Compliance Guidelines for Hazard Assessment & Personal Protective Equipment Selection This page is reproduced in May 2013 directly from OSHA web site Non-mandatory Compliance Guidelines for Hazard Assessment and Personal Protective Equipment Selection for the convenience of our system user. Please use the link to view current OSHA information on this topic. This Appendix is intended to provide compliance
assistance for employers and employees in implementing requirements for a
hazard assessment and the selection of personal protective equipment.
1. Controlling hazards. PPE devices alone should not be relied on to
provide protection against hazards, but should be used in conjunction
with guards, engineering controls, and sound manufacturing practices.
2. Assessment and selection. It is necessary to consider certain general
guidelines for assessing the foot, head, eye and face, and hand hazard
situations that exist in an occupational or educational operation or
process, and to match the protective devices to the particular hazard.
It should be the responsibility of the safety officer to exercise common
sense and appropriate expertise to accomplish these tasks.
3. Assessment guidelines. In order to assess the need for PPE the following steps should be taken:
a. Survey. Conduct a walk-through survey of the areas in question. The
purpose of the survey is to identify sources of hazards to workers and
co-workers. Consideration should be given to the basic hazard
categories:
(a) Impact
(b) Penetration
(c) Compression (roll-over)
(d) Chemical
(e) Heat
(f) Harmful dust
(g) Light (optical) radiation
b. Sources. During the walk-through survey the safety officer should observe:
(a) sources of motion; i.e., machinery or processes where any movement
of tools, machine elements or particles could exist, or movement of
personnel that could result in collision with stationary objects;
(b) sources of high temperatures that could result in burns, eye injury or ignition of protective equipment, etc.;
(c) types of chemical exposures;
(d) sources of harmful dust;
(e) sources of light radiation, i.e., welding, brazing, cutting, furnaces, heat treating, high intensity lights, etc.;
(f) sources of falling objects or potential for dropping objects;
(g) sources of sharp objects which might pierce the feet or cut the hands;
(h) sources of rolling or pinching objects which could crush the feet;
(i) layout of workplace and location of co-workers; and (j) any
electrical hazards. In addition, injury/accident data should be reviewed
to help identify problem areas.
c. Organize data. Following the walk-through survey, it is necessary to
organize the data and information for use in the assessment of hazards.
The objective is to prepare for an analysis of the hazards in the
environment to enable proper selection of protective equipment.
d. Analyze data. Having gathered and organized data on a workplace, an
estimate of the potential for injuries should be made. Each of the basic
hazards (paragraph 3.a.) should be reviewed and a determination made as
to the type, level of risk, and seriousness of potential injury from
each of the hazards found in the area. The possibility of exposure to
several hazards simultaneously should be considered.
4. Selection guidelines. After completion of the procedures in paragraph
3, the general procedure for selection of protective equipment is to:
(a) Become familiar with the potential hazards and the type of
protective equipment that is available, and what it can do; i.e., splash
protection, impact protection, etc.;
(b) compare the hazards associated with the environment; i.e., impact
velocities, masses, projectile shape, radiation intensities, with the
capabilities of the available protective equipment;
(c) select the protective equipment which ensures a level of protection
greater than the minimum required to protect employees from the hazards;
and
(d) fit the user with the protective device and give instructions on
care and use of the PPE. It is very important that end users be made
aware of all warning labels for and limitations of their PPE.
5. Fitting the device. Careful consideration must be given to comfort
and fit. PPE that fits poorly will not afford the necessary protection.
Continued wearing of the device is more likely if it fits the wearer
comfortably. Protective devices are generally available in a variety of
sizes. Care should be taken to ensure that the right size is selected.
6. Devices with adjustable features. Adjustments should be made on an
individual basis for a comfortable fit that will maintain the protective
device in the proper position. Particular care should be taken in
fitting devices for eye protection against dust and chemical splash to
ensure that the devices are sealed to the face. In addition, proper
fitting of helmets is important to ensure that it will not fall off
during work operations. In some cases a chin strap may be necessary to
keep the helmet on an employee's head. (Chin straps should break at a
reasonably low force, however, so as to prevent a strangulation hazard).
Where manufacturer's instructions are available, they should be
followed carefully.
7. Reassessment of hazards. It is the responsibility of the safety
officer to reassess the workplace hazard situation as necessary, by
identifying and evaluating new equipment and processes, reviewing
accident records, and reevaluating the suitability of previously
selected PPE.
8. Selection chart guidelines for eye and face protection. Some
occupations (not a complete list) for which eye protection should be
routinely considered are: carpenters, electricians, machinists,
mechanics and repairers, millwrights, plumbers and pipe fitters, sheet
metal workers and tinsmiths, assemblers, sanders, grinding machine
operators, lathe and milling machine operators, sawyers, welders,
laborers, chemical process operators and handlers, and timber cutting
and logging workers. The following chart provides general guidance for
the proper selection of eye and face protection to protect against
hazards associated with the listed hazard "source" operations.
