.)
22. 1910.136(a) General Requirements
Each affected employee must use protective footwear where
there is danger of:
Falling or rolling objects
Objects piercing sole
Feet exposed to electrical hazards
Protective footwear shall comply with ANSI Z41-1991
24. Body Hazards
Several bodily hazards can be exposed to our employees regularly.
Vehicle accidents require a seat belt
Chemical exposure may require more then gloves and face
shields, it may require a full chemical and splash resistant suit
Fall Protection
Your job is to find those hazards and mitigate them. 24
25. Body Hazards Continued
During COVID we see the different levels of protection
now in our daily work.
From High-Risk areas such as hospitals where the attending
staff wear eye protection, fitted face masks, long sleeved
fluid repellant gowns, gloves and booties, to the low risk of
entering a customer’s home for an install wearing a face mask
and using social distancing. As with anything, contact,
context and exposure matters. 25
27. 1910.134(a)(1) PERMISSIBLE PRACTICE
Primary objective: Prevent atmospheric contamination
Respiratory hazards: dusts, mists, fogs, fumes, sprays, smokes or vapors
1st Priority: Engineering controls:
Enclosure or confinement of the operation,
General and local ventilation, and
Substitution of less toxic materials
Only where engineering controls are not feasible
should respirators be used
Remember
the H.O.C.
on slide 3?
28. Hierarchy of Control Chart
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Wouldn’t it be much better
if we could use one of
these control measures
eliminating the chance of
the employee ever getting
near the hazard?
29. 1910.134(c)(1) Respiratory Protection Program
Where respirators are required,
you need:
Written program
Worksite-specific procedures
Required elements:
Training
Fit testing
Medical evaluations
Care and maintenance
Procedures for respirator
selection
Procedures for routine &
emergency use
30. 1910.134(c)(2) Where Respirator Use Is Not Required
If you permits voluntary use, then you must
implement elements of written program necessary to
ensure:
Medical ability to use the equipment, and
How to clean, store, and maintain the equipment
to not cause health hazard
Exception: The voluntary use of dust masks
31. 1910.134(d) Selection Of Respirators
Respirators must be NIOSH-certified
You must provide enough variety so user can find the right fit
Cartridge change schedules for gases and vapors must be
followed
You must also be aware of potential IDLH atmospheres.
Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health
Specific supplied-air respirators necessary for IDLH use
32. 1910.134(e) Medical Evaluation
Respirator use causes physiological burden, varying with
Type of respirator
Job and workplace conditions
Medical status of employee
Because of this potential, you, the employer must, be prepared to handle this
effect.
Medical evaluation must be provided before:
Fit testing
Worker respirator use
33. 1910.134(e) Medical Evaluation
Conducted by physician or other licensed health care professional
(PLHCP)
Additional evaluations may be needed if:
The employee reports related symptoms
PLHCP, supervisor, administrator recommends it
Program information shows need for it
Change in workplace conditions increases physiological burden
35. 1910.95(c) Hearing Conservation Program
Required for any employees exceeding 8-hour TWA (Time
Weighted Average) of 85 dBA
You need to know the sound levels your employees are exposed to
during their day.
Audiometric testing
Baseline and annual
This finds a standard threshold shift (STS) (change in hearing
sensitivity). If found, the employee must be put into a hearing
conservation program
36. 1910.95(i) Hearing Protectors
Must be made available to all employees exposed over 85 dBA.
Replaced as often as necessary (training will help combat waste
and misuse).
Must be worn by workers exposed >90 dBA, or before baseline
or with STS (Standard threshold shift).
Give the employees a variety to choose from. It will promote
more use.
You must train and supervise your employees on correct use.
They must fit properly.
38. Employer Training Requirements
The employer shall provide training to each employee to use
PPE. Each such employee shall be trained to know at least the
following:
When PPE is necessary,
What PPE is necessary,
How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE
The limitations of the PPE and,
The proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of the
PPE.
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39. 29 CFR 1910.132(F) Training
Workers must demonstrate an understanding of the training and the
ability to use PPE properly before being allowed to perform work
requiring the use of PPE
Written certification, to verify that each employee has received and
understood the required training, contains:
Name of each employee trained
Date(s) of training
Subject of the certification 39
40. 1910.132(f) Training Continued
Retraining necessary for employees without
required understanding and skill:
Changes in the workplace
Changes in PPE used
Inadequate knowledge or use of PPE
demonstrated while using
If you’re going to wear
one, at least wear it
correctly. It might get you
some remedial training.
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41. Find the hazards, then fix them. If they
cannot be corrected, provide Personal
Protective Equipment. Easy Peasy.
YOUR JOB:
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