Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Transcription

1 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Contents Policy Statement... 2 Principles Individuals... 3 Line Managers/Supervisors... 4 Force Health and Safety Consultation Committee (FHSCC)... 4 Additional Information... 5 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Page 1 of 5

2 Policy Statement Summary West Yorkshire Police (WYP) will provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when the risk presented by a work activity cannot be adequately controlled in other ways. All reasonable steps will be taken to secure the health and safety of employees who work with PPE. This is in compliance with Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations The Force acknowledges that health and safety hazards will have been identified if PPE is to be used. It is the intention to ensure, through proper use, that any risks are reduced to a minimum. Whilst it is generally recognised that the use of PPE can be undertaken without undue risks to health, the Force will give information and training to enable a fuller understanding of these issues. Scope This policy procedure applies to all police officers and police staff who will use PPE. Principles General PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment (RPE). (N.B. Batons/Handcuffs are often referred to as PPE, but are Work Equipment in Health and Safety Legislation and covered by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998). The requirement for PPE will be identified through the risk assessment process and will be a last resort when other control measures are unable to manage the hazard effectively. All risk assessments, both at Force and local level, must be complaint with the Risk Assessment (Health and Safety) policy. To be suitable, PPE must be: Appropriate to the risks and workplace conditions; Take account of ergonomic considerations and the state of the health of the person wearing the PPE; Capable of fitting the wearer correctly and comfortable if worn for long periods; Effective in preventing or adequately controlling the risks involved without increasing the overall risk, so far as is reasonably practicable; and Not increase the risk to the wearer from other hazards; Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Page 2 of 5

3 Where these exist it should comply with the relevant British, European standards and suitable international standards. Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) such as dust masks/nuisance masks and face masks form a special category of PPE. In order to ensure they are suitable for the individual, the RPE must be subject to specified tests prior to use. The Health and Safety Team will provide advice regarding RPE. Where individuals are required to wear more than one type of PPE the items must be compatible and effective. For example, where respirators, goggles and safety helmets are worn at the same time, the items must not interfere with the seal of the respirator face piece. PPE provided to individuals must be maintained in an efficient state and working order and in good repair (this includes cleaning where necessary). Spare parts if required will be readily available. Individuals will need to go through proactis or local management to obtain these Maintenance of PPE must include user checks prior to use and periodic supervisory inspections where appropriate. Regional Supplies A range of commonly used PPE including body armour, hi visibility clothing is sourced by the Regional supplies section who will, on receipt of a valid Proactis request arrange to deliver the goods. They will maintain a Scale of Issue for roles through consultation with the Force s specialists. This will detail what equipment and quantities are available on an annual basis to those who undertake the role. Where appropriate they will arrange for PPE to be trialled as part of the evaluation process to evaluate suitability of specific products. Individuals Individuals are responsible for: Wearing PPE where appropriate, and in compliance with the training received; Notifying their line manager or supervisor of any issues that impact on the effectiveness of wearing their PPE; and Requesting both new and replacement items through Proactis where this forms part of their Scale of Issue. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Page 3 of 5

4 Line Managers/Supervisors Line managers are responsible for: Ensuring PPE is worn where appropriate by their staff; Providing their staff with the relevant information, instructions and training; Carrying out periodic maintenance inspections of PPE; and Arranging for Face fit testing for RPE for their staff, where appropriate e.g. CBRN. Information The information that managers must inform their staff of is: The hazards and risks which the PPE is designed to avoid or limit; The limitations of the PPE; The manner in which the PPE works and should be used, including its correct storage; How to carry out ongoing user checks on PPE, identifying defects, to ensure that it is safe to use; and Any action the staff should take to keep the PPE in good repair. Force Health and Safety Consultation Committee (FHSCC) Principles The Force Health and Safety Consultation Committee (FHSCC) is the consultation committee who are responsible for specifying the standards for new types of PPE in Force. Where new types of PPE are required (not currently in use/available) a request should be sent to the FHSCC along with a copy of the relevant risk assessment and any associated research. Following any request from District/Department SLT s the FHSCC will specify the standards required. In the majority of circumstances the PPE recommended will require CE Marking, but for some specialist activities more relevant standards may be more appropriate (e.g. Firearms/Aviation). Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Page 4 of 5

5 Additional Information Compliance This policy complies with the following legislation and policy: Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1998 Health and Safety policy Officer Safety, Police Support Unit (PSU) Training and Job Related Fitness Testing policy Further Information Further guidance in relation to this policy can be sought from: Health and Safety Intranet Page, which can be accessed here. Policy Database Administration Item Details Document title: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Owner: Human Resources Author / Reviewer: Date of last review: 24/01/2018 Date of next review: 24/01/2019 The Equality and Human Rights Assessment for this policy is held on Force Registry which can be accessed via this link. The table below details revision information relating to this document: Topic title Date Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Page 5 of 5