What is PPE? We Make Personal Protective Equipment

by Engr. Kh. Mashiur Rahman | Jul 22, 2017 | Compliance

What is PPE

PPE is stand for Personal Protective Equipment. We are top class PPE manufacturer and garments company in Bangladesh. We have high skilled workers to make it well. We receive order from Buyer.

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidelines that ensure adequate provision, enforcement of use of PPE for SMI and its subcontractor personnel.

The use of personal protective equipment is one of the control options available for controlling hazards in the workplace and not substitutes for effective engineering controls, safe work conditions or sound work practices, but can play an essential part in the protection of the worker.

Its use does neither eliminate the hazard nor does it prevent incidents but helps to reduce the impact or adverse health effects, if used correctly.

Scope

This procedure provides guidelines for Contractors on the requirements for conducting a hazard assessment of the workplace to determine the need for appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), communicating the assessment results to employees, eliminating defective PPE, and training employees in the proper use of PPE.

Objectives

• To ensure all personal protective equipment requirements of SMI and its subcontractor employees involved in the project are identified.
• To ensure the use of properly fitted and effective PPE for specific jobs.
• To establish a procedure detailing accountability for selection, use, inspection, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the PPE program.
• To regulate the standard of PPE supplied to all employees irrespective of their employer.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Manager is responsible for the provision of suitable types and quantity of PPE and ensures proper use in line with the project PPE requirements. Additional PPE for more hazardous tasks shall also be provided when required.

HSE Manager is responsible for the selection and issue of relevant PPE in conformance with applicable international standards at all times. See attachments 1, 2, 3.

Has responsibility to replace bad, worn or expired PPE on return of the original issue.

Supervisor is responsible and shall be held accountable for ineffective use of the PPE provided for workers under his control. He must set an example by using his PPE as appropriate and ensure its use by others as required. Assessing the risks to employees in relation to the performance of particular items of PPE and choosing from products already available through master agreement suppliers.

HSE Supervisor shall carry out routine checks and from time to time inspect PPE to ensure that the agreed procedures are appropriate and are being followed using the attached checklist (see attachment 4).

Shall provide information to employees on the use, maintenance, storage, effect on employee’s health as well as limitations of all PPE provided for their use.

Subcontractor Site Manager is responsible for the provision of all necessary safety equipment and the procedures required maintaining and affecting the use in accordance with this procedure, in order that all tasks will be completed safely.

Employees have responsibility for signing for any personal protective equipment issued to them and shall ensure that it is used as required. Employees are responsible for maintaining and using the correct PPE while performing their task and complying with HSE rules and regulations

PPE GUIDELINES

• Basic PPE to be worn by all site employees shall be safety helmet, safety glasses with side protections, steel toe capped safety footwear, gloves, overalls or long sleeve shirt and trousers of cotton or poly-cotton.
• Types of PPE issued shall be detailed in the Work Method Statement.
• SMI shall ensure that PPE are properly maintained in good order and replaced at no charge when defective, or lost to the employee.
• SMI employees shall wear the personal protective equipment required, a failure in compliance will result in disciplinary action against the offender employees and where appropriate, their line supervision.
• All PPE shall conform to BS, DIN, AS or ANSI standard or approved by the Client is fit for purpose and is comfortable.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

HEAD PROTECTION

General Duties (Safety Helmet)

The helmet gives some protection against splashing by liquids. It should be manufactured from plastics.

Note: 1 Helmets are required to be replaced if subjected to severe impact.

Note: 2 Local regulations may require helmets not to be worn in the vicinity or helicopter operations, except for Firemen’s helmets worn during fire fighting duties.

Note: 3 The use of paint (aerosol type) and certain adhesive stickers may affect the integrity of the helmet and should not be allowed.

Note: 4 Metal safety helmets shall not be worn.

Specific Safety Helmets

Air Supplied Helmets should be worn when working with chemical sprays or grit blasting.

