Use of PPE
As an employer, you must ensure that employees have access to PPE free of charge. From the RI&E (risk inventory and evaluation), you describe what PPE is needed. PPE is a supplement. First, of course, you want to prevent risks by eliminating hazards.
What is personal protective equipment?
These are devices that protect body parts from a specific hazard identified at work. Consider the chance of flying chips that can get into your eye. The chance that objects could fall on your head. Noise that could enter your ears too loudly or toxins you could potentially inhale. But also working outside in the summer and thus may suffer from heat stress.
Types of PPE and requirements.
- There are several types of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
- Fall protection (for example: safety harnesses, fall belts and lifelines)
- Hearing protection (e.g., orthoplastics, ear muffs)
- Face protection (for example: a face mask or welding hood)
- Eye protection (e.g., safety glasses, transfer glasses or wide-view glasses)
- Head protection (for example: safety cap or safety helmet)
- Foot protection (for example: safety shoes or safety boots)
- Protective clothing (e.g., saw pants, safety jacket, chemical coveralls)
- Respiratory protection (for example: dust mask, half mask, full face mask)
There are requirements for all PPE. First, of course, it must protect against the risk for which it is intended. In doing so, the employee must be able to work normally and not create new risks. PPE is divided into three risk categories, each with its own requirements. Compliance is indicated by the corresponding CE mark.
Category 1:
Against minimal risks. These are personal protective equipment that protects against:
- Superficial mechanical injury; Contact with relatively harmless cleaning agents or prolonged contact with water
- Contact with hot surfaces not exceeding 50 °C
- Damage to the eyes resulting from exposure to sunlight (other than during observation of the sun)
- Weather conditions that are not extreme in nature.
Examples of risk class I personal protective equipment include sunglasses, rain gear and simple gardening gloves.
Category 2:
personal protective equipment against medium hazards, which are not listed under categories 1 and 3. Most personal protective equipment falls under this category. Examples include safety shoes and a safety helmet.
Category 3:
personal protective equipment against risks that can have very serious consequences and cannot be undone. They cover:
- Substances and mixtures hazardous to health
- Breathing air with too little oxygen
- Harmful biological agents
- Ionizing radiation
- Warm environment with effects similar to those of an air temperature of at least 100 °C
- Cold environment with effects similar to those of an air temperature of - 50 °C or less
- Falling down from a great height
- Electric shock and live work
- Drowning
- Chainsaw cuts
- High Pressure Blasting
- Gunshot wounds or stab wounds
- Harmful noise
Manufacturers of Category 3 protective equipment are required to provide them with a European type approval. These devices must also always have a certificate of conformity supplied with the product.
Employer and PPE
An employer has a number of obligations towards its employees. This is to use this to provide a safe and healthy workplace for all employees.
This requires the employer to provide employees with proper instructions and education on the use of PPE including how to maintain it. It must also be clear to employees when these Personal Protective Equipment should be used.
The employer must provide the Personal Protective Equipment to employees free of charge.
The employer must also ensure that personal protective equipment is used and deployed properly and that it is also properly maintained.
And finally, also clearly define its use and deployment in the house rules or employment contract
And the employee...
The employee in this also has his/her obligations around the use of PPE They are required to use it and follow the user instructions in doing so. Also, an employee is obliged to attend the necessary education around the use of PPE.
How easily do you manage the request, approval and issuance of PPE?
With ISO2HANDLE, you have a nice PPE module at your disposal. This allows employees to request PPE. Once they do so, the manager receives a notification to approve this request. Once the manager has approved the request, the request is automatically forwarded to the purchaser.
The purchasing agent can order the items and when they are in, notifies them. With this, the requestor receives immediate notification that the requested PPE is available for pickup.
Once the items are picked up, you can use the PPE pickup form to sign off that you have received the PPE in good order.
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