Student Handout

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Larry C. Alzaga OSHP

Introduction

When a hazard is identified in the workplace, every effort should be made to eliminate it so that
employees are not harmed and production proceeds unhindered.

The first approach to eliminate the hazard is through substitution or engineering controls.

The second approach is to reduce the hazard to employees by administrative controls.

When the hazard still exists, in spite of the application of engineering and administrative controls,
employees must be required to use Personal Protective Equipment.

Personal Protective Equipment Program

People who must work in with hazardous conditions should use PPE, which can protect a person
from head to toe. An effective PPE program consists of the following:

Company safety policy and standards

Identification of hazards in the work area

Research into available safety equipment on the market
 Procedures for issuance and control of personal protective equipment
 Employee motivation and training on proper safety attire, work habits, personal
hygiene and use of personal protective equipment
 A review of all Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
 A review of all Job Hazard Analysis Sheets (JHAS)
 An industrial hygiene evaluation procedure to determine whether PPE is required to
meet MSDS requirements
 Regular program review and evaluation

Head Protection

Head protection is needed on jobs where a person’s head is exposed to hazards from bumps,
falling or flying objects.

Requirements
 Impact resistance is essential
 Hats must be fire resistant and impervious to moisture
 Where contact with energized circuits is possible, only hats with shells made of non-
conductive materials must be worn. 
  A brim all around the hat provides the most comfortable protection for the head, face and
back of the neck
 “Bump Hats” or “Bump Caps” for use only in confined spaces where the exposure is
limited to bumping
Fabrication
 Laminated
 Glass fiber
 Highly reflective
 For electrical works
 Hard outer shell
 Cradles and head banks
Auxiliary Features
 Liners – available for cold weather use
 Chin Strap – useful when the user may be exposed to strong winds such as on towers,
bridges or oil derricks
 Slots or Attachment Points – to support additional accessories such as face shield, ear
muffs or heal lights.
 Available in various colors and designs to indicate the user’s department or trade,
especially in companies or plants where certain areas are restricted to a few selected
employees only.
Notes
- Must be cleaned using mild soap and water only every 30 days
- Suspension cradles must be cleaned before being reused
- DO NOT drill holes into the hat
- DO NOT apply paint or coatings on the hat as it may chemically reacts with the hat
material and make it brittle.

Face Protection

Many types of personal protective equipment shield the face (and sometimes also the head and
neck) against impact, chemical or hot metal splashes, heat radiation and other hazards.

Types
 Face shields
 Babbitting helmets
 Welding helmets
 Hand–held shields
 Welding goggles
 Acid-proof hoods
 Air Supplied Hoods
Notes

 If a person still complains, direct him to see the doctor, since there may be a
physical cause for his headache
 “I forgot” should never be accepted as an excuse, it usually indicates a weak
safety program.
Eye Protection

Field, shop and laboratory activities expose a person’s eyes to a variety of hazards such as flying
objects, splashes of corrosive liquids or molten metals, dusts and harmful radiation.

These hazards can be reduced by:

 Using “non-ferrous” or soft striking tools
 Shielding the job by using metal, wood or canvas
 Using eye protection equipment

Hazards related to contact lenses

 Know whether an individual with contact lenses can tolerate wearing them comfortably
for 10 hours or more each day.
 Contact lenses are not recommended to be used where there are appreciable amounts of
dust, smoke, or irritating fumes or liquid irritants that could splash into the eyes.
Types
 Impact or Cover Goggles
 Protective Spectacles
 Spectacles with Side Shields
 Cup Glasses
 Splash-Resistant Goggles
 Dust Goggles
 Miner’s Goggles
 Welder’s Goggles

Material Description
A protective medium of heat or chemically treated,
- Glass
- Plastic
- Wire screen, or
- Light-filtering glass

General Information
 Impact or
Cover goggles
- Are frequently worn over ordinary spectacles. This protects both the
wearer’s eyes and his corrective lenses
- They protect against impact as well as breaking; protect the eye socket
and distribute a blow over a wide area.
- Protective spectacles without side shield may be worn only where it is
unlikely that particles will fly toward the side of the face;
- Side shield spectacles should always be worn where there is additional
side exposure;
- Frames must be rigid enough to hold lenses directly in front of the eyes;
the nose bridge should be adjustable or universal; a person trained for the job should
fit frames.
  Splash-resistant goggles, with soft vinyl or rubber frames, protect eyes against splashes
of corrosive chemicals and exposure to fine dust or mist.
- For exposures involving chemical splashes, they are equipped with baffled ventilators
on the sides
- For vapor or gas exposures, they must be unventilated. Some types are made to
cover spectacles.

 Miner’s Goggles
- Are used for underground work and other locations where fogging is a serious
problem and are made of a corrosion-resistant wire screen, coated a dull black to
reduce reflection.