Welding Helmets/Caps, which give protection against dangerous arc radiation and hot particles of weld metal, shall be worn when engaged in welding operations.

Care and Maintenance

Safety helmets must be properly cared for and maintained by:

• Storing them in a safe place when not in use, for example on a peg or in a cupboard.
• Visually examining them regularly for signs of damage or deterioration.
• Replacing defective harness components.
• Regularly cleaning or replacing the sweat band.
• All safety helmets are susceptible to loss of strength and impact resistance from ultraviolet light, temperature extremes and chemical degradation. An inspection and maintenance program that includes provision for replacement should be established. The service life of a safety helmet can be extended by cleaning both the shell and harness as part of the maintenance program. These parts can be scrubbed with a mild detergent (not soap) to remove dirt and stains, rinsed thoroughly with warm water (40⁰ C), wiped dry and then inspected for any signs of damage. This should also be carried out before issuing a used safety helmet to another person.

Eye Protection

General Duties (Clear Lens Non-prescription Safety Spectacles)

Eyes require to be protected against injury from wind blown debris, and from impact against various fixtures, fittings or loose items which the wearer may inadvertently knock into by nature of working in close confines of plant or equipment.

Eye protection shall be worn in specific areas, or for specific activities, on all onshore/offshore operational sites.

Note: 1 For prescription and non-prescription spectacles incorporating side shields, removal of these shields invalidates the Standards.

Contact Lenses

Personnel wearing contact lenses require the same level of eye protection as those without contact lenses, but an additional potential hazard associated with contact lenses should be noted. In the event of a foreign body or chemical splash into the eye, it may be difficult to remove the lens in order to effect satisfactory irrigation; medical assistance should be sought.

Welding Operations (Eye, Face and Neck Protection}

Welding operations require special eye, face and neck protection for the operator. Assistants, Firewatchers will also require protection against ultra-violet radiation.

Hazardous Operations (Full View Goggles/Face Shields}

Certain operations are significantly more hazardous to the eyes, and the eye protection selected must be suitable against particular hazard in question. For operations including grinding, scraping, chipping etc, the handling of chemicals and solvents, sample taking, etc, advice should be sought from the Safety and Environmental Protection Division. Full-view goggles/face shields may be required and they should be suitable for dust or chemical protection.

Eye First Aid (Eye-Baths and Bottles}

Suitable first aid equipment for the treatment of eye injuries will be maintained on all sites and installations, as specified by the Medical Services.

Care and Maintenance

The lenses of eye and face protectors must be kept clean as dirty lenses restrict vision, causing eye fatigue and leading to accidents. There are two methods for cleaning eye and face protectors:

• Glass, polycarbonate and other plastic materials can be cleaned by thoroughly wetting both sides of the lens or shield and drying with wet strength absorbent paper. Anti-static and anti-fog, cleaning fluids may be used if static or misting is a problem.
• Materials can be “dry” cleaned by removing grit and dust with a brush and using silicon treated non-woven cloth. Plastic and polycarbonate material, however, should not be “dry” cleaned as the cloth used in this method may scratch it.

Eye protectors should be issued on a personal basis and used only by the person to whom they are issued. If eye protectors are reissued they must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Eye protectors should be kept in a case or pouch when not in use. Eye protector headbands are to be replaced when worn out or damaged.

Scratched or pitted lenses should be replaced as they may impair vision and their resistance to impact may be impaired. Transparent face shields should be replaced when warped, scratched or brittle with age.

Hand Protection

General Purpose Gloves

General purpose gloves should only be used to protect against minimal risks to health and safety (i.e. resist cuts and abrasions, repel some liquids and offer a good grip).

Care should be taken in the donning, use, removal and storage of protective gloves. They should be maintained in good condition, checked regularly and discarded if worn and deteriorated.

Gloves should always be cleaned (if applicable) according to manufacturer’s instructions (i.e. repeated washing may remove fungal and bacterial inhibitors from the lining of the glove, possibly leading to skin irritation).

