Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Manufacturing

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Head & Torso Protection

Head Protection

Protective hats are used as a safeguard against impact blows and must be able to withstand penetration, absorb the shock of a blow or even electric shock.

Head Protection includes hard hats and headgears and should be required for tasks that can cause any force or object falling to the head or contact with electrical hazards.

Each hard hat has a type and class and is intended to provide protection against specific hazardous conditions.

Torso Protection includes safety vests and suits and should be used for tasks that can cause body injuries from extreme temperatures, flames and sparks, toxic chemicals, insect bites and radiation.

Torso protective vest should be clean and free from cuts, burns and are a good fit to ensure full body protection.

Protective clothing material includes leather, rubberised fabric, and disposable suits (i.e tyvek)

Face & Eye Protection

Suitable eye & face protectors must be worn where there is a potential for injury to the eyes or face from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, etc.

Safety goggles and face shields among the other types of eyes and face protector should be used for tasks that can cause loss of vision and eyes, burns, splashes, sprays of toxic liquids etc.

Ensuring that there are no cracks or deformities on the lenses, the strap is in good working order and is firmly sealed to the cheek and forehead is a good practice to make sure that your eyes & face are fully protected.

Minimum Requirements of Eye & Face Protection Provide adequate protection against the particular hazards for which they are designed Be reasonably comfortable when worn under the designated conditions Fit snugly without interfering with the movements or vision of the wearer Be durable Be capable of being disinfected Be easily cleanable Be kept clean and in good repair

Arm & Hand Protection

Arm and hand injuries are one of the most common injuries in any workplace and protection must be used to minimize, not eliminate the potential for injury.

A wide assortment of gloves, hand pads, sleeves, and wristlets should be used for tasks that can cause hand and skin burns, absorption of harmful substances, cuts, fractures or amputations

Rubber is considered one of the best materials for insulating gloves and sleeves. Other glove and clothing materials such as latex, nitrile, butyl rubber, neoprene, etc. are also recommended.

Ear Protection

Noise, or unwanted sound, is one of the most pervasive occupational health problems.

Hearing Conservation aims to prevent occurrence or reduce progression of noise-induced hearing loss.

Excessive exposure to high levels of noise causes permanent hearing loss, sleeplessness, irritability, among other harmful health effects as well.

Noise-induced hearing loss can be temporary which results from short-term exposures to noise, with normal hearing returning after period of rest or permanent which is caused by prolonged exposure to high noise levels over a period of time.

If noise exposure is equivalent to or greater than 85 decibels (dB) averaged over 8 working hours, or an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) called the Action Level.

If you can’t carry on a typical conversation from 2 feet away without raising your voice, you need monitoring and hearing protection.

Whenever there are changes in production, process, or controls that increase noise exposure, monitoring just be repeated

Careful checking or calibration of instruments used for monitoring employee exposures is needed to ensure that the measurements are accurate

Audiometric testing program monitors an employee’s hearing over time and should be available at no cost.

Respiratory Protection

Respiratory Protection should be used for any task that can cause inhalation of harmful materials to enter the body.

Employees must have medical clearances before wearing a respirator. Fit-testing required at least annually, for different models of respirators and prior to initial use.

Employees must have medical clearances before wearing a respirator. To be issued a respirator, an employee must be clean shaven.

Glasses and goggles must be worn in a manner that does not interfere with the seal.

Employees wearing a tight fitting respirator must perform a positive & negative pressure seal check prior to donning the respirator.

Respirators must be stored in a bag when not in use & the employees name must be on both the respirator/bag. Employees are also responsible for cleaning and maintaining their own respirator.

Foot & Leg Protection

Foot & Leg protection includes knee pads, safety boots, etc and should be used for tasks that can cause serious foot and leg injuries.

The typical foot injury was caused by objects falling fewer than 4 feet and the median weight was about 65 pounds

Protective foot and leg wear must be used when working in areas where there is a **danger of falling or rolling objects **or objects piercing the sole.

Falling heavy objects (bricks, machines)

Hot or cold materials (handling of molten metal or cold storage worker)

Electric current (electric current that conducts through shoes)

Hazardous liquids (welding sparks, pesticide applicator, etc)

Slippery walking surfaces

Sharp items