PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENTS (PPE's)

Personal Protective Equipment’s (PPE’s)

Personal protective equipment’s (Safety helmet, shoes, coverall, goggles and ear plugs) are used when other control measure has been proved to be useful. It is considered as the last line of defense in the hierarchy of control.

Eye and Face Protection – Safety Glasses

Only approved safety glasses that meet regulatory (i.e., OSHA) and ANSI requirements shall be worn by site employees.  The frames shall be plastic and the lenses shall be impact resistant.  Side shields are required.

Safety glasses shall be imprinted with Z87.1 to illustrate the glasses meet the regulatory and ANSI standard.

Employees who wear prescription glasses shall wear safety glasses that incorporate their prescription into the lens or shall wear protection over their prescription glasses.  Over protection shall be plastic and impact resistant and shall display the Z87.1 stamp.

For protection from bright sunlight or injurious light radiation, safety glasses with filter lenses with a shade number appropriate for the work being performed shall be worn.

Head Protection

Employees shall wear hard hats at all times while working in hard hat designated areas.

Hard hats shall conform to ANSI Standard Z89.1 for protection from falling or flying objects.  When protection from possible electrical shock is required, the hard hat shall conform to ANSI Standard Z89.2.

Hard hat suspension systems should be replaced when needed.

All hard hats shall be replaced when the hard hat displays physical damage (cut, dented etc.) that would compromise the integrity of the hard hat protection.

Foot Protection

It is company policy to require steel or composite toe safety shoes for employees working in production (manufacturing), O&M, Field Services, any area marked as safety shoe required, or where required by the host employer. 

Composite or Steel toe, leather upper, ANSI approved (meeting ANSI Z41) safety shoes with rubber soles are required for employees working in safety shoe designated areas.

Company Services will reimburse company Service employees (Craft employees excluded) specific amount annually for the purchase of composite or steel toe safety shoes.  Prior Supervisory approval is necessary.  Employees are required to complete an expense report for reimbursement.  The Supervisor shall transfer the completed form to Human Resources.

Employees should expect reimbursement within a couple of weeks of submitting the expense report and receipt to their supervisor.

When working with and loading / unloading chemicals (i.e., ammonia), the use of rubber boots compatible with those chemicals is required.

The following PPE is required WHEN DETERMINED by Hazard Assessments:

Splash Hazard Present – Eye Protection

Chemical Goggles - All chemical goggles shall meet regulatory requirements.  The lens shall be impact resistant.  Ventilation buttons should be located on top of the goggles.  Chemical goggles shall be labeled as evidence as meeting regulatory or ANSI requirements.

Face Shields - Only face shields with chin cups that meet regulatory requirements shall be worn by employees. Face shields shall be labeled as evidence of meeting regulatory or ANSI requirements.

Both chemical goggles and face shields shall be worn when working with or loading / unloading chemicals such as ammonia, sulfuric acid, caustic etc.

A standard sign: “CAUTION, EYE HAZARD AREA, DO NOT ENTER WITHOUT EYE PROTECTION” or its equivalent, must be posted in every area where eye protection is mandatory.  All employees, Contractor Workers, and visitors entering such an area must wear the required eye protection.

Body Protection

For chemical handling (including loading / unloading), employees shall wear a complete chemical suit including jacket and bib overalls, plastic or rubberized apron, rubber gloves, chemical resistant boots, chemical goggles and face shield.

For welding, employees shall wear gloves, flame resistant clothing and a helmet/face shield with appropriate lenses.  Employees may also wear a leather vest when exposed to spatter or when welding in tight spaces.

For working on energized equipment or open flames, employees shall wear, flame resistant clothing and insulated gloves.

For material handling, employees shall wear, at the minimum, general-purpose gloves.  Other body protection may be required depending on the type of material being handled.

Hand Protection

Appropriate hand protection shall be worn when an employee’s hands are exposed to hazards, such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts, abrasions or lacerations; punctures; chemical burns; or thermal burns.

Work gloves should be worn whenever possible, except when wearing the gloves would create a hazard such as in the vicinity of moving parts.

Rubber gloves must be worn when acids and caustics are handled.

Insulated rubber gloves are also necessary in certain situations involving electrical work.

Insulated or heat resistant gloves must be worn when handling steam hose or when performing other duties in which regular work gloves do not afford adequate protection against burning of the hands.

Leather or leather-palm gloves should always be worn when handling wire rope.

Gloves should be worn when the hands are wet from any substance causing a slippery grip.

Hearing Protection

Employees shall wear approved hearing protection when exposed to noise levels greater than 85 dB and/or where mandatory hearing signs are displayed.

Reference Hearing Protection and Conservation procedure for further hearing protection requirements.

Fall Protection

Employees shall wear an approved full body safety harness with shock absorbing lanyard when work involves climbing or working above a lower level.  A full body harness with a retractable anchor system will be utilized when working at heights when the fall will be less than 15 feet.  A full body harness and lanyard can be used when the fall distance will be greater than 15 feet.

All safety harnesses should be 100% synthetic fiber webbing.  Leather buckles, straps, attachment points, etc. are not acceptable.  All snap hooks must be of the locking type. Body belts and non-locking snap hooks are not acceptable as part of a personal fall arrest system but may be used for restraint only.

The harness shall fit snugly, be properly adjusted, and buckled.  The wearer shall allow no more slack in the lanyard than is necessary.

All safety harnesses should be regularly inspected for excessive wear or damage that could cause them to fail.

Harnesses with visible wear or damage should be destroyed, not discarded.

Safety harnesses must not be subjected to treatment that could damage or weaken them.

Full body safety harness with lifeline will be used by each entrant when working in a permit required confined spaces.

Respiratory Protection

Employees shall use approved respirators for all designated job tasks requiring respiratory protection.

Reference the Respiratory Protection procedure for further respiratory protection requirements.

 

PPE should not be the sole method of hazard exposure control.  Administrative tools, engineering controls, and equipment safeguards should be considered as the primary methods of hazard control.