Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is equipment that are meant to protect you from hazards or injuries at work. From healthcare workers to construction workers, many different professions need to use PPE at work. This can include protective clothing, headwear, breathing devices, eyewear and many more things. Employers and employees need to be knowledgable about properly using PPE. Employers need to make sure that employees receive proper training. Learn more about PPE in the workplace.
How-to Properly Use PPE in the Workplace: Safety at Work
Employeer
Employers are responsible for making sure that employees have the proper PPE that they need to stay safe at work. OSHA requires the employer to pay for a worker’s PPE. Also, employers should be implementing protocols and making sure that employees know how to properly use PPE in workplace. This includes proper training to make sure the employees know how to properly wear, use and dispose of the PPE. For example, healthcare workers should throw away gloves after every use. Additionally, employees should be taught the proper care, maintenance, and the limits of the items. Then they can help keep their PPE in proper working condition.
In addition, employers should also provide refresher training to make sure that workers are up to date on their PPE. Over time, new protocols come out and employees may need a refresher or update. The employer is responsible for taking care of this.
Requirements
Employees have responsibilities as well. For example, the employee needs to care for, clean and maintain the PPE in the workplace. As time goes on, they need to let an employer know if their PPE needs to be repaired or even replaced. In the meantime, workers need to attend the training sessions that the employees are giving. Also, employees need to actually wear or use the provided PPE correctly. The equipment will not do anyone any good if it it not being worn or used.
PPE Examples
PPE in the workplace comes in many forms. For example, healthcare workers need gloves, masks and eyewear to protect themselves from hazardous fluids or germs. Doctors, nurses, dentists, hygienists, and many more professions fall into this category.
Construction workers need gloves, hard hats, sturdy footwear and gloves as part of their PPE. In addition to fire-retardant clothing, boots and a hardhat, firefighters need a respirators to be able to breathe in the event of smoke or toxic fumes.
As you can see, there are many different types of PPE. Both employers and employees have a responsibility around PPE to make sure that workers are staying safe at work. Properly used PPE in the workplace will help to reduce the risk of injury at work.