Category: Personal Protective Equipment

Here are some questions about PPE requirements, with answers provided by the safety experts at Safety.BLR.com. Does OSHA specify the frequency of replacement of PPE, especially hard hats? OSHA does not specify the frequency of replacement of PPE. It is up to the employer to determine when PPE needs to be replaced. OSHA recommends that […]

Check out some innovations in PPE and other safety equipment from 3M Company, designed to boost safety protection in the workplace and at the worksite. Along with management commitment and employee involvement, there’s another essential factor in keeping your workplace safe—stuff. The devices and equipment designed to protect employees from harm play a big role […]

Yesterday, we reviewed reasons for PPE noncompliance and a few tips for encouraging compliance. Today, we offer 10 additional tips for encouraging employee compliance. 1.    Establish and consistently enforce a policy requiring the use of assigned PPE. Make sure all employees are aware of the rules and the consequences of noncompliance (that is, in addition […]

A recent survey from Kimberly-Clark Professional reveals that many employees aren’t wearing required PPE. How about your workers? Are you sure they’re always wearing assigned PPE? 1.    Establish and consistently enforce a policy requiring the use of assigned PPE. Make sure all employees are aware of the rules and the consequences of noncompliance (that is, […]

Some hazards at work simply can’t be eliminated completely by engineering solutions or substitutions. That’s when the company must provide its workers with personal protective equipment. Sounds simple—yet, is it? Every supervisor has heard all of the standard excuses. “The glasses give me headaches.” “The shoes pinch my toes.” “This hard hat is too heavy.” […]

Take these five basic steps to assess workplace hazards and select the best PPE to protect employees. 1. Conduct a walk-through survey of work areas to identify workplace hazards. Look for all the basic hazard categories: Impact Penetration Compression (roll-over) Chemical Heat Harmful dust Light (optical) radiation 2. Consider sources of risk. Observe sources of: […]

Workplace head injuries are a very serious safety concern because they can easily be fatal. Are your workers’ heads properly protected against all risks? To be effective, OSHA says all head protection should meet five basic criteria. It must: Absorb the shock of a falling object Prevent an object from penetrating it Resist water Burn […]

Review answers to key questions about workplace hearing conservation program requirements. What is the purpose of noise monitoring? OSHA’s Occupational Noise Exposure Standard (29 CFR 1910.95) requires you to place employees in a hearing conservation program if they are exposed to average noise levels of 85 dB or greater during an 8-hour workday. In order […]

Medical evaluation is an important part of the respiratory protection standard. Here’s a quick review of requirements. According to OSHA’s respiratory protection medical evaluation requirements (29 CFR 1910.134[e] and Appendix C), you must provide a medical evaluation to determine each employee’s ability to use a respirator before the employee is fit tested or required to […]