Eye and Face Protection Selection Chart
Source |
Assessment of Hazard |
Protection |
IMPACT -- Chipping, grinding
machining, masonry work, woodworking, sawing, drilling, chiseling,
powered fastening, riveting, and sanding |
Flying fragments, objects, large chips, particles sand, dirt, etc |
Spectacles with side protection, goggles, face shields. See notes (1), (3), (5), (6), (10). For severe exposure, use faceshield. |
HEAT -- Furnace operations, pouring, casting, hot dipping, and welding |
Hot sparks |
Faceshields, goggles, spectacles with side protection. For severe exposure use faceshield. See notes (1), (2), (3). |
|
Splash from molten metals |
Faceshields worn over goggles. See notes (1), (2), (3). |
|
High temperature exposure |
Screen face shields, reflective face shields. See notes (1), (2), (3). |
CHEMICALS -- Acid and chemicals handling, degreasing plating |
Splash |
Goggles, eyecup and cover types. For severe exposure, use face shield. See notes (3), (11). |
|
Irritating mists |
Special-purpose goggles. |
DUST -- Woodworking, buffing, general dusty conditions |
Nuisance dust |
Goggles, eyecup and cover types. See note (8). |
LIGHT and/or RADIATION -- |
|
|
Welding: Electric arc |
Optical radiation |
Welding helmets or welding shields. Typical shades: 10-14. See notes (9), (12) |
Welding: Gas |
Optical radiation |
Welding goggles or welding face shield. Typical shades: gas welding 4-8, cutting 3-6, brazing 3-4. See note (9) |
Cutting, Torch brazing, Torch soldering |
Optical radiation |
Spectacles or welding face-shield. Typical shades, 1.5-3. See notes (3), (9) |
Glare |
Poor vision |
Spectacles with shaded or special-purpose lenses, as suitable. See notes (9), (10). |
Notes to Eye and Face Protection Selection Chart:
(1) Care should be taken to recognize the possibility of multiple and
simultaneous exposure to a variety of hazards. Adequate protection
against the highest level of each of the hazards should be provided.
Protective devices do not provide unlimited protection.
(2) Operations involving heat may also involve light radiation. As
required by the standard, protection from both hazards must be provided.
(3) Faceshields should only be worn over primary eye protection (spectacles or goggles).
(4) As required by the standard, filter lenses must meet the
requirements for shade designations in 1910.133(a)(5). Tinted and shaded
lenses are not filter lenses unless they are marked or identified as
such.
(5) As required by the standard, persons whose vision requires the use
of prescription (Rx) lenses must wear either protective devices fitted
with prescription (Rx) lenses or protective devices designed to be worn
over regular prescription (Rx) eyewear.
(6) Wearers of contact lenses must also wear appropriate eye and face
protection devices in a hazardous environment. It should be recognized
that dusty and/or chemical environments may represent an additional
hazard to contact lens wearers.
(7) Caution should be exercised in the use of metal frame protective devices in electrical hazard areas.
(8) Atmospheric conditions and the restricted ventilation of the
protector can cause lenses to fog. Frequent cleansing may be necessary.
(9) Welding helmets or faceshields should be used only over primary eye protection (spectacles or goggles).
(10) Non-sideshield spectacles are available for frontal protection
only, but are not acceptable eye protection for the sources and
operations listed for "impact."
(11) Ventilation should be adequate, but well protected from splash
entry. Eye and face protection should be designed and used so that it
provides both adequate ventilation and protects the wearer from splash
entry.
(12) Protection from light radiation is directly related to filter lens
density. See note (4) . Select the darkest shade that allows task
performance.
9. Selection guidelines for head protection. All head protection
(helmets) is designed to provide protection from impact and penetration
hazards caused by falling objects. Head protection is also available
which provides protection from electric shock and burn. When selecting
head protection, knowledge of potential electrical hazards is important.
Class A helmets, in addition to impact and penetration resistance,
provide electrical protection from low-voltage conductors (they are
proof tested to 2,200 volts). Class B helmets, in addition to impact and
penetration resistance, provide electrical protection from high-voltage
conductors (they are proof tested to 20,000 volts). Class C helmets
provide impact and penetration resistance (they are usually made of
aluminum which conducts electricity), and should not be used around
electrical hazards.
Where falling object hazards are present, helmets must be worn. Some
examples include: working below other workers who are using tools and
materials which could fall; working around or under conveyor belts which
are carrying parts or materials; working below machinery or processes
which might cause material or objects to fall; and working on exposed
energized conductors.