Care and Maintenance

Where tests show that penetration through a glove can occur, a control system of regular glove checking, cleaning and replacement must be put in place.

Gloves are to be regularly examined for cuts, punctures, abrasion, cracks, contamination, etc. Areas between the fingers and other flex points must be carefully examined. They may be tested for leaks by inflating with low-pressure air (200 kPa) and immersing in a water bath while still under pressure. Although it may be practical to decontaminate and re-use gloves in certain situations, the cleaning process usually does not remove all the toxic material, thus reducing breakthrough time for subsequent use. Discarded and contaminated gloves are to be destroyed in order to prevent unauthorized retrieval and use (this is especially important for gloves that may have been in contact with very toxic substances.)

Gloves should be stored at ambient temperatures away from light, moisture, solvents and chemicals. Each person should be issued with protective gloves on a personal basis to prevent the spread of contagious skin infections.

If rubber gloves for electrical work become dirty or soiled, they can be cleaned by washing with soap and water at a temperature not exceeding the glove manufacturer’s recommended limit, then thoroughly dried and dusted with talcum powder. If insulating compounds such as mastic or paint continue to stick to the gloves, the affected parts should be sparingly wiped with a suitable solvent and re-c1eaned. They may then be returned to their storage box or pouch.

Specific Hazards (Approved Safety Gloves)

Approved safety gloves must be worn for specific types of exposure:

Leather Rigger Gloves

Leather rigger gloves are required to be carried by all members of the crew, carrying out heavy duty lifting work. Fire fighting gloves provide better protection against heat and flame.

Chemical Handling (PVC/Neoprene Gloves)

Particular care should be used when handling chemicals, which must not come into contact with the skin. PVC gloves for handling acids/alkalis should be worn. Special gloves are available (Nitrile) for handling solvents. Handle and remove gloves carefully to avoid contamination of hands and inside the gloves. Wash hands and arms frequently, dry them

carefully and use a hand cream to prevent dryness of the skin through loss of natural oils. Keep cuts and abrasions covered with waterproof plasters.

Electrical Work (Rubber Gloves)

Rubber gloves shall be worn during electrical work (refer to Regulation No 19 Working with Electricity (Offshore)).

Foot Protection

Safety footwear protects against hazards ranging from dermatitis to crushing injuries. Within this broad range of hazards, consideration needs to be given to the possibility of contact with chemicals, extremes of heat, slippery surfaces, punctures from nails or other sharps objects, and electrical hazards both live and static. All personnel working in, or visiting, potentially hazardous areas such as construction sites, workshops, process areas, etc. must wear safety footwear at all times while in the area. Safety footwear in general use SMI operations includes:

Boots and Shoes

These are the most common types of safety footwear and normally comprise rubber soles and leather uppers with integrated steel toecaps. They may also have features such as slip resistant soles and steel mid-soles.

Note: 1 Footwear incorporating external steel toecap, hob nails, steel toe plates or heel plates are forbidden.

Note: 2 Boots shall be replaced when damage exposes the toecap, or when the sole is worn smooth.

Wellington Boots

These protect against water and wet conditions and are useful in jobs where the footwear needs to be washed and disinfected for hygienic reasons, such as in food handling. Usually made from rubber, they are also made from polyurethane and PVC that have greater chemical resistance. Wellington boots are available with steel toecaps and instep guards.

Selection

The selection of protective footwear depends primarily on the hazard(s) but comfort and durability must also be considered. The choice is therefore made on the basis of suitability for protection, compatibility with the work and the requirements of the user.

Generally, safety footwear must be flexible, wet resistant and absorb perspiration. Boots should be selected where ankle protection is required. The ability to resist corrosion, abrasion and industrial wear and tear should also be considered. Manufacturers’ instructions and markings for appropriate use and level of protection must always be observed.

