C H A P T E R 9 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 9.1. General Personal protective equipment (PPE) when properly used and maintained saves lives and reduces injury and illness. PPE includes equipment for eyes, face, head, ears, arms, and legs; protective clothing; respiratory devices; and protective shields and barriers. PPE shall not be used as a substitute for engineering, work practice, and/or administrative controls. PPE is used in conjunction with these controls to provide for employee safety and health in the workplace. 9.2. Policy PPE shall be provided and used whenever necessary by hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants are encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact. Management and employees shall receive training in the selection, use, and maintenance of PPE as prescribed in section 9.6. 9.3. Responsibilities 9.3.1. Managers Port Directors, Laboratory Directors, Chief Patrol Agents, and other managers in charge of work operations that require the use of PPE shall: 1. Ensure that a Hazard Assessment and Personal Protective Equipment Selection Worksheet CF-501 is completed. 2. Purchase PPE identified on completed Form CF-501. 3. Ensure that PPE is available for use by employees and that PPE use is enforced. 9.3.2. Supervisors Supervisors shall participate in the PPE hazard assessment process and enforce all safety and health procedures. Supervisors shall also ensure that employees wear all protective items that have been provided when performing those work tasks identified as requiring PPE use. 9.3.4. Employees Each employee is responsible for the maintenance and working condition of all PPE assigned and required to be used. Employees shall properly clean, maintain and store all safety PPE issued to them. 39
Each employee is required to properly wear or use PPE identified in the hazard assessment. All PPE issued shall be worn or used as a condition of employment. Non-compliance in the proper use and care of this equipment may result in disciplinary action. 9.3.5. Area Safety and Occupational Health Manager The Area Safety and Occupational Health Manager will lead a team that will conduct the PPE hazard assessment and ensure that the Personal Protective Equipment Selection Worksheet form is completed. This PPE hazard assessment team will consist of the Area Safety and Occupational Health Manager, a supervisor over that job function, and at least one employee who performs that job task. The Area Safety and Occupational Health Manager will select the appropriate PPE to purchase based on the hazard assessment information listed on Form CF-501. 9.4. PPE Selection and Hazard Assessment 9.4.1. PPE Selection PPE selection is based on the results of a certified written Hazard Assessment conducted for each work area. OSHA (29 CFR 1910.132) requires the employer to assess each work area to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of PPE. If hazards are present, or likely to be present, management must: 1. Ensure that each affected employee use the types of PPE that will protect the employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment; and 2. Communicate selection decisions to each affected employee. 3. Select PPE that properly fits each affected employee. 9.4.2. Hazard Assessment The objective of the certified hazard assessment is to specify PPE needs for each work task, and to ensure supervisors are aware of hazards present or likely present in their area of responsibility. After analyzing the hazards and determining that guards, engineering controls and management practices are not feasible to fully protect employees, the appropriate PPE must be selected based on the hazards present. The hazard assessment should determine the likelihood that an injury or illness may occur in work areas where eye, face, head, foot, or hand protection may be necessary to prevent injury from any of the following hazard sources: Machinery or processes where injury could be caused by motion of tools, machine elements or particles, or movement of personnel that could result in collisions or tripping hazards; Temperature extremes that could cause heat stroke, heat stress, or frostbite; 40
Chemical exposures such as splash, vapor, spray, or immersion that could cause chronic illness or physical injury; Harmful dust that could accumulate or become airborne and become an inhalation hazard or a physical hazard to the eyes; Ultraviolet (UV) exposures that could occur during operations that involve welding, brazing, cutting, furnaces, or high-intensity lights; Falling objects or potential for dropping objects that could pose a compression or projectile hazard to head, face, hands or feet; Sharp objects that might cut feet or hands; Rolling or pinching objects that could crush hands or feet; Facility layout and co-worker position and/or location; Electrical hazards; Exposure to blood borne pathogens; Exposure to hazardous waste; Exposure to noise. 9.4.2.1. Documenting the Hazard Assessment The hazard assessment shall be documented on CF-501, Hazard Assessment & PPE Selection Worksheet. The form should be completed as follows: At the top of the form, document the name of the facility being evaluated, specific work area, and the date of the evaluation. In the column labeled Work Task, list every work task performed in the work area being evaluated where hazards requiring PPE are present. If no hazards are present requiring PPE, mark none. In the next column Potential Hazards, identify potential hazards that could be encountered while performing the work task. Be as brief and as concise as possible. In the column labeled Analysis of Risk, determine if the risk is low, medium, or high that an injury or illness will occur if PPE is not used, and the potential seriousness if an injury or illness should occur. Use your best judgement in making this determination. In the PPE Required column, identify the PPE that must be used to protect against each hazard identified in the Potential Hazard column. For example, latex gloves, eye protection, and a surgical mask must be worn to protect employees from the hazards of blood borne pathogens when handling evidence that has been contaminated with human blood. 41
