PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Field technicians use personal protective equipment for a variety of routine duties

performed during the course of a shift.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is designed to protect employees from serious
workplace injuries or illnesses from contact with chemicals, radiological materials,

electrical power, mechanical equipment, falling objects, and other workplace hazards.
The following are different types of PPEs that may be provided to the process

technician;
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
Respirators (See Figure 1) protect workers from exposure to hazardous atmospheres that

1.

can result in acute or chronic health hazards.

Respirators fall into one of two types;
Air-supplying provides air to the wearer through a mask and hose connected to a
clean-air source. Examples include an air line, hose mask, self-contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA)
Air-purifying filters contaminants out of the air, protecting the wearer from particles
as small as 0.3 microns. Examples include a dust mask, half or full face mask, gas
mask

Figure 1: Respirators
2.

HEARING PROTECTION
Hearing protection is used when excessive noise is present in the workplace. Following
are factors that determine excessive noise:
Loudness of the sound (in dBs)
Duration of workers exposure
Whether the noise is generated by one or multiple sources
If the worker moves between work areas with different noise levels

Hearing protection only reduces the amount of noise that reaches the ears; it does not
eliminate it entirely.
The main types of hearing protection are earmuffs and earplugs (See Figure 2).

3.

Figure 2: Hearing Protection

EYE PROTECTION
Eye protection is PPE that reduces the risk of hazards to the eye from the following;
Flying objects (e.g. metal chips, dust)
Falling objects
Extreme temperatures
Chemical splashes (e.g. corrosive liquids)
Irritating mists
Hot fluid splashes (e.g. steam, molten metals)
Glare
Sparks
Radiation burns
Eye protection comes in variety of types, based on the hazard;
Safety glasses protective eyewear with metal or plastic frames and impact-resistant
lenses (See Figure 3). They can come with or without side shields.

Figure 3: Safety glasses with side shields

Safety goggles tight-fitting protective eyewear that completely covers the eyes, eye
sockets, and face around the eyes (See Figure 4). They protect your eyes from the
front and sides against impact, dust, and splashes.

Figure 4: Safety goggles

Face shields a sheet of transparent plastic attached to a headband, which extends
from the eyebrows to below the chin and across the width of the face. Face shields
protect the face and front of the neck from flying particles, dust, sprays, or splashes.
They can be worn with safety goggles or safety glasses to provide extra protection.
4.

They can be polarized (tinted) for glare protection.

FACE PROTECTION
Face protection is used to reduce hazards to the face (including the head and neck), such
as impact, chemical or hot metal splashes, heat, radiation, and other hazards.
Some typical types of face protection include the following;
Face shields protects the face and eyes from flying particles, dust, sprays, or
splashes (See Figure 5). They do not protect against impact.

Figure 5: Face Shield

Acid-proof hoods protects the head, face, and neck against splashes from corrosive

5.

chemicals.
Welding helmets protect against splashes of molten metal and radiation burns.
HEAD PROTECTION

Head protection is used to protect against the following hazards;

Impacts from falling objects or fixed objects (e.g. low-hanging beams or equipment
such as pipes)
Penetration
Electrical shock
Burn hazards
A hard hat consists of a hard outer shell and a web-lining suspension system that absorbs
and spreads the shock of an impact (See Figure 6).

Figure 6: Hard Hat

6.

BODY AND SKIN PROTECTION

In some situations, workers must shield most or all of their bodies against hazards in the

workplace such as exposure to the following;

Chemicals
Hot metals
Hot liquids
Biological hazards
Radiation
Hazardous material or waste
Impacts
Cuts, abrasions
Body and skin protection is used chiefly to protect most of the body or all of it, including

the arms, legs, and head.

Body and skin protection comes in various forms, depending on the hazard;
Chemical protective clothing (CPC) protects the wearer from hazardous chemical
spills and splashes (See Figure 7).

 CPC are classified based on the level of protection they provide.

a) Level A gives the highest level of protection for the skin, eyes, and respiratory
system. It is used when there is a high concentration of vapor gases, or
particulates and a high potential of splash, immersion, or exposure to unexpected
or unknown toxic chemicals.
b) Level B gives the highest level of respiratory protection but less skin protection.
It is used when IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health) concentrations
of substances do not represent a skin hazard, but a high level of respiratory
protection is still needed.
c) Level C gives the same amount of protection for skin as Level B and requires
less respiratory equipment than Level A.
d) Level D gives minimal skin and respiratory protection. It should be used when
the atmosphere contains no known hazards and the work situation presents no
immediate threat from chemical splashes or immersion or unexpected contact or
inhalation of hazardous substances.

