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Learn how to select appropriate personal protective equipment, or PPE, for the kind of work you do.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) provides added individual protection even when a hazard is being mitigated by engineering controls and work practices. PPE includes all clothing and accessories designed to protect against safety and health hazards.
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PPE must be worn at all times when hazardous material is in use in the workplace. You never know when the actions of someone else may impact your health and safety.
Supervisors must:
Evaluate hazardous materials before work begins. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) list appropriate and compatible safety equipment. In-depth resources, such as toxicological databases, have information on chronic and acute toxicity issues.
PPE doesn't eliminate the hazard. If the equipment fails or is improperly used, exposure can occur. For reliable protection, make sure PPE is clean, in good condition, fits correctly, and is appropriate for the materials and equipment you're working with.
Understanding the purpose and limitations of PPE will help you select and use it effectively.
Different types of PPE are described below:
| Eye protection | Use safety glasses for minor splash hazards, goggles for moderate hazards, and goggles combined with a face shield for severe hazards. Read Eye Protection for more information. |
| Hand protection | Use disposable surgical-type gloves for incidental contact. (Nitrile gloves are usually a good choice for general use.) Use heavy-duty gloves for non-incidental contact and gross contamination. Read Glove Selection and Use for more information. |
| Protective clothing | Use protective clothing as a safeguard against spills, splashes, and other exposures when handling hazardous materials. Always remove protective clothing at the workplace to prevent the spread of contamination to your car, home, or public places. In laboratories, always wear a lab coat or flame resistant lab coat depending on the activity. Other lab clothing includes smocks, scrub suits, gowns, and rubber or coated aprons. Summer clothes (such as shorts or short-sleeved shirts) don't offer adequate protection when working in the laboratory. Other criteria for selecting lab clothing include:
Shop and maintenance workers handling hazardous materials such as pesticides, herbicides, and caustic materials, should wear coveralls or a uniform they can change out of after work. |
| Shoes | Lab workers must wear closed-toe shoes at all times to protect feet from chemical spills and sharp objects. Other high-risk professions require different types of protective footwear, including:
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| Hearing protection | A variety of hearing protectors, including earplugs and ear muffs, are available for employees whose workplace reaches critical noise levels. Situations where employees are routinely exposed to elevated noise levels must be evaluated to determine if employees must be included in UCSD's Hearing Conservation Program. |
| Respiratory protection | Fitted (cartridge) air-filtering face masks are only used under the direction of EH&S. Work environments and processes where exposure to harmful material by inhalation is possible and cannot be prevented with engineering controls will be evaluated to determine if employees must be included in UCSD's Respiratory Protection Program.
Disposable "dust masks" may be used for protection from nuisance dusts. |
| Head protection | Hard hats must be worn by electricians, construction workers, and any other workers when there is a danger of objects falling from above. |
Leave PPE at the workplace to prevent the spread of contamination. Never wear lab coats, gloves, or other PPE into cafeterias, restrooms, elevators, or off-site areas. Follow these guidelines to avoid spreading contaminants: