Environmental Safety & Health Chapter 16: Personal Protective Equipment By: Magdy Akladios, PhD, PE, CSP, CPE, CSHM PPE What is the purpose of protective gear? 3 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 1
Protecting Employees from Workplace Hazards Employers must protect employees from hazards that can cause injury Employers must: Use all feasible engineering and work practice controls to eliminate and reduce hazards Use PPE if the controls don t eliminate the hazards. PPE is the last level of control! 4 Hierarchy of Health & Safety Controls: Elimination or Substitution Engineering Controls Warning Signs Administrative Controls (Training/Procedures) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Engineering Controls If... The work environment can be physically changed to prevent employee exposure to the potential hazard, Then... The hazard can be eliminated with an engineering control 6 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 2
Work Practice Controls If... Employees can change the way they do their jobs and the exposure to the potential hazard is removed, Then... The hazard can be eliminated with a work practice control 7 Work Practice Controls -- Examples 8 Responsibilities Employer Assess workplace for hazards Provide PPE Determine when to use Provide PPE training for employees and instruction in proper use Employee Use PPE in accordance with training received and other instructions Inspect daily and maintain in a clean and reliable condition 9 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 3
Note that PPEs: are not used to replace other controls; are used when other controls fail to contain the hazard; are sometimes used in addition to other controls; may be used voluntarily. Should Know: When PPE is necessary What PPE is necessary How to use PPE Limitation of PPE Care, maintenance, use life, and disposal of PPE. Body Part Eye Face Head Feet Hands and arms Bodies Hearing Examples of PPE Protection safety glasses, goggles face shields hard hats safety shoes gloves vests earplugs, earmuffs 12 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 4
PPE Program Includes procedures for selecting, providing and using PPE First -- assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of PPE After selecting PPE, provide training to employees who are required to use it 13 Head Protection 15 Head Statistics 70,000 Head injuries/year (Reported only) 83% of the workers were not wearing hard hats Total PPE violations: $792,997.29 16 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 5
Causes of Head Injuries Falling objects such as tools Bumping head against objects, such as pipes or beams Contact with exposed electrical wiring or components 17 Head Protection: Type I Intended to reduce the force of impact resulting from a blow to the top of the head Type II Designed to provide protection against both side impact (lateral) and blows to the top of the head Head Protection: Class A (or G for General) Class B (or E for Electrical) Class C (or C for Conductive) By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 6
Selecting the Right Hard Hat Class A General service (building construction, shipbuilding, lumbering) Good impact protection but limited V protection Class B Electrical / Utility work Protects against falling objects and high-voltage shock and burns Class C Designed for comfort, offers limited protection Protects against bumps from fixed objects, but does not protect against falling objects or electrical shock 20 Eye Protection 21 When must Eye Protection be Provided? Dust and other flying particles, such as metal shavings or sawdust Corrosive gases, vapors, and liquids Molten metal that may splash Potentially infectious materials such as blood or hazardous liquid chemicals that may splash Intense light from welding and lasers 22 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 7
Is Your Eyesight worth Not Wearing Your Safety glasses An Eye Saved by Safety Glasses A Boeing employee convinced his 18 year old son working in Construction to wear Safety Glasses... 11/10/99 Machine Safeguarding Examples 23 Why it is needed? 24 Eye Protection Primary Glasses Goggles Secondary Face Shields Welding Helmets Both By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 8
Eye Protection Criteria for Selection Protects against specific hazard(s) Comfortable to wear Does not restrict vision or movement Durable and easy to clean and disinfect Does not interfere with the function of other required PPE 26 Eye Protection for Employees Who Wear Eyeglasses Ordinary glasses do not provide the required protection Proper choices include: Prescription glasses with side shields and protective lenses Goggles that fit comfortably over corrective glasses without disturbing the glasses Goggles that incorporate corrective lenses mounted behind protective lenses 27 Safety Glasses Made with metal/plastic safety frames Most operations require side shields Used for moderate impact from particles produced by jobs such as carpentry, woodworking, grinding, and scaling 28 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 9