Specific requirements for protective footwear are as follows:

Soles

Boots and shoes to have treaded soles for slip resistance. Soles can be heat and oil resistant, shock resistant, anti-static or conductive, as required for the work being carried out. Footwear intended to protect against oils, solvents or liquids to have soles that are molded or bonded to
the upper. Footwear with steel mid-soles to be used where there is a risk of the sole being pierced by nails and similar objects. The soles of footwear used for abseiling work to have a substantial instep to enable a firm footing when climbing.

Steel toecaps

These to be capable of resisting a heavy sharp object falling from a considerable height.

Burn protection

Footwear made of leather to be used to protect against burning by sparks and slag.

Waterproofing

People working in places where it is wet underfoot to wear safety footwear impervious to water. Rubber and PVC are suitable waterproof materials for footwear but are not permeable and prevent the escape of perspiration. For people whose work requires prolonged wearing of waterproof footwear, items made of ‘breathable’ material to be considered.

Anti-static

Anti-static footwear offers protection against the hazard of static electricity and gives some protection against mains electric shock. Anti-static footwear to be worn where there is both a hazard from static build up and the possibility of contact with mains electricity. The soles to have a resistance low enough to allow static electricity to leak slowly away while maintaining enough resistance to protect against a 240 V mains electric shock.

Care and Maintenance

Safety footwear must be maintained in good condition, checked regularly and discarded if worn or deteriorated. Bootlaces are to be checked and replaced if necessary. Materials lodged in the sole tread should be removed without further damaging the tread. Stitching should be checked for loose, worn or cut seams.

Protective silicone sprays or waxes may be used to give protection against wet conditions.

Body Protection

General Duties (Coveralls)

Coveralls give protection to the wearer against general dirt. The garments shall be manufactured from cotton material.

The coveralls should be of color that is easily seen, namely orange yellow or red (offshore). If dark color material is used, a light-reflective strip should be incorporated across the shoulders of the garment.

Foul Weather Duties (Jacket and Over-Trousers)

These garments give protection against wind, and rain, and some protection against splashing from liquids. The clothing will offer a degree of protection if the wearer is inadvertently exposed to a fire situation.

The garment shall be manufactured from approved materials.

Note:   Personnel employed in the production of hydrocarbons – including drilling operations – should be issued with a jacket and over-trousers.

Chemical Handling (Protective Clothing)

Personnel handling bulk chemicals may require whole body protection against splashes. If necessary, they shall wear impervious suits or aprons.

Handling Low Specific Activity Scale

Personnel handling equipment contaminated by radioactive low specific activity (LSA) scale need special protective equipment. For example:

• Impermeable, disposable one-piece protective coverall.
• Waterproof gloves.
• Hard hat.
• Eye protection (goggles).

Contaminated coveralls should be disposed of along with the LSA scale.

Decontamination (Emergency Showers}

In all places where acids or corrosive liquids are used or handled, emergency water showers shall be provided.

Emergency showers should be tested once per shift and before any work involving the handling of acids or corrosive liquids.

Water feed lines to emergency showers which are exposed to direct sunlight should be lagged.

Care and Maintenance

All types of body protective clothing and equipment must be maintained in good condition and checked regularly. It must be repaired or discarded if damaged. General-purpose coveralls should be regularly laundered to prevent irritation and the spread of skin infections. Coveralls that are damaged or torn must be repaired or replaced.

Chemical suits should be washed in warm water and a mild soap whenever they have come into contact with chemicals. Suits should be hung up to dry before being stored in cases or hung on hangers. Chemical suits have a life expectancy of three to four years and must be inspected and tested every three months, even if not in use. The inspection and testing must include an air test with examination of all seams for leakage. Vapor suits must be air tested, after use and cleaning, with the manufacturers test kit before being stored in a protective case. Where available and when necessary, the manufacturer’s testing and repair services should be used.

HEARING PROTECTION

General Duties

Hearing conversation programmes should be established in all locations where employees are exposed to noise levels above 85dBA for 8 hours.

It is necessary to take special precautions to prevent damage to hearing by exposure to excessive or prolonged noise.

