Personal Protective Equipment Program

Purpose and Objective 

This program is intended to create a clear program for employees and supervisors to follow to ensure that the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is correctly managed. The proper adherence to and implementation of this program will ensure that employees are provided with PPE that is adequate for protection based on the tasks performed. 

Definitions 

ANSI: The American National Standards Institute which is the primary organization for the development of technology standards in the United States. 

Exposure: An employee who is subjected in the course of employment to a chemical which is a physical or health hazard. 

Hazardous Chemical: Any chemical which is classified as a physical or health hazard: a simple asphyxiant, combustible dust, pyrophoric gas, or hazard not otherwise classified. 

Responsibilities 

Management 

Management is responsible for implementing, supporting, and enforcing this program. 

Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that their employees are provided with the necessary PPE, hazard assessments are completed, and that employees follow the requirements of this program. The responsibilities listed below are expectations of supervisors: 

• PPE is provided 
• Employees are trained and demonstrate competency is the proper use, maintenance, and storage of PPE 
• PPE training is attended annually 
• Notifying the program manager if new needs for PPE arise 
• Notifying the program manager if existing PPE is not meeting the needs of employees 
• Ensuring that damaged or ineffective PPE is replaced 

Employees 

Employees are the main users of PPE and are responsible for being attentive to the care and use of their PPE. This also includes: 

• Wearing any assigned PPE 
• Attending and participating in training sessions 
• Caring for, maintaining, cleaning, and storing PPE appropriately 
• Following program policies and rules 
• Informing the Supervisor of issues associated with PPE 
• Disposing of ineffective or damaged PPE properly 

PPE Types and Requirements 

PPE is the last line of defense between hazards and employees. The workplace hazards that are present will be assessed and identified prior to work taking place. Assessments will be used to select the types of PPE that will be required. 

Eye and Face Protection  

Eye and face protection must be used when employees can potentially be exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal liquid chemicals acids, caustics, gases, vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation. Any protective eye equipment must meet the requirements of ANSI Z87.1-1989 or be demonstrated to be equally as effective as the requirements of that program. 

Safety glasses with side shields will meet the standards of ANSI Z-87.1-2003, including high impacted lenses. 

Goggles with chemical splash resistance will be worn when mixing or handling liquid chemicals, solvents, paints, or other hazardous compounds as recommended by the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Dust-proof goggles should be worn when blowing down equipment using compressed air or other jobs where safety glasses are not adequate to prevent debris from entering around the openings and sides of lenses. 

Face shields must be worn over safety glasses when operating handheld or stationary grinders while chipping paint, concrete, or other solid objects where flying debris is present, and goggles do not provide adequate protection. 

• Eye protection is required for all employees (production, non-production), contractors, visitors when in production areas or job sites unless specified otherwise.   

Head Protection  

Head protection is provided by the company and must be used in areas where there is a potential for falling objects. Protective helmets must comply with ANSI A89.1-2003, 2009, 1997 or be equally effective. 

• Kiln Fireman – yellow 
• Mixing Plant – blue 
• All employees, visitors, contractors must wear a hard hat when in the Mixing Plant. 
• Forklift Operators – red 
• Maintenance/Electricians – blue 
• Maintenance and electricians must wear a hard hat when working in areas with an overhead hazard, operating any type of equipment. 
• Truck Drivers – orange 
• Drivers must wear their hard hat when operating forklifts/moffetts, on jobsites. 
• Supervisors – white 
• Supervisors must always wear hardhats for identification purposes in the event of an emergency. 

Foot Protection  

Foot protection is required when work is conducted in areas where there is the potential for foot injuries due to falling or dropping objects or when objects such as nails can potentially pierce the sole of footwear. Protective footwear must comply with ASTM F2412-2005 or F213-2005, ANSI Z41-1999 and Z41-1991 or be equally effective. 

Leather steel toed work boots must be worn by all employees, visitors, contractors when in production areas. 

CMV (Commercial Motor Vehicle) drivers are required to wear leather steel toed work boots. 

Hand Protection  

Hand protection will be selected based on the results of a hazard assessment and should be used when employees may be exposed to hazards such as harmful chemicals, cuts, abrasions, punctures, burns, or any other recognized hazard. Employers should select hand protection based on the hazards and tasks to be done. Depending on the type of glove selected and the work conducted there may or may not be an applicable ANSI standard. 

• Kiln Firemen – must wear hot mill gloves when handling hot brick. 
• Hackers – must always wear hacking gloves when handling brick or handling metal strapping. 
• Loading – must wear yellow cut resistant gloves when handling metal strapping. 
• Mill – must wear cut resistant gloves when cutting netting. 
• Maintenance – must wear gloves when performing maintenance activities and hot work. 
• Nitrile Gloves – when handling chemicals or slurry. 
• Ninja Ice Gloves – used during cold months 
• Truck Drivers – must wear gloves when performing maintenance on trucks or repairing cubes of brick. 

Hearing Protection

Hearing protection will be assessed and selected based on the requirements of OSHA 1926.101 for General Industry or 1926.52 for Construction. Warning signs will be posted in areas known or suspected to have high noise levels. 

• Hearing Protection is required by all employees, visitors, contractors while in production areas unless specified otherwise.   

Respiratory Protection  

When respirators are required based on a hazard assessment, selection will be based on the requirements of OSHA 1926.134 for General Industry or 1926.103 for Construction. 

• Employees required to wear respirators while performing certain job tasks will receive additional training. 

