PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT PROGRAM
Introduction
Hazards exist in every workplace in many different forms: sharp edges, falling objects, flying sparks, chemicals, noise and a myriad of other potentially dangerous situations. The Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers protect their employees from workplace hazards that can cause injury.
Controlling a hazard at its source is the best way to protect employees. Depending on the hazard or workplace conditions, OSHA recommends the use of engineering or work practice controls to manage or eliminate hazards to the greatest extent possible. For example, building a barrier between the hazard and
the employees is an engineering control; changing the way in which employees perform their work is a work practice control.
When engineering, work practice and administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to their employees and ensure its use. Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE", is equipment worn to minimize exposure to a variety of hazards. Examples of PPE include such items as gloves, foot and eye protection, protective hearing devices (earplugs, muffs) hard hats, respirators and full body suits.
Personal protective equipment is not a substitute for good engineering or administrative controls or good work practices, but should be used in conjunction with these controls to ensure the safety and health of employees. Personal protective equipment will be provided, used, and maintained when it has been determined that its use is required and that such use will lessen the likelihood of occupational injury and/or illness. Major concerns, which may necessitate the use of protective equipment at Keolis include exposure to eye, skin, and respiratory exposure to vehicle fluids, fuel, and solvents.
This program addresses eye, ear, respiratory, hand, and foot protection. Separate programs exist for respiratory and hearing protection since the need for participation in these programs is established through industrial hygiene monitoring. A hazard assessment has been conducted for our facilities and is attached. Based on this assessment, specific items of personal protective equipment are deemed necessary during performance of certain activities.
Responsibilities
· Supervisors have the primary responsibility for implementation of the PPE Program in their work area. This involves:
· Providing appropriate PPE and making it available to employees.
· Ensuring employees are trained on the proper use, care, and cleaning of PPE.
· Maintaining records on PPE assignments and training.
· Supervising staff to ensure that the PPE Program elements are followed and that employees properly use and care for PPE.
· Seeking assistance from health and safety manager to evaluate hazards.
· Notifying safety and risk manager when new hazards are introduced or when processes are added or changed.
· Ensuring defective or damaged equipment is immediately replaced.
Employees
· The PPE user is responsible for following the requirements of the PPE Program. This involves:
· Wearing PPE as required.
· Attending required training sessions.
· Caring for, cleaning, and maintaining PPE as required.
· Informing the supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE.
Responsibilities of Safety Manager
(MANAGER’S NAME) is responsible for the development, implementation, and administration of the PPE Program. This involves:
· Conducting workplace hazard assessments to determine the presence of hazards, which necessitate the use of PPE.
· Conducting periodic workplace reassessments as requested by employees and/or manager.
· Maintaining records on hazard assessments.
· Providing training and technical assistance to supervisors on the proper use, care, and cleaning of approved PPE.
· Providing guidance to the supervisor for the selection and purchase of approved PPE.
· Periodically reevaluating the suitability of previously selected PPE.
· Reviewing, updating, and evaluating the overall effectiveness of the PPE Program.
Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) and Equipment Selection
Federal and state statutes require employers to conduct inspections of all workplaces to determine the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) and to help in selecting the proper PPE for each task performed. A job hazard analysis has been completed for the maintenance shops to determine the PPE needed for all tasks.
The Safety and Risk Manager, in conjunction with Supervisors, will conduct a walk-through survey of each work area to identify sources of hazards, including impact, penetration, compression, chemical, heat, dust, electrical sources, and material handling. Each survey will be documented and will identify the workplace surveyed, the person conducting the survey, findings of potential hazards, and date of the survey.
Once the hazards of a workplace have been identified, the Safety and Risk Manager will determine the suitability of the PPE presently available and as necessary select new or additional equipment which ensures a level of protection greater than the minimum required to protect the employees from the hazards. Care will be taken to recognize the possibility of multiple and simultaneous exposure to a variety of hazards. Adequate protection against the highest level of each of the hazards will be provided or recommended for purchase.
Protective Devices
All personal protective clothing and equipment will be of safe design and construction for the work to be performed and shall be maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition. Only those items of protective clothing and equipment that meet NIOSH or ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards will be procured or accepted for use. Newly purchased PPE must conform to the updated ANSI standards, as follows:
a. Eye and Face Protection ANSI Z87.1-1989
b. Head Protection ANSI Z89.1-1986
c. Foot Protection ANSI Z41.1-1991
d. Hand Protection: There are no ANSI standards for gloves, however, selection must be based on the performance characteristics of the glove in relation to the tasks to be performed.
Careful consideration will be given to comfort and fit of PPE in order to ensure that it will be used. Protective devices are generally available in a variety of sizes. Care should be taken to ensure that the right size is selected.
Eye and Face Protection
Prevention of eye injuries requires that all persons who may be in eye hazard areas wear protective eyewear. This includes employees, visitors, passengers, contractors, or others passing through an identified eye hazard area. To provide protection for these personnel, the Supervisor of the area shall procure a sufficient quantity of goggles and/or plastic eye protectors, which afford the maximum amount of protection possible. If these personnel wear personal glasses, they shall be provided with a suitable eye protector to wear over them.
Suitable protectors must be used when employees are exposed to hazards from flying particles or exposure to irritating substances. Protective equipment should be visually inspected before each use for loose, scratched, pitted, or otherwise damaged components that may reduce protection or obscure vision.
· Wearers of contact lenses must also wear appropriate eye and face protection devices in a hazardous environment. Contact lenses should not be worn in areas where airborne dust is present.
· Side protectors shall be used when there is a hazard from flying objects for workers in the woodwork area.
· Goggles and face shields shall be used when there is a hazard from chemical splash, sparks, eye-irritating chemicals, vapors, dusts, or other small objects for workers in the coating area.