9.5. PPE Issuance and Maintenance 9.5.1. Procurement A completed Hazard Assessment and PPE Selection Worksheet (CF-501) must be completed for each work area where hazards are present that requires the use of PPE. The Area Safety and Occupational Health Manager should print his/her name on the bottom of the form, sign and date the form. The form is then submitted to the appropriate local management official for review and procurement. The hazard assessment must be periodically reviewed and updated as needed. The hazard assessment must be maintained on file and be made available to an authorized representative of the Secretary of Labor (OSHA) upon request. PPE that becomes worn out or outdated shall be replaced at no expense to the employee upon proper notification to management by the employee. Damaged or defective PPE shall not be used. 9.5.2. Cleaning and Maintenance 9.5.3. Design It is important that all PPE be kept clean and properly maintained. Cleaning is particularly important for eye and face protection where dirty or fogged lenses could impair vision. All PPE should be inspected, cleaned, and maintained at regular intervals so that the PPE provides the requisite protection. It is important to ensure that contaminated PPE that cannot be decontaminated is disposed of in a manner that protects employees from exposure to hazards. If employees provide their own protective equipment, CBP management must assure its adequacy including proper maintenance, and sanitation. PPE shall be of safe design and construction for the work to be performed. 9.5.4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Examples of PPE include the following: 9.5.4.1. Eye and Face Protection Appropriate eye wear or face shields are required when an employee is exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, potentially injurious radiation, and blood or body fluids. Side shields are required, but detachable side shields are permitted. Those wearing prescription glasses must be provided either eye protection worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing their positioning, or they must wear prescription safety glasses with side shields. 42
The filter lens shade must be specified when prescribing eye protection for welding, cutting or brazing. Equipment purchased after July 5, 1994 must comply with ANSI Standard Z87.1-1989. 9.5.4.2. Head Protection Helmets are required in areas where there is a potential for injury from falling objects, and when near exposed electrical conductors which could contact the head. A Class A hard hat may be selected when there may be contact with conductors up to 2,200 volts. Class B hard hats must be selected when there may be contact with high voltage conductors (up to 20,000 volts). Class C hard hats provide impact and penetration resistance, but they are often made of aluminum and are prohibited where there may be electrical hazards. Helmets purchased after July 5, 1994 must comply with ANSI Standard Z89.1-1986. 9.5.4.3. Foot Protection Safety shoes or boots shall be worn by employees working where there is a danger of foot injuries due to falling and rolling objects or objects piercing the sole and where the feet are exposed to electrical hazards. Some situations may require metatarsal protection (stiff shields for the top of the foot). Safety shoes or boots with impact protection should be required when employees carry or handle materials such as packages, objects, parts or heavy tools that could be dropped; and for other activities where objects may fall onto the feet. Safety shoes or boots with compression protection would be required for work activities involving wheeled carts that carry heavy materials or when handling heavy bulk rolls (paper, fabric, carpet, etc.), around heavy pipes, or similar situations where a heavy object may roll over a personʼs foot. Safety shoes or boots with puncture protection would be required where an employee could step on sharp objects such as nails, wire, tacks, screws, large staples, or scrap metal. Special insulating or conductive shoes may be necessary for certain types of electrical work. Equipment purchased after July 5, 1994 must comply with ANSI Z41-1991. 9.5.4.4. Hand Protection Appropriate gloves must be selected when employees are exposed to skin absorption or harmful substances, chemical burns, thermal burns, harmful temperature extremes, severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, punctures, and blood or body fluids. 43
9.6 Training No gloves provide protection against all potential hand hazards, and commonly available glove materials provide only limited protection against many chemicals. Therefore, it is important to select the most appropriate glove for a particular application and to determine how long it can be worn and whether it can be reused. The work activities of the employee should be studied to determine the degree of dexterity required, the duration, frequency, and degree of exposure of the hazard, and the physical stresses that will be applied. Review the Material Safety Data Sheet or glove permeation rate data to specify the type of protective glove for chemical exposure. 9.5.4.5. Hearing Protection Procedures with high noise producing capabilities must be evaluated to determine the exposure level potential. If hearing protection is deemed necessary, only approved hearing protectors will be allowed - such as approved ear muffs or ear plugs. The muffs or plugs should have a written Noise Reduction Ratio (NRR) on the box or container, which relates the decibel level the noise will be attenuated by use of the protection. 9.5.4.6. Respiratory Protection Refer to Section 10.8 and Appendix 14 for specific requirements for respiratory protection programs, if respirators are supplied or used. 9.5.4.7 Protective Clothing Protective clothing intended for the protection of employees shall meet the requirements essential for the protection of the employee while engaged in the assigned task. Protective clothing would include coveralls, tyvek suite, lab coats, aprons, etc. 9.5.4.8 Other PPE Employees performing duties where there is a danger of falling into water such as when boarding a ship, shall wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket or buoyant work vest. Employees who might be struck by moving vehicles shall wear suits or vests designed to reflect light. Managers shall ensure that every employee who needs to use PPE is provided training. Training shall be provided by a qualified contractor, other Federal agency, or CBP employee who has successfully completed formal training in the selection, use and maintenance of PPE. Each employee required to wear PPE shall be trained so they know: 44
1. When PPE is necessary; 2. What PPE must be worn; 3. How to put on, adjust, wear, and remove PPE properly; 4. How to inspect PPE so that defective or damaged PPE is removed from service; 5. The limitations of the issued PPE; and 6. The proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of the PPE. Employees must be able to demonstrate an understanding of the training received. Each office shall maintain a written certification that each affected employee has been trained and understands the training. The certification must include the name of the employee trained, the date(s) of the training, and the subject of the certification. Re-training is required whenever there are: 1. Changes in the workplace that render previous training obsolete. 2. Changes in the types of PPE. 3. Inadequacies in an employeeʼs knowledge or use of assigned PPE indicate that the employee has not retained the required understanding or skill. 45
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