PPE – The Last Resort

2/17/2020

I think we have all heard many times that personal protective equipment (PPE) is always to be the last resort in the hierarchy of hazard controls. But do we understand why?

PPE refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, respirators, hard hats as well as other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer’s body from injury or contamination. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter.

Implementing engineering controls, administrative controls and work practices should always be considered before donning any type of PPE. This is because PPE has many disadvantages. These include:

• PPE protects only the person wearing it, whereas measures controlling the risk at its source can protect everyone at the workplace.
• The actual level of protection is difficult to assess. This is especially true for coveralls and gloves where no protection factor is provided. As weather conditions change and the day wears on, the fit of such PPE can lose its effectiveness and there is no way to determine whether its potential decrease in protection can be evaluated.  The only assessment is based solely on any damage such as rips or tears or even if the PPE becomes noticeably loose.
• Protection can result in being ineffective because the PPE may not be suitable, or incorrectly fitted, not properly maintained, as well as not being used properly.
• PPE may restrict the wearer by limiting mobility or visibility, or by requiring additional weight to be carried. In addition, PPE may be inappropriately discarded because of the discomfort that it can cause, and thus leaving a worker exposed to workplace hazards.
• Using PPE in a hot climate can result in dehydration, headaches and even fainting, resulting in unforeseen workplace incidents.

In addition, it is mandatory that personnel are properly trained to the PPE that is necessary for each particular work task. And that means proper documentation of the training while the employer must maintain these records should the client or regulatory agency request to verify that workers have trained. Typical subjects that need to be covered include:

• When PPE is necessary;
• What type of PPE is necessary;
• How to properly don, adjust, wear and doff PPE;
• The limitations of the PPE; and,
• Proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of PPE equipment.

Of course, every organization that uses PPE must have a written PPE program and include the potential hazards that may be encountered as well as the selection process, maintenance and use of PPE, training of employees and monitoring of the program to ensure its ongoing effectiveness.

You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete

R. Buckminster Fuller