Figure 7: Chemical-resistant suits

Totally encapsulating chemical protective (TECP) suit provides the highest level of
protection from hazardous chemicals (e.g. spills, splashes, vapors), covering the
wearer from head to toe (Full body suit); this suit is air-tight and used with an airsupplying respirator.

 Aprons and smocks protect a major portion of the wearer against chemical splashes
and spills; gloves, face shield and goggles, boots, respirators, and other PPE can be
added to improve protection.
Flame-resistant clothing (FRC) protects the wearer for a limited time against flames
or heat (See Figure 8). FRC does not protect against lengthy exposure to flames or
heat. It also does not provide protection from chemical exposure.

Figure 8: Flame-retardant clothing

7.

HAND AND ARM PROTECTION

For protection against chemicals, glove selection must take into account the chemicals
encountered, the chemical resistance, and the physical properties of the glove material.
Hand and arm protection is used to protect against hazards such as the following;
Chemical exposure
Cuts, abrasions, and scratches
Impact (fractures, bruises, strains)
Penetration and punctures
Burns (chemical or temperature)
Hot or cold temperatures
Electrical shock

Hand protection includes chemical and liquid-resistant gloves, leather or canvas gloves,
insulated gloves (See Figure 9).

Figure 9: Gloves
8.

FOOT AND LEG PROTECTION

Foot and leg protection is used to minimize hazards such as the following;
Impacts and/or crushing
Falling or rolling objects
Penetration by sharp objects
Hot surfaces
Exposure to hazardous substances (e.g., chemical, biological)
Slippery surface
A variety of footwear and leg protection can be worn, based on the type of job or task. For
example, you might be required to wear safety shoes or boots, rubber boots, flat-soled shoes,
high-tops, non-conductive footwear, or other type of protective footwear (See Figure 10).

Figure 10: Safety boots

9.

SPECIAL TYPES OF PPE

Special type of PPE can be required, based on the type of hazard and other conditions.
The following are some common types of special PPE;

 Fall protection (or fall arrest) devices can be used to prevent injuries from falls of six
feet or greater. Fall protection consists of a full body harness, an anchor point, and a
lanyard connecting the two.
Temperature protection includes both hot and cold-temperature gear. For hightemperature environments, PPE can include the following;
- Reflective clothing
- Insulated suits
- Aramid-fiber gloves
- Synthetic gloves
- Aluminized gloves
- Tinted face shields
- Ice vests
- Water-cooled garments
- Cooling inserts for hard hats
For low-temperature environments, PPE can include the following items;
- Polyester or polypropylene underwear
- Polypropylene liner socks
- Outer jackets that can be opened at the waist, neck, and wrists to control the
10.

release or retention of heat

Heated protective clothing
Gloves
Hard hat liners
Leather-upper boots with rubber bottoms and felt lining and insoles
Eye-protection fitted to prevent exhaled moisture from causing frost or fog on the

eye-piece(s); eye protection can be tinted to prevent glare

CHEMICAL EXPOSURE EQUIPMENT
Exposure to hazardous chemicals is an emergency that need immediate attention. To help
respond to such emergencies, plants have various types of safety equipment that are
easily accessible. Some of the equipment used to attend to such emergencies is listed
below.

Eyewash Stations

Eyewash stations are used to flush the eyes of contamination (e.g., harmful chemicals
that have entered the eyes as a result of a splash). This helps reduce the risk of injury
associated with chemical burns.

Eyewash stations should be placed in strategic locations that are easily accessible to all

employees working around chemical agents.

Process technicians should always know the location of the eye-wash station when
entering a work area, since it may be difficult to find the station once something has been
sprayed in the eyes.

Safety Showers

Safety showers are used to rinse the body off in the event of a large exposure to a
chemical spill. Like eyewash stations, safety showers are strategically located within the

plant so they can be easily accessed by the employees.

Safety showers may require technicians to pull a chain or step on a grate or foot-plate to
activate them. Once activated, the safety shower releases water and may activate an alarm

in the control room.

Process technicians should always know the location of the safety shower station when
entering a work area, so they can get to it quickly in the event of prolonged exposure to
hazardous agents.