Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Oregon OSHA Online Course 203

This material is for training purposes only. Its purpose is to inform Oregon employers of best practices in occupational safety and health and general Oregon OSHA compliance requirements. This material is not a substitute for any provision of the Oregon Safety Employment Act or any standards issued by Oregon OSHA. For more information on this online course and other OR-OSHA online training, visit the Online Course Catalog.

This audit covers protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers. It ensure PPE is provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.

General requirements

____ 1. Where employees provide their own protective equipment, is the employer responsible to assure its adequacy, including proper maintenance, and sanitation of such equipment?

____ 2. Is all personal protective equipment of safe design and construction for the work to be performed?

Hazard assessment and equipment selection

____ 1. Does the employer assess each work area to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present which makes PPE necessary?

____ 2. If hazards are present does the employer:

____ a. Select, and require that each affected employee use the types of PPE to protect him or her from specific hazards;

____ b. Communicate selection decisions to each affected employee; and

____ c. Select PPE that properly fits each affected employee.

____ 3. Has the employer certified in writing that each workarea hazard assessment has been performed?

____ 4. Does the certification identify the work area evaluated; the person certifying the evaluation; the date(s) of the hazard assessment?

Defective and damaged equipment

____ 1. Is damaged or defective PPE being used?

Training

____ 1. Is the employer providing training to each employee who is required to use PPE?

____ 2. Does the training include at least:

a. When PPE is necessary.

b. What PPE is necessary.

c. How to properly don, doff, adjust and wear PPE.

d. The limitations of the PPE.

e. The proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of PPE.

____ 3. Has each affected employee demonstrated an understanding of the PPE training given, and ability to use PPE properly, before being allowed to use PPE on the job?

____ 4. Is PPE training accomplished whenever any of the following occur?

____ a. Changes in the workplace render previous training obsolete.

____ b. Changes in the types of PPE used renders previous training obsolete.

____ c. Lack of employee knowledge or skill to use PPE.

____ 5. Has the employer certified in writing that each affected employee has received and understands required PPE training? The certification must include the employee’s name, date(s) of training, and subject trained.

Eye and face protection.

General.

____ 1. Is each affected employee using appropriate eye and face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation?

____ 2. Do affected employees use eye protection that provides side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects.

Note: Detachable side protectors meeting the pertinent requirements of 1910.133 are acceptable.

____ 3. Does each affected employee who wears prescription lenses while engaged in work that involves eye hazards wear eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or wear eye protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses?

____ 4. Is eye and face PPE distinctly marked to facilitate identification of the manufacturer?

____ 5. Does each affected employee use equipment with filter lenses that have a shade number appropriate for the work being performed? (See 1910.133, Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy)

____ 6. Does all PPE purchased after July 5, 1994, meet ANSI Z87.1-1989 standards, or if purchased before July 5, 1994, meet ANSI Z87.1-1968?

Head Protection

____ 1. Does each affected employee wear protective helmets when working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects?

____ 2. Are protective helmets designed to reduce electrical shock hazard worn by each affected employee when near exposed electrical conductors which could contact the head?

____ 3. Do protective helmets purchased after July 5, 1994 meet ANSI Z89.1-1986 standards, or if purchased before July 5, 1994, meet ANSI Z89.1-1969?

Foot Protection

____ 1. Does each affected employee wear protective footwear when working in areas where there is a danger of foot injuries due to falling or rolling objects, or objects piercing the sole, and where the employee’s feet are exposed to electrical hazards?

____ 2. Does foot protection purchased after July 5, 1994 meet ANSI Z41-1991, or if purchased before July 5, 1994, meet ANSI Z41.1-1967?

Electrical protective devices

____ 1. Does rubber protective equipment for electrical workers conform ANSI standards as specified in the following list:?

Item : Standard

_______________________________:____________________

Rubber insulating gloves.......: J6.6-1967.

Rubber matting for use around :

electric apparatus..........: J6.7-1935 (R1962).

Rubber insulating blankets..... J6.4-1970.

Rubber insulating hoods........: J6.2-1950 (R1962).

Rubber insulating line hose....: J6.1-1950 (R1962).

Rubber insulating sleeves......: J6.5-1962.

_______________________________:_____________________

Hand protection

____ 1. Does the employer select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection when the employee’s hands are exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption or harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasions; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes?

____ 2. Do employers base the selection of appropriate hand protection on an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the task(s) to be performed, conditions present, duration of use, and the hazards present?