Goggles Protects eyes and area around the eyes from impact, dust, and splashes Some goggles fit over corrective lenses 29 Laser Safety Goggles Protects eyes from intense concentrations of light produced by lasers 30 Face Shields Full face protection Protects face from dusts and splashes or sprays of hazardous liquids Does not protect from impact hazards Wear safety glasses or goggles underneath 31 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 10
Welding Shields Protects eyes against burns from radiant light Protects face and eyes from flying sparks, metal spatter, & slag chips produced during welding, brazing, soldering, and cutting 32 Hearing Protection 33 Hearing Protection When it s not feasible to reduce the noise or its duration use ear protective devices Ear protective devices must be fitted 34 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 11
When Must Hearing Protection be Provided? After implementing engineering and work practice controls When an employee s noise exposure exceeds an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) sound level of 90 dba 35 Examples of Hearing Protectors Earmuffs Earplugs Canal Caps 36 COMPARISON CHART 37 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 12
Field Attenuation 38 Foot Protection 39 When Must Foot Protection be Provided? When any of these are present: Heavy objects such as barrels or tools that might roll onto or fall on employees feet Sharp objects such as nails or spikes that might pierce ordinary shoes Molten metal that might splash on feet Hot or wet surfaces Slippery surfaces 40 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 13
Safety Shoes Impact-resistant toes and heat-resistant soles protect against hot surfaces common in roofing and paving Some have metal insoles to protect against puncture wounds May be electrically conductive for use in explosive atmospheres, or nonconductive to protect from workplace electrical hazards 41 Safety shoes: Standard safety shoes - toes meeting ANSI standards. Sole Puncture Resistant Footwear - protection from stepping on sharp objects. Metatarsal Guards - protects upper foot from impacts. Conductive shoes - prevents static electricity build-up. Safety boots - rubber or plastic protecting against oil, water, acids, corrosives and other industrial chemicals. Electrical Hazard Shoes - protection against shock hazards of 600 volts or less under dry conditions. Static Dissipative Shoes - reduce static accumulation while still providing a sufficient level of resistance to protect from electrical shock. Add-On Foot Protection - metatarsal guards 42 Hand Protection 43 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 14
Hands are exposed to 3 basic kinds of hazards: Mechanical Hazards: wherever machinery is used. ie. Cuts, Punctures, Abrasions or Crushing Environmental Hazards: extreme heat or cold, electricity and materials handling. This also includes burns and extreme cold. Irritating Substances: skin conditions caused by contact with chemicals and biological substances. Chemicals and toxic substances can also enter the blood stream through cuts and abrasions. 44 What Kinds of Protective Gloves are Available? Durable gloves made of metal mesh, leather, or canvas Protects from cuts, burns, heat Fabric and coated fabric gloves Protects from dirt and abrasion Chemical and liquid resistant gloves Protects from burns, irritation, and dermatitis Rubber gloves Protects from cuts, lacerations, and abrasions 45 Types of Rubber Gloves Nitrile: protects against solvents, harsh chemicals, fats and petroleum products and also provides excellent resistance to cuts and abrasions Butyl: provides the highest permeation resistance to gas or water vapors 46 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 15
Kevlar: Other Types of Gloves protects against cuts, slashes, and abrasion Stainless: steel mesh protects against cuts and lacerations 47 Other forms of Gloves Mitts: Similar to gloves, but with thumb/fingers divider Finger Cots: single finger or fingertip protection Thimbles: protection for thumb or thumb and first two fingers. Hand pads: palm protection Sleeves and Forearm Cuffs: protection for wrists and arms. Barrier Creams: used alone or with other PPE Types include: Vanishing cream Water-repellent cream Solvent-repellent cream 48 Body Protection 49 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 16
Major Causes of Body Injuries Intense heat Splashes of hot metals and other hot liquids Impacts from tools, machinery, and materials Cuts Hazardous chemicals Radiation 50 Body Protection Criteria for Selection Provide protective clothing for parts of the body exposed to possible injury Types of body protection: Vests Aprons Jackets Coveralls Full body suits Coveralls 51 Body Protection Cooling Vest Full Body Suit Sleeves and Apron 52 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 17
53 Permissible practice 1st Priority: Engineering controls: Enclosure or confinement of the operation, General and local ventilation, and Substitution of less toxic materials Only where engineering controls are not feasible should respirators be used 54 Where Respirator Use is Not Required Must establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that employee is medically able to use the respirator and that is cleaned, stored, and maintained so it does not present a health hazard to the user Exception: Employers are not required to include in a written program employees whose only use of respirators involves voluntary use of filtering facepiece (dust masks) 55 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 18
