Washington State University
SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

---

General Requirements for Personal Protective Equipment

This section describes procedures for ensuring that employees, students and visitors are protected from hazards through the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). (WAC 296-800-160)

PPE are designed to protect the body from absorption, inhalation, physical contact, and extreme temperature hazards. Such hazards have the potential to cause bodily injury or impairment.

Personal protective equipment includes, but is not limited to:

• Eye and face protection,
• Head protection,
• Hand protection,
• Protective footwear,
• Respiratory protective devices, and
• Hearing protectors.

University administrators, faculty, and supervisors are to ensure employees, students, and visitors have and use proper personal protective equipment in potentially hazardous situations.

The University selects and provides personal protective equipment when required by provisions in this section.

Supervisors evaluate workplaces to identify hazards requiring the use of personal protective equipment.

Supervisors ensure employees are provided with and are trained in the proper use of personal protective equipment.

Employees and students are responsible for using personal protective equipment as described in this and other sections of the Safety Policies and Procedures Manual or whenever warranted by hazardous conditions.

Employees are to contact their supervisor or Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) with questions or concerns regarding workplace hazards and personal protective equipment.

Supervisors must assess their workplaces to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which require the use of personal protective equipment.

To perform a hazard assessment, supervisors conduct a walk-through survey. Such a survey involves:

• Observing work conditions and practices, and


• Obtaining information from employees.

Contact EH&S for assistance with conducting hazard assessments, if desired.

Conduct a hazard reassessment whenever new equipment or processes are introduced, or injury and illness records indicate the need for personal protective equipment.

General hazard categories requiring assessment include, but are not limited to:

• Impact/penetration
• Noise*
• Compression (rollover)
• Chemical contact
• Extreme heat and cold exposure
• Electrical hazards
• Light (optical) radiation
• Respirable hazards (dusts, mists, fumes, vapors)*

*EH&S is responsible for conducting noise (S80.51) and respiratory (S80.80) hazard assessments. Telephone 335-3041 to arrange for a hazard assessment.

To assist in implementing this policy, EH&S provides PPE Hazard Assessment Guidelines upon request. The guidelines include charts to assist supervisors in assessing workplace hazards and selecting appropriate PPE.

Laboratory units should use the Laboratory Safety Manual, section IV, Standard Operating Procedures to assess chemical hazards and select appropriate protective equipment.

Contact EH&S for a copy of the guidelines and/or to request a review of a workplace hazard assessment; telephone 335-3041.

After surveying work areas and practices, the supervisor documents the hazard assessment.

Use the certification form in the PPE Hazard Assessment Guidelines or create a memorandum to document and certify the assessment.

This documentation must:

• Identify the workplace evaluated,


• Identify the person certifying that the assessment has been performed,


• Identify the date(s) of the hazard assessment, and


• Identify the document as a certification of hazard assessment.

The department must retain this hazard assessment certification document.

Eliminate or control identified hazards by using engineering and administrative controls when technologically and economically feasible. EH&S can assist departments by recommending and evaluating potential engineering and administrative controls.

Engineering controls are passive measures designed into the work environment to prevent contact with a hazard.

Examples of engineering controls are:

• Eliminating toxic substances,
• Using less toxic substitutes,
• Changing process design,
• Installing barriers,
• Isolating or enclosing hazards, and
• Using local ventilation.

Administrative controls include:

• Work practices,
• Proper housekeeping practices,
• Employee training, and
• Worker rotation to minimize worker exposure.

When engineering and administrative controls are not feasible, timely, or do not completely eliminate a hazard, personal protective equipment must be used.

Select personal protective equipment based on the types of hazards identified during the assessment.

Give careful consideration to:

• Level of protection,
• Fit, and
• Comfort.

All personal protective equipment is to be of safe design and constructed for the specific work to be performed. Eye, face, head, and foot protection must meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) specifications.

The PPE Hazard Assessment Guidelines include charts to be used as a general guide in selecting appropriate PPE.

Contact EH&S to request assistance in selecting suitable PPE; telephone 335-3041.

Employing and academic departments are responsible for providing and maintaining required personal protective equipment.

Department-provided PPE may include, but is not limited to:

• Respirators (S80.80)
• Impact safety glasses, goggles and face shields
• Prescription safety glasses (S30.30)
• Chemical goggles and face shields
• Welding goggles, face shields and helmets
• Laser-protective eyewear
• Hard hats
• Welding gloves
• Cut-resistant gloves
• Chemical gloves
• Electrical gloves
• Laboratory coats
• Chemical resistant coveralls
• Safety-toe footwear (S30.50)
• Hearing protection (S80.51)
• Cryogenic gloves
• Heat-resistant gloves

When an employee decides to supply any of the personal protective equipment listed above, the supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the equipment is:

• Suitable for the hazard,
• Provides the appropriate level of protection, and
• Properly maintained.

Central Stores carries a wide selection of certified/approved personal protective equipment. See BPPM 70.35.

Contact EH&S or Purchasing for assistance in locating a vendor if an item is unavailable at Central Stores.

Employees are to provide equipment that is personal in nature, except safety-toe footwear and extreme cold weather apparel. See S30.50 and S30.70.

Examples of employee-provided equipment include, but are not limited to, items such as apparel appropriate for inclement weather normally expected in the area.

The supervisor is to ensure that each employee assigned personal protective equipment is adequately trained.

Employees must receive information and training about:

• When, what and why personal protective equipment is necessary.


• Personal protective equipment selection criteria.


• How to properly don, remove, adjust, and wear personal protective equipment.


• Uses and limitations of personal protective equipment.


• Proper care, inspection, maintenance, useful life and disposal of personal protective equipment.

Each employee must demonstrate an understanding of the training elements before being allowed to perform work requiring the use of personal protective equipment.

Acceptable methods of determining employee understanding include:

• Orally questioning the employee,


• Observing the employee using the personal protective equipment in an artificial/real setting, or


• Administering a written test.

An employee must be retrained when there has been:

• A change in the workplace, such as new equipment or processes, which render the previous training obsolete;


• A change in the type of personal protective equipment being used, requiring additional training.

An employee must also be retrained if:

• The written test or oral questioning indicates inadequate employee knowledge, or


• The use of assigned personal protective equipment indicates the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill.

Training information and materials can be obtained from manufacturers, supplying vendors, and EH&S.

Training videos are available from EH&S ; telephone 335-3041. View the EH&S Training Video WWW site at:

http://www.ehs.wsu.edu/

Select Training

Select Video Tapes

Supervisors are to document that each affected employee has received and understood the training.

Use the training report template included in the PPE Hazard Assessment Guidelines or create a memorandum to certify and document employee training.

The documentation must:

• Include the employee name,


• Include the date(s) of training, and


• Identify the document as a training record.

Supervisors must submit a Training Report to Human Resource Services (HRS) for each training session participant. HRS is responsible for documenting and maintaining accurate training records for all University employees. See BPPM 60.71.

Employees inspect personal protective equipment before each use and after any incident that could impair the equipment's effectiveness.

Inspect personal protective equipment in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.

Employees and supervisors take defective and damaged equipment out of service.

The department repairs/replaces personal protective equipment in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.

Employees maintain and store personal protective equipment in a sanitary and reliable condition in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.

The department provides clean facilities (i.e., sealable container, locker or cabinet) for employees to store their personal protective equipment.

The department provides cleaning supplies specified by the manufacturer at the storage location.

Call Environmental Health and Safety (335-3041) for assistance with:

• Performing hazard assessments,
• Selecting personal protective equipment, and
• Conducting training.