When engineering and administrative controls are not practicable or effective in reducing risks to less harmful levels, personal protection equipment is used to decrease employee exposure to hazardous incidence. Protective gear, helmets, googles, and other clothes or equipment designed to protect the user's body from harm are known as PPEs. They protect against:
· Chemical burns
· Thermal burns
· Bruises
· Cuts
· Abrasion
· Punctures
· Absorption of harmful substances via the skin
TYPES OF PPES
If employees are exposed to flying debris, metals, volatile chemicals, acid, gaseous pollutants, contaminated materials, dangerous radiation etc., employers must guarantee that they have suitable eye or facial protection.
They ensure protection of the user from inhaling toxins in the air, hence maintaining the respiratory tract's health. Respirators are divided into two categories: those that filter chemicals, gases, or air pollutants out from inhaled air by the user, and those that protect the user by supplying good quality air from other sources.
One of the simplest methods to safeguard an employee's head from injury is to wear a safety helmet or hard hat. In places where there is a risk of objects falling or low-hanging impediments, hard hats must be donned.
Industrial safety helmet are divided into classes with the following characteristics;
CLASS A: Impact and penetration resistance with minimal voltage protection.
CLASS B: Impact and penetration resistance, as well as protection from high - voltage power shock and burns (20,000 volts)
CLASS C: Penetration by impact but no protection against electrical hazards.
Foot and leg protection should be worn by;
Employees who are at risk of leg injuries from caused by falling objects, as well as crushing or piercing objects.
Employees whose jobs require them to work with hot chemicals, as well as caustic or dangerous compounds.
Employees who are exposed to electrical risks on their feet.
Employers must ensure that employees wear proper hand and arm protection when they are at risk of injury. Gloves come in a range of styles to protect against a variety of dangers. The type of danger and the operation will have an impact on the gloves used.
Employees must wear suitable hearing protection if engineering and operational practice measures do not reduce employee exposure to workplace noise to tolerable levels.
PPE MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Always inspect for damage before usage.
After each usage, clean and store the item appropriately.
Dispose of or replace any PPEs that are damaged.
Report any damaged PPEs to your supervisor or employer.
Store PPE in circumstances that are appropriate for the material type.
Do not attempt to fix personal protective equipment.
CONCLUSION
Hazards exist in every workplace in many different forms. If workplace hazard assessment reveals that employees are exposed to potential injury that cannot be eliminated by engineering and administrative controls, then employers should make use of PPEs mandatory for all employees. PPE should be used as a last resort when all else fails as it has serious limitation that it does not eliminate the hazard at source and may result in employees being exposed to the hazard if equipment fails
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