Personal protective equipment provision

Provision of adequate information, instruction and training control against exposures by measures other than the use of personal protective equipment provision of adequate washing facilities prohibition of eating, drinking and smoking m contaminated areas and health surveillance are covered. 

The provision and use of properly selected personal protective equipment is normally regarded as back-up for the previous measures. Refer to Chapter 13. In some situations it is the only reasonably practicable measure to ensure personal safety and its use may be a legal requirement. Examples are ... 

Cover all aspects of the provision, maintenance and use of personal protective equipment at work and m other circumstances. 

Provisions must be made to ensure worker protection for a process located in a containment building. For example, the atmosphere in the containment structure should be monitored for hazardous vapors, operations should be remotely controlled from outside the containment structures, access should be restricted, and proper personal protective equipment should be used when entry into the containment structure becomes necessary. 

Partial, but inadequate or ineffective provision, distribution and use of personal protective equipment... 

Evaluation of plans for building evacuations, including the provision and maintenance of appropriate personal protective equipment. 

EC (2004) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions - on the practical implementation of the provisions of the health and safety at Work Directives 89/391 (Framework), 89/654 (Workplaces), 89/655 (Work Equipment), 89/656 (Personal Protective Equipment), 90/269 (Manual handling of Loads) and 90/270 (display Screen Equipment). COM (2004) 62 Final. Brussels. 

Because these drug candidates have potential biological activity, precautions should be taken to limit worker exposure during scale-up operations. Personal protective equipment requirements and adequate containment and ventilation provisions should also be defined as part of the safety review process. Often this assessment can be difficult because the material produced from the pilot plant will be used for toxicology evaluation purposes. In these cases, structure-activity relationship evaluations with regard to the relative toxicity of the compound may be appropriate to estimate the extent of risk. 

A close cooperation between workers and employers is needed for the most effective application of measures. Employers have several responsibilities to fulfll and workers are required to take care of their own safety and that of other persons. This means instruction on safe practices and use of personal protective equipment should be adhered to. At the same time, workers should have the right to obtain information from the employer so as to enable them to take adequate precautions and protect themselves from hazards. This includes the provision of information, training and education. 

All laboratories must have a written plan—the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)— which describes the provisions that have been made for safety by the laboratory managers. This requirement is regulated by OSHA under standard 29 CFR 1910.1450, Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories. The CHP sets out the specific procedures, work practices, safety equipment and personal protective equipment that have been selected to provide employee protection for the hazards found in each laboratory. An individual university or college laboratory will follow the CHP of the institution, which applies to all laboratories on campus the laboratory may also have a CHP that is specific to its individual conditions. College students should follow the provisions of the applicable CHP to ensure their safety. The CHP must include ... 

Provision of personal protective equipment and Administrative controls, such as reducing the duration of exposure. 

Procedures for safe work which are understood and followed, as a result of training, positive reinforcement, and, if necessary, enforcement through a clearly communicated disciplinary system Provision of personal protective equipment and Administrative controls, such as reducing the duration of exposure. 

If it is reasonably anticipated that employees will be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials while using first aid supplies, employers are required to provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in compliance with the provisions of the Occupational Exposure to Bloodbome Pathogens standard, Sec. 1910.1030(d) (3) (56 FR 64175). This standard lists appropriate PPE for this type of exposure, such as gloves, gowns, face shields, masks, and eye protection. 

A key provision of the laboratory safety standard is that procedures be developed to ensure that it would be unlikely that any individual on a worst-case basis will exceed a 0.5 ppm action level for an 8-hour TWA exposure. These levels are to be measured without taking into account any respiratory protection provided by personal protective equipment. When any circumstance changes in such a way that the levels of exposure may increase, it will probably be necessary to demonstrate anew that the levels are lower than the action levels. Records of these data must be kept and available for examination. If the action levels are exceeded, steps must be taken to reduce the levels, preferably by means of engineering controls. Medical surveillance provisions of the laboratory safety standard would be invoked by persistent levels above the OSHA action levels. 

Adequate general ventilation, provision of appropriate containment equipment (fume hoods, safety cabinets, or localized exhaust systems), procedural controls, or use of personal protective equipment, respiratory protection, and protective gloves, clothing, and eye protection are all part of a possible program to reduce exposures. 

The occupational radiation protection programme, including arrangements for monitoring of workers and the workplace, and the provision and maintenance of personal protective equipment and equipment for radiation detection ... 

Beyond 1926.950, employers will find further training provisions in Subpart V. These go over first aid, job briefings, enclosed spaces, personal protective equipment, personal fall arrest systems, working on or near exposed energized parts, testing, overhead fines and live-line barehand work, laser equipment, power-line carrier work, and more. 

Note that this hierarchy of controls, as does that in ZIO, includes substituting less hazardous methods or materials as a means of attaining acceptable risk levels. Also, its provisions are close to those in MIL-STD-882D. Providing personal protection equipment. Step 5 in the preceding hierarchy, is incorporated as an option in Step 4 of 882D. - Develop procedures and training. 

OSHA also requires the provision, use, and maintenance of personal protective equipment when there is an exposure to hazardous conditions that could cause injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation, or physical contact. This includes the need to use gloves, gowns, masks, eye protectors, and/or resuscitation equipment when appropriate for rendering first aid or other medical assistance to prevent contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. 

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