Filtering Facepiece (Dust Mask) A negative pressure particulate respirator with a filter as an integral part of the facepiece or with the entire facepiece composed of the filtering medium. Respirator Program Elements 1. Selection 2. Medical evaluation 3. Fit testing 4. Use 5. Maintenance and care 6. Breathing air quality and use 7. Training 8. Program evaluation Selection of Respirators Employer must select and provide an appropriate respirator based on the respiratory hazards to which the worker is exposed and workplace and user factors that affect respirator performance and reliability. By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 19
Types of Respirators Face piece (quarter, half, full) Positive and Negative Pressure Loose and Tight Fitting Air Purifying (APR) and Air Supplied (SAR) 59 Selection of Respirators (cont d) Select a NIOSH-certified respirator that shall be used in compliance with the conditions of its certification Identify and evaluate the respiratory hazards in the workplace, including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures and identification of the contaminant s chemical state and physical form Selection of Respirators (cont d) Where exposure cannot be identified or reasonably estimated, the atmosphere shall be considered IDLH Exception: Employers may use any atmosphere-supplying respirator, provided they can demonstrate, under all foreseeable conditions, that oxygen levels in the work area can be maintained 19.5% 62 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 20
Classes Particulate Filters Respirator filters classified by efficiency (% of leakage under test conditions) Respirator filters classified by performance characteristics in oil and non-oil atmospheres Levels of filter efficiency are 95%, 99%, and 99.97% (called 95, 99, 100 filters) Categories of resistance to filter efficiency degradation are labeled N, R, and P Use of the filter will be clearly marked on the filter, filter package, or respirator box (e.g., N95 means N-series filter at least 95% efficient) Selection No oil particles present, use (N, R, or P) Oil particles are present, use only R or P series N for Not resistant to oil R for Resistant to oil P for oil Proof If oil particles are present and the filter is to be used for more than one work shift, use only P series Gases & Vapors - Not IDLH For protection against gases/vapors, employer must provide: an atmosphere-supplying respirator, or an air-purifying respirator, provided that: respirator is equipped with an End-of-Service- Life Indicator (ESLI) if there is no ESLI, the employer must implement a change schedule based on objective information or data By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 21
End-of-Service-Life Indicator (ESLI) A system that warns the user of the approach of the end of adequate respiratory protection; e.g., the sorbent is approaching saturation or is no longer effective. Identification of Filters, Cartridges, & Canisters Black -- organic vapors White -- acid gas Green -- ammonia gas Blue -- carbon monoxide Purple -- radioactive materials Yellow -- mixture of acid gases + organic vapors OSHA combines colors for other contaminant combinations (example: a black cartridge with a gray stripe protects against particulates and organic vapors). Service Life Factors Exertion Level a worker breathing twice as fast as another will draw twice the amount of contaminant through the respirator cartridge Cartridge Variability some cartridges contain more activated charcoal than others Temperature the hotter it is, the shorter the service life Humidity water vapor will compete with the organic vapors for active sites on the adsorbent Multiple Contaminants predictions should be derived from the least well adsorbed compound 68 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 22
Medical Evaluation Must provide a medical evaluation to determine employee s ability to use a respirator, before fit testing and use Must identify a PLHCP to perform medical evaluations using a medical questionnaire or an initial medical examination that obtains the same information Medical Evaluation Questionnaire Follow-up medical examination Annual review of medical status is not required Employer must provide additional medical evaluations if: Employee reports medical signs or symptoms PLHCP, supervisor, or program administrator indicates an employee needs to be reevaluated Change occurs in workplace conditions that may increase the burden on an employee Fit Testing Employees using tight-fitting face piece respirators must pass an appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT): prior to initial use, whenever a different respirator face piece (size, style, model or make) is used, and at least annually thereafter By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 23