Some examples of occupations for which head protection should be
routinely considered are: carpenters, electricians, linemen, mechanics
and repairers, plumbers and pipe fitters, assemblers, packers, wrappers,
sawyers, welders, laborers, freight handlers, timber cutting and
logging, stock handlers, and warehouse laborers.
Beginning with the ANSI Z89.1-1997 standard, ANSI updated the
classification system for protective helmets. Prior revisions used type
classifications to distinguish between caps and full brimmed hats.
Beginning in 1997, Type I designated helmets designed to reduce the
force of impact resulting from a blow only to the top of the head, while
Type II designated helmets designed to reduce the force of impact
resulting from a blow to the top or sides of the head. Accordingly, if a
hazard assessment indicates that lateral impact to the head is
foreseeable, employers must select Type II helmets for their employees.
To improve comprehension and usefulness, the 1997 revision also
redesignated the electrical-protective classifications for helmets as
follows: "Class G -- General"; helmets designed to reduce the danger of
contact with low-voltage conductors; "Class E -- Electrical"; helmets
designed to reduce the danger of contact with conductors at higher
voltage levels; and "Class C -- Conductive"; helmets that provide no
protection against contact with electrical hazards.
10. Selection guidelines for foot protection. Safety shoes and boots
which meet the ANSI Z41-1991 Standard provide both impact and
compression protection. Where necessary, safety shoes can be obtained
which provide puncture protection. In some work situations, metatarsal
protection should be provided, and in other special situations
electrical conductive or insulating safety shoes would be appropriate.
Safety shoes or boots with impact protection would be required for
carrying or handling materials such as packages, objects, parts or heavy
tools, which could be dropped; and, for other activities where objects
might fall onto the feet. Safety shoes or boots with compression
protection would be required for work activities involving skid trucks
(manual material handling carts) around bulk rolls (such as paper rolls)
and around heavy pipes, all of which could potentially roll over an
employee's feet. Safety shoes or boots with puncture protection would be
required where sharp objects such as nails, wire, tacks, screws, large
staples, scrap metal etc., could be stepped on by employees causing a
foot injury.
Some occupations (not a complete list) for which foot protection should
be routinely considered are: shipping and receiving clerks, stock
clerks, carpenters, electricians, machinists, mechanics and repairers,
plumbers and pipe fitters, structural metal workers, assemblers, drywall
installers and lathers, packers, wrappers, craters, punch and stamping
press operators, sawyers, welders, laborers, freight handlers, gardeners
and grounds-keepers, timber cutting and logging workers, stock handlers
and warehouse laborers.
11. Selection guidelines for hand protection. Gloves are often relied
upon to prevent cuts, abrasions, burns, and skin contact with chemicals
that are capable of causing local or systemic effects following dermal
exposure. OSHA is unaware of any gloves that provide protection against
all potential hand hazards, and commonly available glove materials
provide only limited protection against many chemicals. Therefore, it is
important to select the most appropriate glove for a particular
application and to determine how long it can be worn, and whether it can
be reused.
It is also important to know the performance characteristics of gloves
relative to the specific hazard anticipated; e.g., chemical hazards, cut
hazards, flame hazards, etc. These performance characteristics should
be assessed by using standard test procedures. Before purchasing gloves,
the employer should request documentation from the manufacturer that
the gloves meet the appropriate test standard(s) for the hazard(s)
anticipated. Other factors to be considered for glove selection in
general include:
(A) As long as the performance characteristics are acceptable, in
certain circumstances, it may be more cost effective to regularly change
cheaper gloves than to reuse more expensive types; and,
(B) The work activities of the employee should be studied to determine
the degree of dexterity required, the duration, frequency, and degree of
exposure of the hazard, and the physical stresses that will be applied.
With respect to selection of gloves for protection against chemical hazards:
(A) The toxic properties of the chemical(s) must be determined; in
particular, the ability of the chemical to cause local effects on the
skin and/or to pass through the skin and cause systemic effects;
(B) Generally, any "chemical resistant" glove can be used for dry powders;
(C) For mixtures and formulated products (unless specific test data are
available), a glove should be selected on the basis of the chemical
component with the shortest breakthrough time, since it is possible for
solvents to carry active ingredients through polymeric materials; and,
(D) Employees must be able to remove the gloves in such a manner as to prevent skin contamination.
12. Cleaning and maintenance. It is important that all PPE be kept clean
and properly maintained. Cleaning is particularly important for eye and
face protection where dirty or fogged lenses could impair vision.
For the purposes of compliance with 1910.132 (a) and (b), PPE should be
inspected, cleaned, and maintained at regular intervals so that the PPE
provides the requisite protection.
It is also important to ensure that contaminated PPE which cannot be
decontaminated is disposed of in a manner that protects employees from
exposure to hazards.
[59 FR 16362, April 6, 1994; 74 FR 46357, Sept. 9, 2009] |