Wear hearing protection in all areas where noise levels exceed 85dBA for an 8-hour shift shall be designated as Hearing Protection Areas.

No exposure to continuous or intermittent noise levels in excess of 115dBA is allowed.

Noise Exposure Dose

To find the average amount of exposure, a person can be subjected to in a period of time, the time weighted average (TWA) is used, based on an 8-hour shift.

Noise exposure should be reduced to as low as reasonably practicable. Everyone entering a designated hearing protection area must wear suitable hearing protection.

Types of Hearing Protection

There are three basic types of hearing protection which are widely used:

• Aural insert protectors (earplugs).
• Semi-aural protectors (canal caps).
• Circum-aural protectors (earmuffs).

1. Earplugs

Earplugs fit into the ear canal. For them to be effective they must be properly inserted. If the plugs are of the disposable type, they must be disposed of every time they are removed.

Non-disposable earplugs must be cleaned regularly to ensure that they do not cause a possible ear infection, both bacterial and fungal. Earplugs worn by one person must never be worn by another.

1. Canal Caps

Canal caps are individually moulded to an individual’s ear. If worn properly, canal caps can reduce noise exposure between 10-30dBA.

1. Earmuffs

Earmuffs can be worn independently or as attachments to a hard hat in addition to earplugs. If worn properly, earmuffs can reduce noise exposure by 15-25 dBA.

Care and Maintenance

Ear plugs are intended to be disposable and although they can be cleaned and reused, it is not recommended.

Ear muffs must be regularly examined for signs of damage or deterioration to the shells, linings and headband, and defective parts replaced. Regular cleaning of the contact seals with a damp cloth will prevent discomfort and ear infection. Ear muffs should be stored in a cool, dry place when not in use.

Respiratory Protection

Introduction

Personnel may be exposed to harmful vapors, dust and other airborne contaminants by the design or operating procedures of the worksite, in these circumstances it will be necessary to provide respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to personnel. This will be identified as one or more of the control measures after conducting a task risk assessment (Information Material Safety Data Sheet).          .

It will be necessary to correctly identify the respiratory hazards, smokes, the product of combustion, dust, abrasion material, liquids, gases, vapors from chemicals, solvents, etc. The concentration and combination of the harmful substances should be assessed for their degree of toxicity. Advice the selection of RPE for particular applications can be sought from HSE Section.

Prior to the selection of suitable RPE, due consideration should be given to potential face-fit problems, including the wearing of facial hair. Full beards are not permitted for staff that may be required to wear respiratory protection during their normal working day, in particular, self contained breathing apparatus for fire fighting, rescue or H2S escape.

Respiratory protection may be required for normal working conditions or emergency conditions and fall into two general categories:

• Those providing air which must pass through a filtering mechanism (referred to as respirators).
• Those providing an air supply from an uncontaminated source (referred to as breathing apparatus).

Note:   It is important to remember that filtration respirators are unsuitable for atmospheres which are deficient in oxygen.

Dust and Fumes (Filter Respirators)

Respirators range in type from a simple disposable dust mask to a high performance full-face mask with filters suitable for organic vapor, acid gas and dust.

It must be emphasized that respirators are only designed to afford protection against relatively low concentrations of toxic substances, and if there is a doubt as to correct level of protection that is required, then the higher level of protection will be selected. This may mean that in certain circumstances a respirator is deemed to be inadequate and breathing apparatus is required. Where doubt arises, advice should be obtained from the HSE Department.

7.7.3   Oxygen Deficiency (Breathing Apparatus}

Where the level of airborne contaminants is beyond the filtration capability of a respirator, or where there is an oxygen deficiency, then breathing apparatus (SA) must be used.

Note:   Portable air compressors may only be used when sited in an unpolluted atmosphere.

