|
PPE Selection Guidelines
<br />When selecting the appropriate PPE for the job, consider the following:
<br />Safety glasses — general eye protection — source of hazard, typically coming from straight on, required at most
<br />sites
<br />Tinted Safety Glasses — same as above, but when working in direct sunlight. May need two both tinted and
<br />untinted if working in both sunlight and shade/overcast skys.
<br />Safety goggles — needed for splash hazard, more severe eye exposures coming from all directions. Non-vented
<br />or indirect venting for chemical splash, non-vented for hazardous gases or very fine dust, vented for larger
<br />particulates coming from all directions.
<br />Face shield — needed to protect face from cuts, burns, chemicals (corrosives or chemicals with skin notation),
<br />etc.
<br />Safety boots — needed if danger of items being dropped on foot that could injure foot
<br />Hard hat — danger from items falling on head — any overhead work, tools, equipment, etc that is above the head
<br />and could fall on head of item fails, or falls off work platform. Typically required at most sites as a general PPE
<br />Thin, chemical protective inner gloves (e.g., thin Nitrile, PVC — do not use latex — many people are allergic to
<br />latex) —needed to protect hands from incidental contact with low risk contamination at very low concentrations
<br />(ppb or low ppm concentrations in groundwater or soil) or used in combination with outer gloves as a last defense
<br />against contamination. Need to specify type
<br />Outer gloves — thicker gloves (e.g., Nitrile, Butyl, Viton, etc.) — used when potential for high concentrations of
<br />contaminants (e.g., floating product, percent ranges of contaminant, opening drums, handling pure undiluted
<br />chemicals, etc.). Need to specify type.
<br />Leather gloves, leather palm, cotton — good in protecting hands against cuts — no protection from chemicals.
<br />May be used in combination with chemical protective gloves.
<br />Boot Covers — when there is contamination in surface soils or waking surface in general. When safety boots
<br />need protection from contact with contaminants.
<br />White (uncoated) Tyveks — protect clothing from getting dirty, good for protection against solid, non-volatile
<br />chemicals (e.g., asbestos, metals) — no chemical protection.
<br />Polycoated Tyveks — least protective of chemical protective clothing. Used when some risk of contamination
<br />getting on skin or clothing. Usually, lower ppm ranges of contaminants.
<br />Saranex — Greater protection against contamination than Polycoated Tyveks. Used to protect against PCBs or
<br />higher concentrations of contaminants in the soil or groundwater.
<br />Other Chemical protective clothing — if significant risk of dermal exposure, contact H&S to determine best kind.
<br />Long sleeved shirts, long pants — if working in areas with poison ivy/oak/sumac, poisonous insects, etc. and no
<br />chemicals exposure. May want to use uncoated Tyveks for work in areas where poisonous plants are know to be
<br />to protect clothing.
<br />Cartridge Respirator (Level C PPE) — Need to calculate change schedule (contact Division EH&S Manager for
<br />this) to determine length of use. To be able to use cartridge respirators, need to know contaminants, estimate
<br />levels to be encountered in the breathing zone, need to ensure that cartridge will be effective against COCs, and
<br />need to be able to monitor for COCs using PID, FID, Drager tubes, etc.. If can't do any of these, then Level B
<br />PPE is probably going to be needed.
<br />High Visibility Vest — needed for any road work (with in 15 feet of a road) or when working on a site with
<br />vehicular traffic or working around heavy equipment. Needed if work tasks would take employee concentration
<br />away from movement of vehicles and workers would have to rely on the other driver's ability to see the employee
<br />in order not to hit them. This includes heavy equipment as well as cars and trucks, on public roads or the jobsite.
<br />Not needed if wearing Polycoated Tyveks — as they are already high visibility.
<br />Reflective Vest — see above, but for use at night.
<br />Hearing Protection — needed if working at noise levels above 85 dBA on a time weighted average. If noise
<br />measurements are not available, use around noisy equipment, or in general, if you have to raise your voice to be
<br />heard when talking to someone standing two feet away.
<br />Protective Chaps — required when using a machete or chain saw or any other cut hazard to legs.
|