Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
a written program, worker training, and effective supervisory manage-
ment. It has often been said that leaders should lead by example; that
is, the worker will not wear the hearing protection devices unless the
leader leads the way by wearing hearing protection devices and ensur-
ing that the workers also wear them. Hearing loss liability continues to
be a costly proposition for many high-noise industries. By incorporating
an effective hearing conservation program into the organizational safety
program you will reduce worker hearing loss and liability for the loss.
1.13.6 Personal Protective equipment
(29 Cfr 1910.132 and 1910.138)
Recognizing the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE),
on October 5, 1994, the revised OSHA personal protective equipment
standard went into effect in workplaces throughout the United States. It
is important to note that OSHA stresses that PPE should
not
be used as
a substitute for engineering, work practice, and/or administrative con-
trols. PPE should be used in conjunction with these controls to provide
for worker safety and health in the workplace, as backup or secondary
protection.
The PPE addressed in the OSHA standard specifically deals with
protective equipment designed to protect many parts of a worker's body,
including eyes, face, head, hands, and feet. PPE for respiratory protec-
tion and hearing conservation is addressed in other OSHA standards
and has already been discussed in this text.
The specific part of the PPE regulation that applies to a particular
organization varies, depending primarily on the
types of hazards
pres-
ent in the workplace environment. The PPE regulation is known as an
OSHA “performance standard.” A performance standard mandates that
protection shall be provided by the employer to the employee but the
employer is allowed to meet the minimum requirements as determined
by experience/performance as specified by the organization's safety
person.
In general, the OSHA PPE standard covers three important areas:
•
Hazard assessment of the workplace and certification•
•
Selection of PPE
•
Worker PPE training and certification•
Before addressing the individual areas concerning PPE it must be
reiterated that OSHA's goal is to use PPE in conjunction with other con-
trols to protect workers. Remember, PPE is simply designed to create a
barrier between the worker and workplace hazards;
it does not remove
the hazard from the workplace
.
The first step to be taken in determining the types of PPE that are
needed at the plant site is conducting a hazard assessment survey of
the workplace to determine if hazards that require the use of PPE are
