Safe On The Job: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Every work situation has its own set of hazards such as falling objects, traffic dangers, chemical spills and excess noise which affects hearing, to name but a few. It is the responsibility of the employer to protect the employees so that accidents do not occur. Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is equipment which is worn by employees to help minimise the effects of hazards. PPE includes items such as hard hats, goggles, ear muffs, a reflective vest, high visibility clothing, boots and gloves.

The primary job of an employer when it comes to safety is to ensure that the working environment is a safe one. Engineering controls, such as putting up a barrier between the hazard and employees, and safety systems, through employee education and awareness, must be put in place before deciding on suitable PPE for remaining hazards.

1. Eyes – chemical splashes, gas, objects, dust and particles – use visors, goggles or safety glasses.

2. Ears - excessive noise over a prolonged period of time – use acoustic ear muffs

3. Head – any area where there is a possibility of falling objects or of the employee falling – hard hat or helmet.

4. Body – chemical splashes, adverse weather, traffic dangers, contaminants – protective clothing, disposable body suits, boiler suits, reflective vests and high visibility clothing.

5. Breathing – gas, fumes, low oxygen – breathing apparatus or respirator.

6. Hands and arms – cuts, infection, disease, fire, ice or chemicals – gloves and arm covers.

7. Feet and legs – slippery surfaces, chemicals, cuts and abrasions – safety boots and shoes, gaiters and leggings.

Once the correct PPE has been decided, it is then imperative to teach employees how to use it correctly. A respirator is of no use, if the employee doesn’t know how it functions. Employees should also be shown how to maintain all PPE and recognise when there is a fault and bring it to management’s attention. One important factor to remember is that PPE must be comfortable to wear and not restrict movement or cause the body to overheat or sweat excessively. An employee will avoid wearing any item which they find impedes their ability to perform at their best. For example, a lightweight reflective vest can replace a heavy reflective jacket in hot climates. It is also vital that PPE is worn in all circumstances where it has been found necessary. Just because a job is only going to take a couple of minutes does not mean that PPE can be left out of the equation. Management and co-workers must monitor this very carefully to ensure everyone’s safety.

It is important to consider which PPE is suitable for each job. Look at the hazards which the employees will face and use PPE which will help prevent accidents in these situations. Let us consider an aircraft marshaller or director at a busy international airport. He is responsible for guiding aircraft into a docking bay and is the ‘on the ground’ liaison officer between the pilot and the tower, as such, he needs to be extremely visible to the pilot and to all other planes and traffic on the apron. An airport has a great variety of traffic, apart from planes. There are baggage trucks, buses and coaches taking passengers to the planes, food service trucks, cleaning trucks, fuel trucks and general airport personnel. The marshaller must wear a reflective safety vest at all times. He must also wear acoustic earmuffs, to protect his hearing from the noise of the jet engines. It would be absolutely useless for him to be given a pair of simple ear plugs in the hope that they would afford adequate hearing protection. The marshaller needs highly visible marshalling wands, preferably LED illuminating ones. The pilot must be able to see the signals clearly in all weathers. Good sunglasses are also an essential piece of equipment. All aviation personnel whose jobs require them to be outside, such as baggage handlers, cleaners, maintenance men, engineers and security personnel, should all wear reflective vests while on duty.

Most countries in the world have laws and regulations which guide employers on how to provide the correct PPE for each job or situation within a job. Employees have the right to report their employer to the relevant body if they feel their safety is not being protected properly.