Fit Testing The respirator used for fit testing must be the same make, model, style, and size of respirator that will be used by the employee. Qualitative Fit Test (QLFT) A pass/fail fit test to assess the adequacy of respirator fit that relies on the individual s response to the test agent. QLFT Protocols: Isoamyl acetate Saccharin Bitrex Irritant smoke Fit Testing (cont d) By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 24
Fit Testing (cont d) QLFT may only be used to fit test negative pressure APRs that must achieve a protection factor of 10 or less If the fit factor is determined to be equal to or greater than 100 for tight-fitting half face pieces or equal to or greater than 500 for tight-fitting full face pieces, the QNFT has been passed with that respirator Quantitative Fit Test (QNFT) An assessment of the adequacy of respirator fit by numerically measuring the amount of leakage into the respirator. Use of Respirators Facial hair? Corrective glasses or goggles? Employees wearing tight-fitting respirators must perform a user seal check each time By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 25
User Seal Check An action conducted by the respirator user to determine if the respirator is properly seated to the face. Positive Pressure Check Negative Pressure Check Maintenance and Care Respirators must be clean, sanitary and in good working order Inspect respirator prior to each use Levels of Protection By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 26
Level A 83 Level A... OSHA To be selected when the greatest level of skin, respiratory, and eye protection is required. The following constitute Level A equipment: 1. Positive pressure, full face-piece self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), or positive pressure supplied air respirator with escape SCBA, approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). 2. Totally-encapsulating chemical-protective suit. 3. Coveralls. (as needed) 4. Long underwear. (as needed) 5. Gloves, inner & outer, chemical-resistant. 6. Boots, chemical-resistant, steel toe and shank. 7. Hard hat (under suit). (as needed) 8. Disposable protective suit, gloves and boots (depending on suit construction, may be worn over totally-encapsulating suit). 84 Level A... EPA Required when the greatest potential for exposure to hazards exists, and when the greatest level of skin, respiratory and eye protection is required. These fully encapsulating suits afford protection against petroleum products and halogenated hydrocarbons, as well as against nerve and blister agents. Coveralls, safety boots/shoes, safety glasses or chemical splash goggles 85 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 27
Level B 86 Level B... OSHA The highest level of respiratory protection is necessary but a lesser level of skin protection is needed. The following constitute Level B equipment: 1. Positive pressure, full-facepiece self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), or positive pressure supplied air respirator with escape SCBA (NIOSH approved). 2. Hooded chemical-resistant clothing (overalls and long-sleeved jacket; coveralls; one or two-piece chemical-splash suit; disposable chemical-resistant overalls). 3. Coveralls (as needed) 4. Gloves, inner & outer, chemical-resistant. 5. Boots, outer, chemical-resistant steel toe and shank. 6. Boot-covers, outer, chemical-resistant (disposable). (as needed) 7. Hard hat. (as needed) 8. Face shield. (as needed) 87 Level B... EPA Required under circumstances requiring the highest level of respiratory protection, with a lesser level of skin protection. EPA's ERT has both fully encapsulating suits that provide for additional splash protection and coveralls that are used in situations where splash hazards are not anticipated or expected. 88 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 28
Level C 89 Level C... OSHA The concentration(s) and type(s) of airborne substance(s) is known and the criteria for using air purifying respirators are met. The following constitute Level C equipment: 1. Full-face or half-mask, air purifying respirators (NIOSH approved). 2. Hooded chemical-resistant clothing (overalls; two-piece chemical-splash suit; disposable chemical-resistant overalls). 3. Coveralls. (as needed) 4. Gloves, outer, chemical-resistant. 5. Gloves, inner, chemical-resistant. 6. Boots (outer), chemical-resistant steel toe and shank. (as needed) 7. Boot-covers, outer, chemical-resistant (disposable). (as needed) 8. Hard hat. (as needed) 9. Escape mask. (as needed) 10.Face shield. (as needed) 90 Level C... EPA Used when the concentration and type of airborne substances is known, and the criteria for using air-purifying respirators are met. 91 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 29
Level D... OSHA A work uniform affording minimal protection: used for nuisance contamination only. The following constitute Level D equipment: 1. Coveralls. 2. Gloves. (as needed) 3. Boots/shoes, chemical-resistant steel toe and shank. 4. Boots, outer, chemical-resistant (disposable). (as needed) 5. Safety glasses or chemical splash goggles. (as needed) 6. Hard hat. (as needed) 7. Escape mask. (as needed) 8. Face shield. (as needed) 92 By: Dr. Magdy Akladios 30