Using Personal Protective Equipment
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Getting yourself ready for work can have different meanings depending on what type of job you do. If you work with hazardous materials or in potentially hazardous conditions then your work wear must conform to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992.
So, what does that mean? Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE as it is known in the trade, is defined in the Regulations as ‘all equipment (including clothing affording protection against the weather) which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects him against one or more risks to his health or safety', e.g. hard hats, heavy duty gloves, goggles, hi-visibility vests, steel toecap boots and safety harnesses.
Ear defenders and face masks are naturally classified as personal protection but are not covered by these PPE Regulations but do have their own set of rules which ought to be observed in your own best interests, and indeed the interests of the company you work for. Ear, Nose and mouth protectors must be compatible with the Personal Protective Equipment that you do use e.g. safety helmets need to be able to cater for the ear defenders that you use without reducing the protection that either item offers.
The focus of the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 is that personal protective equipment is to be provided and implemented at work wherever there are dangers to health and safety that cannot be suitably managed by alternative means. The PPE at Work Regulations also require that any items of Personal Protective Equipment go through a stringent vetting and testing process to ensure it will do the job, appropriate maintenance and storage has been put in place, full usage instructions are provided if needed and users of the equipment are monitored to ensure compliance.
When deciding initially which PPE is right for your workplace, your business processes will need to undergo a full assessment to consider the dangers that they could potentially present. This will identify the hazards and chose the appropriate PPE kit to combat against them. Your PPE supplier will be able to advise if you are unsure. They know from experience which protective equipment is most suitable in which scenarios. If it is a new process with a new set of hazards associated then it may be necessary to seek advice elsewhere. The British Safety Industry Federation will help you.
The following are things to think about when selecting PPE:
Is the kit flexible enough to fit most users?
Are there any health issues that might prevent an employee from using the item?
If the task requires multiple pieces of protective equipment make sure they are compatible? For example, breathing kits and goggles both must fit snugly without interfering with each other.
Is the item of PPE suitable for the job in hand? Eye goggles which protect against chemicals may not be strong enough to be considered suitable as protection against flying pieces of metal in an engineering environment.
Is the PPE comfortable to wear? Does it restrict movement and therefore increase the risk?
Have you taken into account the physical demands of the task? If the job requires a breathing apparatus will the additional weight borne by the employee take its toll? Should maximum usage restrictions be in place?
There are many things to think about but primarily you have to look after your employees from a health and safety point of view. You can't cut corner and risk catastrophic consequences.