Self-contained Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus

• These sets are provided for emergency use where a portable supply of air is required for a short period of time.
• The air for this apparatus is supplied under pressure either from compressed air cylinders carried by wearer, or from trolley sets.
• Self-contained compressed air breathing apparatus (SCABA) shall be located in the control room and at strategic points within hazardous areas. The apparatus is housed in easily distinguishable boxes, or in wall-mounted containers, painted green.
• SCABA shall be inspected and the air pressure checked on a weekly basis, where practicable (inspection, minimum of once a month). Minimum acceptable pressures are specified, depending on the type of equipment being used. The checks shall be recorded and faults reported to the HSE Department. These checks are in addition to specified maintenance schedules.
• After use, a breathing apparatus set shall be serviced and fitted with a fully-charged cylinder before being re-sited. The servicing shall include the cleaning and decontamination of the face piece. On Das Island this will be carried out by the Fire and Rescue Services and offshore by specialized personnel
• All persons required to use breathing apparatus must receive initial training and refresher training at intervals not exceeding 6 months. The training shall be recorded.

7.8       Fall Protection

Use equipment to reduce personal injury when crew may be exposed to:

• A fall of 2 meters.
• Work over the side.
• Work on a vent stack.
• Work in enclosed areas of oxygen deficiency/contamination.

The equipment is to consist of:

• Full body harness.
• Shock absorbing lanyard or approved equipment.
• Connecting hook.

The label should indicate the year and standard of manufacture.

7.8.1   Types of Harness

Waist belts and chest harnesses may be used only for work positioning purposes, i.e. may be used to prevent a person from reaching position where all the risk of a fall exists. The waist belts or chest harnesses are not to be used as fall-arrested equipment.

Fall-arrest equipment requires a full body harness. Such a harness incorporates buttock straps designed to absorb the forces on a falling person. Use a harness in conjunction with shock-absorbing equipment.

7.8.2    Types of Shock-Absorbing Equipment

A lanyard from the harness incorporating a shock-absorbing or break-out device must be attached to a secure anchor point. The maximum length of the lanyard is 2 meters including any connecting hooks.

Shock-absorbing equipment of the dynamic type (e.g. inertia reel) must be directly attached to the body harness, the other end being secured to a suitable anchor point. For convenience, a short lanyard of up to 400 mm may be utilized between the harness attachment point and the hook of the inertia reel.

7.8.3    Connecting Hook

The connecting hook or shackle used in conjunction with the fall-arrest equipment requires to be of an auto-locking or double action type.

7.8.4    Safety Belt and Life Line

When the safety belt and life line are used, prearranged signals shall be used with the member outside the hazardous area (refer to Table below)

7.9       Fire Fighting Personnel Protective Equipments

7.9.1    Standards for Fire Fighting PPE

The minimum requirement calls for whole body protection, i.e. neck, torso, arms and legs; it excludes the head, hands and feet.

The specification for the clothing allows for a degree of flexibility in design and the garment may either be:

• A single garment.
• A two-piece suit consisting of a jacket and trousers with a specified minimum overlap.
• A series of outlet and under garments designed to be worn together. In such a case, this must be declared on the labels of all the garments involved, and instruction is required to ensure that the requirement of this clause is met on every occasion.

With respect to this particular type of risk, such PPE must possess thermal insulation capacity and mechanical strength appropriate to the conditions of use amongst other requirements, for example, a good quality three-layered garment.

7.9.2    Fire Fighting (Fireman’s Helmet)

The conventional rig safety helmet is not suitable for helideck use and should not be worn during helicopter operations. The thermo-plastic material used to form the shell of the helmet has poor heat resistance properties, and the helmet will readily deform if subjected to a fire situation.

Firemen’s helmets complete with appropriate visors are required for fire fighting duties.

7.9.3    Fire Fighting (Suit, Underclothing and Flash Hoods)

Fireman’s Suit (Whole Body Protection)

The Company should assess the level of risk that firefighters are likely to be exposed to, taking into account all duties carried out, prior to selecting an appropriate level of protection in accordance with Standards for Fire fighting PPE.

Underclothing

It should be recognized that ‘adequate clothing’ should be worn beneath fire tunics/over trousers etc at all times of year. This is necessary to ensure good insulation against the high levels of radiated heat which can be expected from any liquid hydrocarbon fire.

