Personal Protective Equipment PPE Basics

PPE is a form of protection for more than just your employees. It also protects your insurance premiums, OSHA compliance, and bottom line. Beyond consulting and safety training offered by industry professionals, you also need to be aware of your employees’ responsibilities for their safety, your employer obligations, and the types of PPE available. Our experts on medical laboratory supplies offer the following info on PPE in the workplace.

Common PPE types and Uses

There are two broad categories of PPE that the many types of protection fall under, construction and general industry. Still, additional provisions are made for the medical industry, marine terminals, shipyards, and several other specialized industries. The OSHA requirements for industries can vary, though the types of PPE often overlap. This makes education critical for following prescribed standards. The following are examples of OSHA mandated protection:

• Occupational foot protection
• Hearing protection
• Mechanical and electrical protection devices
• Hand protection
• Head protection
• Respiratory protection
• Face and eye protection

PPE Obligations for Employers

OSHA rules place numerous PPE obligations on employers. These include PPE safety assessments to identify types of PPE needed to address potential and existing hazards, replacement and maintenance of PPE, PPE training implementation, and evaluation and review of PPE training programs.

Provision of most PPE types is an employer’s responsibility, meaning you pay to provide it instead of your employees buying it themselves. Such PPE is expected to meet OSHA safety standards, and it is your responsibility as an employer to be confident it offers adequate protection from dangers in the workplace. These PPE types include rubber boots with steel toes, fire-fighter PPE, welding PPE, hard hats, full face respirator prescription inserts, eye protection, and much more.

PPE responsibilities for employees

Though employers take on a significant level of PPE responsibility, employees are also expected to protect themselves, and there are responsibilities expected of them regarding workplace PPE. Consistent

and proper usage of PPE is critical, and employee requirements are meant to support this. They must attend all PPE training sessions, clean and maintain all PPE gear properly, and inform supervisors of any need to repair or replace equipment. Employees are also responsible for purchasing certain types of PPE, including sunscreen, hats, outerwear, work clothing, and non-specialty eyewear and footwear. Employees are also responsible for replacing any intentionally damaged or lost equipment.

Closing thoughts

It is complicated enough for employers to answer the demands of OSHA regarding PPE, but there are often additional requirements placed by local state and industry-related regulations. Leave as little to chance as possible to ensure that all rules are attended to. Experts on PPE recommend safety audits and safety training and consulting.

These are safety basics regarding PPE in the workplace. Contact us today if you are in need of medical laboratory supplies. We are here to help keep you and your staff safe from occupational hazards. Furthermore, our focus on customer service allows us to exceed customer expectations with every order.