· Face shields shall only be worn over primary eye protection (safety glasses or goggles).
· For employees who wear prescription lenses, eye protectors shall either incorporate the prescription in the design or fit properly over the prescription lenses.
· Protectors shall be marked to identify the manufacturer.
Prescription Safety Eyewear
Regulations require that each affected employee who wears prescription lenses while engaged in operations that involve eye hazards shall wear eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or shall wear eye protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses (goggles, face shields) without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses. Personnel requiring prescription safety glasses must contact the health and safety manager to have their request for prescription safety glasses processed.
Emergency Eyewash Facilities
Emergency eyewash facilities meeting the requirements of ANSI Z358.1 will be provided in all areas where the eyes of any employee may be exposed to corrosive materials. All such emergency facilities will be located where they are easily accessible in an emergency.
Hearing Protection
Earplugs, earmuffs, or other suitable devices are required in areas where workers are exposed to ambient sound levels exceeding the permissible exposure level of 85 dBA. If 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) exposures exceed the action level of 85 dBA, a hearing conservation program will be implemented according to federal guidelines. Sound level meters and noise dosimeters are used to measure noise levels in the shop. Use of barriers and other administrative and engineering controls are used where possible to limit exposure.
Respiratory Protection
Appropriate respiratory protective equipment is needed whenever personnel are exposed to particulate, gas, or vapor contaminants exceeding the permissible exposure limits or an oxygen deficiency. The type of respiratory equipment used will be determined on the basis of the specific conditions and atmospheric test results. Respirators must be NIOSH/MSHA approved devices and be fitted, used, and maintained in accordance with federal regulations.
Dust masks for protection from metal and brake dust is recommended in the shop. Dust masks may be disposable or have a reusable frame with a disposable filter element.
Hand Protection
Suitable gloves are required to be worn when hazards from chemicals, cuts, lacerations, abrasions, punctures, burns, and harmful temperature extremes are present. Glove selection shall be based on performance characteristics of the gloves, conditions, durations of use, and hazards present. One type of glove will not work in all situations.
The first consideration in the selection of gloves for use against chemicals is to determine, if possible, the exact nature of the substances to be encountered. Read instructions and warnings on chemical container labels and MSDSs before working with any chemical. Recommended glove types are often listed in the section for personal protective equipment.
Chemicals eventually permeate all glove materials. However, they can be used safely for limited time periods if specific use and other characteristics (i.e., thickness and permeation rate and time) are known. The industrial hygienist can assist in determining the specific type of glove material that should be worn for a particular chemical. Other specialized gloves should be worn when hands are exposed to hazards such as electrical shock or thermal extremes.
Cleaning and Maintenance
It is important that all PPE be kept clean and properly maintained. Cleaning is particularly important for eye and face protection where dirty or fogged lenses could impair vision. PPE should be inspected, cleaned, and maintained at regular intervals so that the PPE provides the requisite protection. Personal protective equipment shall not be shared between employees until it has been properly cleaned and sanitized. PPE will be distributed for individual use whenever possible.
It is also important to ensure that contaminated PPE, which cannot be decontaminated, is disposed of in a manner that protects employees from exposure to hazards.
Training
Any worker required to wear PPE will receive training in the proper use and care of PPE. Periodic retraining shall be offered to both the employees and the supervisors, as needed. The training shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following subjects:
· When PPE is necessary to be worn.
· What PPE is necessary.
· How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE.
· The limitations of the PPE.
· The proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of the PPE.
After the training, the employees will be quizzed to demonstrate that they understand the components of the PPE Program and how to use PPE properly, or they shall be retrained.
Recordkeeping
Written records will be kept in the safety office with the names of persons trained, the type of training provided, and the dates when training occurred. Training records will be maintained for at least 3 years with the supervisors. (SAFETY MANAGER NAME) will maintain copies of the training records for the duration of an employees’ service.
Hazard Assessment and Selection of Personal Protective Equipment
I. Eye and Face Hazards
Hazards to consider include:
· Vehicle fluids, fuel, solvents
· Metal dust and debris
Eye Protection
· Safety goggles must be worn when working with solvents/ vehicle fluids and safety glasses with side shields must always be worn in the shop without chemicals.
II. Hearing Protection Hazards
Hazards to consider include:
· Over exposure to noise from tire machine or impact tools
Hearing Protection
· Ear plugs required
·
III. Respiratory Protection
Appendix D to Sec. 1910.134 (Mandatory) Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard
Respirators are an effective method of protection against designated hazards when properly selected and worn. Respirator use is encouraged, even when exposures are below the exposure limit, to provide an additional level of comfort and protection for workers. However, if a respirator is used improperly or not kept clean, the respirator itself can become a hazard to the worker. Sometimes, workers may wear respirators to avoid exposures to hazards, even if the amount of hazardous substance does not exceed the limits set by OSHA standards. If your employer provides respirators for your voluntary use, or if you provide your own respirator, you need to take certain precautions to be sure that the respirator itself does not present a hazard.
You should do the following:
1. Read and heed all instructions provided by the manufacturer on use, maintenance, cleaning and care, and warnings regarding the respirators limitations.
2. Choose respirators certified for use to protect against the contaminant of concern. NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, certifies respirators. A label or statement of certification should appear on the respirator or respirator packaging. It will tell you what the respirator is designed for and how much it will protect you.
3. Do not wear your respirator into atmospheres containing contaminants for which your respirator is not designed to protect against. For example, a respirator designed to filter dust particles will not protect you against gases, vapors, or very small solid particles of fumes or smoke.
4. Keep track of your respirator so that you do not mistakenly use someone else's respirator.