‘Adequate clothing’ would include cotton/tool shirt and trousers and/or coveralls.

Flash Hoods

The provision of flash hoods is recommended in order to provide full body protection.

7.10    Working Over Water (Life Jackets And Work Vest)

When work is being carried out where there is a risk of falling in to the water, a life jacket shall be worn. When the wearing of a Iifejackets is impractical, a Work Vest/Buoyancy Aid shall be worn.

Approved lifejackets must be worn by all personnel travelling on or over water. Aircraft and Boat Captains have complete authority on the need to wear lifejackets, and their instructions must be obeyed.

Lifejackets must be secured in the approved fashion.

Lifejackets and work vests must comply with an appropriate standard, be inspected regularly and before use, and maintained in good condition.

8. SELECTION OF PPE

Before selecting an item of PPE, an assessment should be undertaken which should be carried out along the following lines:

• Identification of the risk with respect to a job or particular circumstances.
• Characteristics and standards of the proposed PPE.
• Comparison between (a) and (b) to establish the suitability of the equipment for the risks involved and for the personal characteristics of the use.

8.1       Compatibility

Ensure that where a combination of PPE is to be worn, the items are compatible and do not interfere with the effective use of the other items of PPE.

8.2       Primary Assessment

In many cases, the assessment will be simple and obvious, and an initial assessment of equipment suitable for a particular risk, or group risks, will be sufficient.

8.3       Secondary Assessment

In more complex cases, however, an assessment shall be performed by an individual with a thorough knowledge of the risks involved in a particular task. The results of the assessment will require to be recorded, and information made readily available to others who may be involved in the selection of appropriate protective equipment to match particular jobs.

9. STANDARDS I MAINTENANCE & STORAGE OF PPE

9.1       Minimum Standards

Protective clothing shall be issued which is suitable for an individual site. As a minimum when on a production, process, construction or drilling worksite, personnel would normally be required to wear safety helmet, coveralls and safety boots.

Personnel, who work inside e.g. in galleys or kitchens, cleaning accommodation, in workshops or maintaining office equipment etc., must also be provided with suitable PPE. Local rules will state the areas in which this equipment is required to be worn. Shorts and other similar sports wear should not be worn at operational sites.

The minimum standards set by the Company for protective clothing or equipment shall apply, as appropriate, to all persons on site, including visitors and contractor’s personnel. PPE shall comply with relevant standards.

9.2       Maintenance of PPE

• PPE must be maintained in an efficient state. The level of inspection or maintenance with respect to PPE will be determined by the type of equipment used and the conditions in which it is used.
• With simple equipment, an inspection by the user immediately before use may suffice, and maintenance may be in the form of cleaning or laundering, with the item being replaced when worn out.
• Protective clothing and equipment should be used properly, and any defects in the equipment shall be reported to the supervisor.
• Do not wear clothing or equipment that is contaminated (e.g. oil, grease or other substances), return it for cleaning or replacement.
• Where appropriate, a record of inspection and maintenance will be necessary, and manufacturer’s maintenance schedules should be followed.

9.3       Storage of PPE

PPE must be stored correctly. The Company shall make appropriate arrangements for the storage of PPE:

• The storage shall be adequate to protect the equipment from damage or contamination.
• Items of PPE shall be adequate to protect the equipment from damage or contamination.

10. TRAINING IN THE USE AND MAINTENANCE OF PPE

Those involved in the use of PPE shall be given suitable instruction and training in the use of particular equipment as follows:

• ‘Everyday’ equipment which is simple to use will require only basic instructions.

Personnel involvement in the use, maintenance, repairs or testing of more complex equipment will require formal training, and such training may be both theoretical and practical. In such cases, refresher training may be required, as an appropriate, and records of ppe- Personal Protective Equipment

Written By - Davie Burner, Compliance Manager, Auko Text China Co Ltd.