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What is PPE?
When to Use PPE
Limitations of PPE
FAQ
When should PPE be used in the workplace?
When should you change your PPE?
Can disposable PPE be reused?
Can I refuse to work without PPE?
Can I wear my own PPE at work?
Can you share PPE?
What four things do the PPE at Work Regulations require?
Are employers required to provide PPE?
Are employers responsible for PPE?
Specify PPE with Knox Thomas
In today’s blog, I’ll take a dive into the world of PPE- including when to use it and why, plus I’ll address some of the common misconceptions surrounding PPE use.
What is PPE?
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) refers to items worn in order to protect the user from harm. Some PPE simply reduce the hazard likelihood or severity, while others eliminate exposure altogether.
For example, a hi-vis vest does not offer any protection from hazards in itself- however it increases visibility of the wearer to others, reducing the risk of being struck by moving objects, vehicles, etc.
By contrast, a full face, positive pressure powered air mask is designed to eliminate exposure to airborne contaminants altogether.
There are various types of PPE, with wide ranging iterations and versions. Here are some of the main types:
- Head protection, such as helmets and bump caps
- Eye protection, such as goggles, glasses and visors/face shields
- Respiratory protective equipment (RPE), for example disposable and reusable masks
- Hand protection, i.e. gloves or gauntlets
- Safety footwear, i.e. steel toe-capped boots
- Hearing protection, i.e. ear defenders or plugs
- Overalls or aprons
- Fall arrest and sit harnesses
- Knee pads
The type of PPE required depends on the hazard, the wearer, the working environment, and other factors.
When to use PPE
Risk managers often specify PPE as a risk control in the first instance, and assume the hazard is therefore adequately controlled.
The reality is very different, due to the Hierarchy of Control (HOC).
The hierarchy of control details the priority order of hazard controls that should be specified. Principally, these are:
- Elimination (of the hazard)
- Substitution (replacing the hazard)
- Engineered controls, which isolate people from the hazard
- Administrative controls, i.e. change the way people work- AKA discipline
- PPE- protect the worker
As you can see, PPE falls at the bottom of the list- for a number of reasons.
Firstly, it is always best to prioritise collective controls, which protect a group of people, rather than individual controls, for example PPE. This is favoured by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) and forms part of the recognised Principles of Prevention.
Another key reason for PPE falling at the bottom of the HOC is due to the various factors which may limit or diminish the efficacy of the PPE, thus improperly controlling exposure to the hazard.
This brings us on to…
Limitations of PPE
There are several reasons why PPE may become or be less effective.
- Fit- either the PPE doesn’t fit the user, for example close-fitting RPE (which relies on a face seal) that is too big and leaves gaps around the face, or PPE that is generally poorly fitted, for example loose straps.
- Maintenance- PPE usually loses effectiveness when poorly maintained, for example clogged mask filters, scratched glasses or gloves with holes in them.
- Condition- similar to maintenance, cleanliness of PPE can reduce effectiveness, for example a filthy hi-vis vest.
- Design limits- not so much a degradation, but more of general unsuitability; PPE is designed to work within specific parameters. RPE provides varying levels of filtration, gloves different cut or puncture resistance, ear defenders different levels of attenuation.
All of these limiting factors must be accounted for through your wider management of safety processes, and also explain why PPE is the last resort- there are too many ways for it to become ineffective.
PPE- FAQ
If I continued to write this blog and answer all the big questions, you’d be here all day. So here are the main questions asked about PPE.
When should PPE be used in the workplace?
PPE should be worn as a last resort, when all other routes of controlling risk have been exhausted or are insufficient. If specified by a risk assessment as a suitable control measure, PPE must always be worn.
When should you change your PPE?
PPE should be changed when it no longer provides the intended protection, for example when worn out, if degraded, or damaged. It should also be replaced if continued use increases other risk- for example scratched goggles may continue to provide impact resistance, however, dangerously reduce vision. Other PPE, for example harnesses, will have a finite lifespan after which it should be replaced as a matter of course.
Can disposable PPE be reused?
Technically yes, for example disposable masks or vinyl gloves. The issue here however is it is highly likely that the user will be exposed to contaminants that remain on the PPE when removing (doffing) and donning the PPE. It’s also likely that the internal surfaces of the PPE will be contaminated. Think about disposable masks- they’ll go over the head to be removed- and likely pick up dust from your hair and face on the way. For these reasons, it is best to simply use the PPE for a single use.
Can I refuse to work without PPE?
Employees have a right to refuse to work if they feel that there is a serious and imminent threat to their health and safety.
Can I wear my own PPE at work?
Technically, yes. However this is not advised as it may not offer the required level of protection, or be in suitable working condition. As employers are legally required to provide PPE to their employees, they may be held liable should an employee suffer ill health or injury as a result of wearing their own PPE. For these reasons many employers do not allow employees to wear PPE that they have provided themselves.
Can you share PPE?
Yes, however it must be clean and free of contamination. It must also fit all of the intended wearers. Expensive PPE that is infrequently used, for example protective chainsaw trousers and jackets used in a sawmill, is tempting to share- however the range of users and dirty conditions make this unpleasant and ineffective.
In most cases, it is best to issue PPE to each wearer.
What four things do the PPE at Work Regulations require?
PPER 1992 require employers to assess and identify risks, provide appropriate PPE, ensure it is used correctly, and maintain and store it properly.
Are employers required to provide PPE?
Yes- they must provide suitable PPE free of charge wherever it is required.
Are employers responsible for PPE?
Once issued, PPE becomes the responsibility of the employee to maintain, clean, store and wear. The employer is required to provides means of achieving this, for example training in and supplies for maintenance and cleaning, and a suitable place to store PPE.
Specify PPE with Knox Thomas
It goes without saying that PPE is a common go-to risk control (hi-vis vests seem to control just about any kind of risk apparently), and in many cases is entirely suitable.
As we’ve learned though, there are usually many alternative ways to control risk that should be adopted prior to resorting to PPE use.
Once you’ve arrived at the decision to use PPE, it can be difficult to know what type of PPE to specify, for example the protection level it will provide. The risk assessment, if carried out properly, should help identify the requirements of the PPE protection, helping steer you toward the correct PPE to provide. Specifying the correct PPE, and the other controls before it, can seem laborious and confusing- and getting it wrong can be disastrous. For help specifying PPE, and all other aspects of risk management, get in touch with us today.
