What’s between you and potential injury on the job?

Safety Protective Work Equipment. Yellow Helmet, Gloves and Boots

While exposure to occupational hazards is often unavoidable, providing workers with the right protective gear can be the difference between safety and injuries — and even fatalities. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a last line of protection for workers against hazards. The type of PPE will depend on the type of work, including working environment, conditions and necessary processes. Proper use, selection and care of PPE is a critical part of the equation. 

Key considerations

One size does not fit all when it comes to PPE. Each specific piece of equipment has unique properties and well defined use and care requirements. The level of protection that one piece of PPE can provide in one situation does not necessarily carry over into a different situation. For example, what protects hands from chemical burns may not protect hands from heat burns. Therefore, it is important to remember that wearing PPE is not enough. To ensure protection of your workers, several critical factors must be considered. 

• Selection: PPE should be selected considering the type of hazard. 
• Usability: PPE should be useable in the presence of other hazards.
• Training: Workers should be adequately trained in the use and care of PPE.
• Storage: PPE should be stored safely and securely, and in a manner that protects the integrity of the equipment.
• Maintenance: PPE should be regularly inspected for effectiveness. If defects are found, it should be discarded immediately and replaced.

PPE and CSA Group

Another important factor when selecting PPE is to make sure it has been tested and certified to the applicable safety standards. 

CSA Group plays a critical role in this important workplace safety issue. It offers a comprehensive program of standards solutions, testing and certification for PPE, including eye and face protection, hearing protection, industrial head protection, high visibility safety apparel, respiratory protection and fall protection.

For more information on standards for personal protective equipment, visit CSA Group’s online store.

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