PPE-The Last Resort
Bill (not his real name) was 18 years old. He got a job installing aluminum siding on houses. After hearing his son complain about the dust getting in his eyes, Bill’s dad convinced him to wear safety glasses. The following week, Bill was given an air powered staple gun. While using the staple gun, a staple hit a metal plate behind the siding, causing the staple to forcefully ricochet back towards his face, cracking the safety glasses. Bill’s eyes were saved.
Some of us probably have similar success stories about wearing our personal protective equipment (PPE). And some of us know that when it comes to the hierarchy of safety, PPE is the last resort, coming after elimination of hazards, substitution for lesser hazards, engineering controls, warnings, training, administrative measures, etc. If PPE is the last measure for keeping us safe, it becomes very important to take care of it, and to wear it properly.
In 29 CFR Part 1910.132, OSHA requires that PPE “be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.”
We understand the concept of keeping our PPE sanitary. That involves keeping it clean, and to the best of our ability, free of harmful things like germs or other contaminants.
How do we know when our PPE is reliable? We need to look at it, handle it, and inspect it. While this sounds rather basic, it might be a little more involved than you think. OSHA has some standards for PPE, as does the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). For example, those of you who must wear safety glasses, like our friend Bill, may look to see if your safety glasses are stamped with the ANSI marking Z87 or Z87.1 (the newer standard). That stamp means the glasses must meet certain criteria for your safety and protection.
A good habit to get into is to also review the manufacturers’ guidelines for the PPE you use. Manufacturers want their product to provide you with the best protection. To make sure the equipment is the best, they give recommendations or guidelines about how to care for it. One example is that some PPE should not be stored in direct sunlight, which can damage the plastic it is made from.
How do you know the recommended way to store your PPE when not using it? Read the material that comes from it. If you do not have the manufacturer’s guidelines or recommendations, their website might have the information you are looking for.
Weekly Safety Challenge:
Do you have a PPE success story? Share it with your coworkers. Encourage them to find and read the manufacturers’ recommendations or guidelines for the PPE they wear.
