Nearly every trade and manual labor job has some form of personal protective equipment that employees use to defend themselves against hazards. Selecting personal protective equipment is complicated and filled with potentially endangering mistakes. Between OSHA regulations and the several variables contributing to PPE failure, it may seem like too much to navigate. This article will guide you through the mistakes that occur most often in this process and point out the pitfalls most likely to occur. To begin, we will cover the way the government establishes rules surrounding personal protective equipment and workplace safety.
Who Sets the PPE Rules?
The short answer to this question is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also called OSHA. This is the government agency in charge of ensuring all working personnel remain informed of the risks of their work, and are provided with the means to avoid harm. OSHA establishes universal guidelines for workplace safety as well as occupation-specific rules. Certain industries and trades present hazards where workers must take as much care to protect people in the surrounding area as they do to protect themselves. OSHA is the regulatory body in charge of determining what workers need when they are selecting personal protective equipment.
An additional tool for determining when employees should use PPE is the hierarchy of controls. The hierarchy of controls is a framework to approach the removal of hazards in the workplace. There are five steps with increasing levels of proximity to hazards. It begins with the elimination of the hazard as the most preferable option, followed by replacing the source of the hazard with a non-hazardous option. The following two steps are workflow alterations, providing engineering and administrative solutions to limit worker exposure. The final step is PPE. PPE is considered the last bastion of workplace defense against hazards, which is why it is so critical to follow PPE rules.
When PPE Fails
It is easier to begin selecting personal protective equipment when informed as to how it can fail. PPE failure is occasionally the fault of the manufacturer. However, more often than not, it is due to misuse, lack of maintenance, or failure to renew the equipment. While it is true that tools often have multiple uses beyond their primary intended purpose, the same is not true for safety equipment. Employees should use PPE when their specific function fits the circumstances according to the safety code. Safety equipment can only guarantee a worker’s safety when it is used properly. Keep in mind that misuse is often unintentional, and management must provide as many resources and reminders as possible to prevent misuse.
In a similar vein, lack of maintenance has the potential to cause PPE failure by making the PPE operate outside of its set of functional circumstances. As an example, many jobs require the use of respirators. Respirators only function to protect a worker’s breathing if the cartridges and filters are not blocked. Filters clog up over time and must be replaced. Using a respirator with malfunctioning filters does not only make it harder to breathe, it risks exposure to toxic vapors and chemicals. Fortunately, manufacturers of safety equipment will include PPE rules regarding the ideal maintenance schedule for their products.
However, no amount of proper use or maintenance will change the fact that all safety equipment eventually ages out of usefulness. Pairs of gardening gloves grow more threadbare until they do not protect your hands. Vinyl strip doors may stiffen over time with exposure to airflow until they crack. Create a regular replacement schedule for your workplace’s equipment and encourage all employees to report signs of wear and tear, or other potential side effects of aging. PPE failure has consequences that range from inconvenient to disastrous and life-threatening. Take every step possible to avoid running into these pitfalls.
The Most Common Mistakes When Selecting Personal Protective Equipment
As described above, employees should use PPE when there are no further ways to protect them from workplace hazards. They must also follow manufacturer guidelines to prevent PPE failure which can put them in harm’s way. So, given that these two criteria are fulfilled, what mistakes must be avoided when selecting personal protective equipment for use? The first is primarily a sourcing mishap: choosing PPE that fits improperly or with discomfort. Improper fit may lead PPE to slip off or constrict circulation. For example, medical workers like surgeons take care to always use the correct size of sterile gloves since a ripped or ill-fitting glove may lead to exposure to biohazards and disease.
The second mistake is choosing inadequate protective methods. While it may be tempting for a company to opt for the least expensive PPE option they can find, that does not mean that PPE is the most cost-effective option as well. Choosing cheaper PPE might cut into the quality of protection that it affords workers, and lead to them being under-protected relative to the risk level of their work environment. Not only could this result in a much higher turnover rate for the equipment, costing more money over time, but also the consequences from a single preventable accident or incident harming a worker instantly outweigh any of the money saved in the short term.
The last two are both important to consider from an administrative standpoint. Lack of training and a failure to address risk assessments both endanger workers and complicate the process of selecting personal protective equipment. Keeping workers untrained or ignorant of the danger of their working conditions is illegal and punishable by the government. OSHA’s stance is clear that it is an employer’s responsibility to inform workers on how to do their jobs safely. Ignoring proper risk assessments also qualifies as criminal negligence. Overlooking any specific hazards, or underestimating the danger that specific work incurs, makes it impossible for workers to follow PPE rules that could save their long-term health or even their life.
Singer Safety Company is Here to Help
If you want to avoid all of the potential mistakes in selecting PPE, Singer Safety Company’s line of protective screens, barriers, and curtains is a reliable choice. We have an over 70-year-long pedigree in pioneering safety equipment. We commit to providing workers with the most durable and adaptable personal protective equipment that we can make, regardless of the industry we serve. From automotive curtains to noise-controlling ceiling baffles, our bevy of safety equipment is the right choice every time. Feel free to browse our offerings for more information, and contact us with any questions today.