 Foundry Worker’s Goggles

- Come in spectacle and cup types with cobalt blue glass in graded shades. Lenses
with color in the upper half and clear glass in the lower half are also available.
Frames are of leather or plastic to protect the face from radiant heat.

 Welder’s Goggles
- Are for operations such as oxyacetylene welding, cutting, lead burning, and brazing
with clear glass and dark filter lenses

Hearing Protection

The permissible noise exposure for an 8-hour duration is 90 dB, measured on an A-weighted
scale that corresponds to the response of the human ear.
If the ear is subjected to higher levels of noise for a sufficient period of time some hearing loss
may occur.

Permissible Sound Exposure Levels

Duration per day, hours Sound level,

dbA
8 90
6 92
4 95
3 97
2 100
1½ 102
1 195
½ 110
¼ or less 115
Rules of Thumb

 If it is necessary to speak in a very loud voice or shout directly into the ear of the
person in order to be understood, it is likely that the exposure limit for noise is being
exceeded.
 If employees tell you that they have head noises and ringing noises in their ears at the
end of the workday, they are being exposed to too much noise.
 If employees complain that speech or music sounds muffled to them after leaving work
but sounds fairly clear in the morning when they return to work, there is no doubt about
their being exposed to noise levels that can eventually cause a partial loss of hearing
that can be permanent.
Types
 Insert Type
- Rubber types
- Wax inserts
- Cotton
- Specially molded to each ear
 Ear Muffs
- Cover the external ear to provide an acoustic barrier, the effectiveness of which
varies with the size, shape, seal material, shell mass and type of suspension of the
muffs
- Head size and shape also influence its effectiveness
- Liquid or grease filled cushions provide better noise suppression than plastic or
rubber types

Respiratory Protection

Respiratory equipment can be regarded as emergency equipment, or equipment for occasional

use. Of course, if air contaminants are present, they should be removed at the source or the
process isolated.

Types of Respirators
 Air purifying respirators
- Mechanical filters respirators
- Chemical cartridge respirators
- Gas Mask with canisters
 Supplied air respirators
- Air-line respirators
- Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
- Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA)

Function
 Removes contaminants from air being breathed
  Used only in environments containing sufficient oxygen to sustain life
 Effective in the limited concentration ranges for which they are designed
 Generally consist of a soft, resilient face piece and some kind of replaceable filtering
elements
 Some are available as completely disposable units
 Various chemical filters can be employed to remove specific gases and vapors while
mechanical filters remove particulate contaminants

Mechanical Filter Respirators

- Protect against exposure to nuisance dusts and pneumoconiosis-producing dust, mist and
fumes
- Examples of nuisance dusts are: Aluminum, cellulose, cement, flour, gypsum, and
limestone
- Examples of toxic dusts are:
- Lead, Asbestos, Arsenic, Cadmium, Manganese Selenium and their compounds
Remember
Mechanical filter respirators provide no protection against:
- Solvent vapors
- Injurious gases
- Oxygen deficient atmospheres

Chemical Cartridge Respirators

- Usually have a half-mask face piece (or a full-mask face piece) connected to one or more small
containers of activated charcoal or soda lime (a mixture of calcium hydroxide with sodium or
potassium hydroxide) for absorption of low concentrations of certain vapors and gases.
- The life of the containers is very short. Some cartridges can only be used for only a certain amount
of time and are usually disposable.

Gas Masks
- Consists of a face piece connected to a chemical filter canister by a flexible tube.
- Inhaled air is drawn through the canister and cleaned chemically

Notes
- No single chemical has been found to removes all contaminants; therefore, the canister
must be chosen to meet the exposure
- Gas concentration and length of time limits the effectiveness of the gas mask
- Gas mask canisters are identified by their color as to types of exposure
- A used canister should not be left attached, but should be removed and replaced by a
fresh one
- Manufacturers will indicate the maximum effective life of their canisters
- Canisters must be stored away from moisture, heat and direct sunlight and regularly
inspected for molds or defects
- Hose masks, with or without a blower, should not be used in atmospheres immediately
dangerous to life or health (IDLH)

Remember
- Chemical cartridges DO NOT provide protection against oxygen deficient atmosphere,
nuisance and toxic dusts.
- Gas Masks DO NOT provide protection against oxygen deficient atmospheres
- Gas Masks DO NOT provide protection for nuisance and toxic dusts.
Supplied Air Respirators
- Deliver breathing air through a supply hose connected to the wearer’s face piece
- Connected with a pressure regulator to reduce air pressure to 25 psi
- Used in atmospheres not immediately dangerous to life or health
- Air hose is connected to a moisture filter and a carbon monoxide filter assembly.

Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

Provide protection for a limited period of time by using a portable air supply tank connected to a
back harness carried by the user.
- Used in environments where air contaminants are immediately harmful to life
- Must be used only by men who are physically fit and well-trained

Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA)

Provide protection for a limited period of time by using a portable air supply tank connected to a
back harness and buoyancy control jacket worn by the diver.
- Used in underwater activities and under higher atmospheric pressure conditions in
deep water.
- Used only by physically fit and trained divers
- Consists of a first stage and second stage pressure regulator

Four Principal Types of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus

 Oxygen re-breathing type
 Self-generating type
 Demand type
 Pressure type-demand type

Color Identification of Chemical Cartridges / Canisters

Atmospheric Contaminant Color Marking

Acid gases White
Hydrocyanic acid gas White with green stripe at the bottom
Chlorine gas White with yellow stripe at the bottom
Organic vapors Black
Ammonia gas Green
Acid gases and ammonia gas Green with white stripe at the bottom
Carbon monoxide Blue
Acid gases and organic vapors Yellow
 Hydrocyanic acid gas and
Yellow with blue stripe at the bottom
chloropicin vapor
Acid gases, organic vapors and
Brown
ammonia gases
Radioactive materials excepting
Purple (Magenta)
tritium and noble gases
Particulates (dusts, fumes, mists,
fogs or smoke with any Canister color designated above with gray stripe at
of the above gases or bottom
vapors
All of the above atmospheric
Red with gray stripe at bottom
contaminants

Body Protection

The most common protection for the abdomen and trunk is the full apron. Leather or fabric
aprons, with padding or stays, offer protection against light impact and against sharp knives and
cleavers. Those who work around hot metals or other sources of intense conductive heat use Heat
resistant aprons. They also protect against chemical splashes and extremes of temperature.

Welders are often required to wear leather vests or caps and sleeves especially during overhead
welding. On jobs where employees must carry heavy, angular loads, pads of cushioned leather are
used to protect the shoulders and back from injury.

Examples
 Work Coveralls
 Fire Fighting Coats
 Laboratory Jackets
 Leather Aprons
 Chemical or Heat Resistant Body Apron
 Bullet-proof Vests
 Wet Suit (diving)

Fall Protection

Safety belts and harnesses with lifelines attached should be worn by those who work at high
levels or in closed spaces and by those who work where they may be buried by loose material or
be injured in confined spaces. Safety belts and harnesses are also commonly used with overhead
lifelines, fall arrest and restraint systems.

Types
 Safety Belt
 Safety Harness
 “Yoyo” or Self-Retracting Harness

Accessories
 Vertical Climbing Rope / Ladder Grabs
  Shock Absorbing Lanyard
 Lifeline Cable

Remember
A safety belt MUST NOT be used for fall arrest since they can cause serious spinal or abdominal
injuries. Safety belts are positioning devices.

Floatation Devices

Operations that require working on or near piers, offshore rigs, marine vessels, barges, tugs, etc.
require floatation devices

Examples
- Airline Life Vests
- Marine Life Jackets

Accessories
- Radio Beacon
- Strobe Signal Light

Arm, Hand and Finger Protection

Fingers and hands are exposed to cuts, scratches, bruises and burns. Although fingers are hard to
protect, they can be shielded from many common injuries with such proper protective equipment
as the following:

Thermal–Resistant Gloves protect against burns and discomfort when the hands are exposed to
sustained conducted heat or cold.

Metal Mesh Gloves protect the fingers and hand from cuts and blows from knives, sharp and
rough objects.

Rubber Gloves are worn by electricians. They must be checked regularly for dielectric strength.
Rubber, Neoprene and Vinyl Gloves are used when handling corrosives. Neoprene and Vinyl are
particularly useful when petroleum products are handled.
Leather Gloves are able to resist sparks, moderate heat, chips and rough objects. They provide
some cushioning against blows and are generally used for heavy-duty work.

Cotton Fabric Gloves are suitable for protection against dirt, slivers, chafing or abrasions. They
are not strong enough to use in handling rough, sharp or heavy materials.

Feet and Leg Protection

Various types of feet and leg protection have been developed to address specific hazards in the
work area.

Types

Metal-Free shoes, boots and other footwear are used where there are specific electrical, fire and
explosion hazards.

Gaiter Type shoes are to protect persons from splashes of molten metal or from welding sparks.
This type can be removed quickly to avoid serious burns and have no laces or eyelets to catch
molten metal.

Rubber Boots and Shoes are suitable for wet work conditions.

Reinforced or inner soles of flexible metal are built into shoes worn in areas where there are
hazards from protruding nails and where the likelihood of contact with energized electrical
equipment is remote, as in the construction industry.

Safety Shoes with Metatarsal Guards should always be worn during operations where heavy
materials are handled. They are recommended whenever there is a possibility of objects falling
and striking the foot above the toecap. Metal foot guards are long enough to protect the foot back
to the ankle. All safety shoes have toes reinforced with toecaps.