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Security and Public Safety > Environmental Health and Safety Policies > Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Program

The following guidelines are provided to assist the employees of Lake Forest College in developing their procedures so they meet the requirements of the OSHA standards regarding personal protective equipment.

Personal protective equipment should not be relied on as the only means to provide protection against hazards, but should be used in conjunction with guards, engineering controls, and sound practices.

Purpose
It is Lake Forest College's purpose in issuing these procedures to further ensure a safe workplace based on the following formal, written procedures for the use of personal protective equipment.  These procedures will be reviewed and updated as needed to comply with OSHA regulations, new practices in the use of personal protective equipment, and as business practices demand.  The Director of Security and Public Safety is the Program Coordinator and is responsible for its implementation.

It is the responsibility of the Director, Manager, Supervisor or the Department Head of each department to determine which jobs or duties within their department require the use of personal protective equipment.  The supervisor is then responsible for the direct supervision of the program within that department.

Any concerns regarding this program or specific duties requiring the use of PPE should be brought to the attention of the Department Head or the Director of Security and Public Safety.

Copies of the written plan may be obtained at the Office of Security and Public Safety or the Business Office of Lake Forest College.

Application
These general procedures apply to all employees of Lake Forest College who might be exposed to hazards during the course of their duties.  Violations of these procedures could be cause for disciplinary actions.

The following safety plans contain the guidelines for the use of PPE while performing duties that are specific to those plans:

  • Chemical Hygiene Plan (Laboratory Safety)
  • Exposure Control Plan (ECP) for Bloodborne Pathogens
  • Hazard Communication Plan (working with hazardous chemicals)
  • Lockout/Tagout - Energy Control Guidelines
  • Scaffolding Safety Procedures
  • Procedures for Working with Gases, Vapors, Fumes, and Dust
  • Electrical Safety Program
  • Electrical Safety in the Instructional and Research Laboratories
  • Fall Protection Guidelines

All outside contractors or vendors will maintain responsibility to comply with all OSHA regulations regarding the use of PPE.

General Procedures
Hazard Assessment
The Director, Manager, Supervisor, or Department Head should identify jobs or duties where exposures to hazards occur or could occur.  The following is a list of the basic hazard categories and the types of sources that produce those hazards:

  • Impact - 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, or sources of potential falling or dropping objects
  • Heat - sources of high temperature that could result in burns, eye injury or ignition of clothing or equipment
  • Penetration - sources of sharp objects which might pierce or cut parts of the body including feet or hands
  • Harmful dust - sources of dusts or airborne particles that might be inhaled
  • Compression (roll over) - sources of rolling or pinching objects which could crush the feet or other body parts
  • Light (optical) radiation - sources of light radiation, i.e., welding, brazing, cutting, furnaces, or high intensity light which could cause damage to vision
  • Chemicals - sources of hazardous chemicals which could cause bodily harm

PPE Selection Guidelines
Once the hazard has been identified and evaluated, these general procedures should be followed for selecting the proper PPE:

  • Become familiar with the potential hazards and the type of PPE that are available, and what they can do
  • Compare the types of PPE available for the hazards, with consideration of the environment in which the hazard exists
  • Select the PPE which ensures a level of protection greater than the minimum required to protect the employees from the hazards
  • Fit the user with proper, comfortable, well-fitting protection and instruct employees on care and use of the PPE.  It is very important that the users are aware of all warning labels for and limitations of their PPE. 
  • Continuously review and evaluate the suitability of the selected PPE

Employee Training
Once the PPE has been selected, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to make sure that the employee who is required to use the PPE has the proper training or understanding of that PPE.  The training should include:

  • When PPE is necessary
  • What PPE is necessary
  • How to wear the assigned PPE
  • Limitations of the PPE
  • The proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of the PPE

Cleaning and Maintenance
It is important that all PPE be kept clean and properly maintained by the employee to whom it is assigned.  PPE is to be inspected, cleaned, and maintained by employees at regular intervals as part of their normal job duties so that the PPE provides the requisite protection.  If PPE is for general use, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that the equipment is properly cleaned and maintained.  If a piece of PPE is in need of repair or replacement it is the responsibility of the employee to bring it to the immediate attention of his or her supervisor.  PPE that is in disrepair or not able to perform its intended function should not be used and should be disposed of properly.

PPE Information
All PPE must be approved by the manufacturer for the types of hazard it is protecting against.  Some of the PPE to be considered are:

  • Eye and Face Protection - Goggles and Face Shields
  • Foot Protection - Safety Shoes
  • Hand Protection - Gloves
  • Head Protection - Hard Hats
  • Hearing Protection - Ear Plugs