Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Many procedures developed with a JHA will include the need to use PPE. Examples of PPE include respirators, hearing protection, protective clothing, safety glasses, and hardhats.
PPE Safety
The use of PPE is acceptable as a control method in the following circumstances:
- When engineering and other higher-level controls are not feasible. PPE may be used when hazards cannot be removed, isolated, or reduced to an acceptable level through elimination, substitution, engineering controls, or administrative controls.
- While engineering controls are being developed. PPE may provide temporary protection while permanent controls, such as guards, ventilation systems, barriers, or process changes, are being designed, installed, or tested.
- When safe work practices do not provide enough protection. Even when workers follow safe procedures, PPE may still be needed to reduce exposure to hazards such as chemicals, noise, flying particles, heat, or infectious materials.
- During emergencies when other controls may not be feasible. PPE may be necessary during spills, fires, rescue operations, equipment failures, or other unexpected events where hazards cannot be controlled quickly by other means.
PPE should not be used as the first or only method of protection when more effective controls are available. Employers should evaluate the workplace, identify hazards, select appropriate PPE, train workers on proper use, and ensure PPE is maintained in safe and reliable condition.
Interim Measures
Using a lower-priority hazard control method instead of a higher-priority control strategy may be appropriate when providing interim (temporary) protection until the hazard can be permanently corrected. Interim measures are often necessary when engineering controls, substitution, or elimination methods require additional time, planning, equipment, or resources to implement.
If the hazard cannot be completely eliminated immediately, interim control measures will likely include a combination of control methods used together. These measures may include administrative controls, safe work practices, temporary barriers, warning systems, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce employee exposure to hazards.
OSHA believes feasible interim measures are almost always available when higher-level control methods are not immediately possible. Employers should evaluate the workplace carefully and implement temporary protections as soon as hazards are identified.
Examples of interim measures include the following:
- Requiring employees to wear respirators until a ventilation system is installed
- Using temporary machine guards until permanent guards can be fabricated
- Restricting access to hazardous areas with signs, tape, or barriers
- Reducing employee exposure time through job rotation or modified work schedules
- Providing hearing protection until excessive noise levels can be engineered out
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
4-6. Using a lower priority hazard control method over a higher priority method may be appropriate as a _____.
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