Fall Protection 

When PPE will be required based on the hazard assessment exposure falls, selection will be based on the requirements of OSHA 1910.132 for General Industry or 1926.501 for Construction. 

Fall protection is required when working at heights 4’ and above. Employees required to use fall protection will receive additional training.   

PPE Fit 

PPE which is selected will be purchased and provided to employees exposed to the hazards identified. PPE will be provided that fits employees comfortably. 

PPE Defective Equipment 

No PPE which is damaged or defective should be used. When PPE is found to be in need of maintenance, it should be immediately taken out of service until repaired. Other PPE that cannot be serviced or maintained should be discarded and replaced. 

Employees will be trained for the hazards of the job, PPE use, maintenance, and inspections. PPE Hazard Assessment 

Successfully implementing a PPE program requires several steps and periodic management after implementation. The program manager should ensure the following steps are being taken. 

Hazard assessments must be conducted for each work task prior to the work taking place to determine the correct type of PPE. After each of the hazards have been identified, PPE must be selected based on the types of potential injuries that can occur. Although there is the potential for several different hazards to be present at once, the PPE will provide protection for the greatest risk. The procedure to select the type of PPE used should include: 

• Identifying the potential hazards and the type of protective equipment that is available to mitigate those hazards. 
• Comparing and contrasting the options of PPE with the hazards present in the work environment. 
• Selecting the PPE which provides the most adequate and functional protection from the identified hazards. 
• Selecting the PPE that will fit employees properly. 

PPE selections should be communicated through training prior to task performance by employees. If PPE selection changes after a job is begun, it may be necessary to provide remedial training on the correct use and care of PPE. 

PPE should be distributed among affected employees. Each employee should have access to PPE that is adequately fitted and protects against the recognized hazards based on their job tasks. Employees should also understand how to replace damaged PPE. 

Inspection, Care & Maintenance 

PPE should be inspected daily and throughout the workday. Please get with your supervisor immediately if your PPE needs to be replaced. 

Safety Glasses 

• Clean lenses thoroughly and regularly with soap and water 
• Disinfect eyewear that has been exposed to a hazardous substance or that may have been worn by someone else. 
• Eye and face protectors should be replaced if the lenses are pitted or have deep scratches. 

Ear Protection 

• Earmuff earcups, cushions and inserts should be examined for cracks, splits and other visible damage or signs of being compromised. Earmuff cushions or inserts should be replaced when they lose their resilience or flexibility and are no longer pliable or are visibly damaged. 
• Reusable earplugs should be inspected for damage, dirt, deformation, discoloration or extreme hardness and, if found to be compromised or dirty, they should be discarded immediately. 
• Headband plugs should be inspected for damage, dirt, deformation or extreme hardness and, if found to be compromised, they should be discarded immediately. The same is true if the band is damaged or no longer fits. 
• Single-use earplugs should be examined for dirt, damage or extreme hardness before their use and be immediately discarded if found to be compromised. 
• The pods/plugs/canal caps and bands should be wiped with a damp cloth after each use or washed with mild soap and warm water and patted dry. 
• As with earmuffs, do not treat the earplugs with any other substances as they might cause degradation of the material. 

Steel Toe Boots 

• Replace your steel toe boots if the outsole is worn down, the outsole starts to separate, or if you have holes in your shoes.

Hard Hats 

• Hard Hats should be removed from service when there are visible cracks, dents, holes, scores, or scuffs on the surface. 
• If a hard hat has been impacted or penetrated, remove it from service immediately. 
• Dents from impacts stress the hard hat material, causing weak spots that are not acceptable. Scuffs or scores also weaken it by thinning out the shell. Consider replacement as soon as possible. 
• If the suspension straps are frayed or ripped, or have damaged stitching, remove the webbing immediately and replace it with a new suspension assembly. Check the plastic attachment clips to make sure they are not weakened or broken as well. 
• chalky, brittle surface or discoloration. 
• No harsh chemicals or abrasives should be used when cleaning a hard hat. Oil-based solvents will deteriorate the shell, so do not use gasoline or similar products to remove tar, grease and other sticky contaminants. Do NOT use scrapers, knives, or other abrasive tools to remove debris. 
• Cleaning the headband and webbing in a mild soap and water solution will help to eliminate the buildup of oil and contaminates. 

Training  

After PPE has been selected, the employer must provide the equipment to employees and train them prior to their performing hazardous tasks. Before employees begin work as new hires or are transferred to an area requiring PPE, employees must receive training in the proper use and care of PPE. Periodic retraining may also be necessary depending on the nature of the tasks performed and employee retention of the rules associated with this program. The training must include the following minimum requirements: 

• The company’s requirement to wear PPE at all times when conducting tasks that hazard assessment has determined require PPE 
• When to wear PPE 
• What type of PPE is necessary for the task 
• What PPE has been selected for each process that affects the employee 
• How to properly put on, take off, adjust, and wear PPE 
• The limitations of PPE 
• The proper care, maintenance, and disposal of PPE 
• How to get replacement PPE 

Retraining 

Each employee must demonstrate proper use of PPE. If actions demonstrate that PPE isn’t being used or maintained properly, or skills are becoming deficient, the employee must be retrained. 

Retraining of employees is required when: 

• Changes in the workplace occur that make previous training obsolete 
• Changes in the type of PPE occur 
• An employer observes inadequacies in an employee’s performance based on demonstrated use of assigned PPE that indicates the employee has not retained the necessary understanding or skill 

Recordkeeping 

Records will be maintained for: 

• Training 
• Injuries 
• Incident investigations 

An annual program review and document updates must be maintained indefinitely.