Power point 5

City & Guilds Construction

© 2013 City and Guilds of London Institute. All rights reserved. 1 of 11

PowerPoint presentation

Know how to use personal protective equipment (PPE)

Unit 201: Health safety and welfare in construction



Objectives

By the end of this session you will:

• Know what is PPE

• Understand the personal protective equipment Regulations

• Know how to use personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Understand the different types of PPE



What is PPE?

PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as:

• safety helmets and hard hats

• gloves

• eye protection

• high-visibility clothing

• safety footwear

• safety harnesses.



Why is PPE Important?

Making the workplace safe includes providing instructions, procedures, training and supervision to encourage people to work safely and responsibly.

Even where engineering controls and safe systems of work have been applied, some hazards might remain. These include injuries to:

• The lungs, (from breathing in contaminated air)

• The head and feet, (from falling materials)

• The eyes, (from flying particles or splashes of corrosive liquids)

• The skin, (from contact with corrosive materials)

• The body, (from extremes of heat or cold)

PPE is needed in these cases to reduce the risk



Types of PPE you can use

Part of body Hazards Options

Eyes Chemical or metal splash, dust, projectiles, gas and vapour, radiation

Safety spectacles, goggles, face screens, face shields, visors

Head and neck Impact from falling or flying objects, risk of head bumping, hair getting tangled in machinery, chemical drips or splash, climate or temperature

Industrial safety helmets, bump caps, hairnets and fire fighters' helmets

Ears Noise – a combination of sound level and duration of exposure, very high-level sounds are a hazard even with short duration

Earplugs, earmuffs, semi-insert/canal caps

Hands and arms Abrasion, temperature extremes, cuts and punctures, impact, chemicals, electric shock, radiation, vibration, biological agents and prolonged immersion in water

Gloves, gloves with a cuff, gauntlets and sleeving that covers part or all of the arm

Feet and legs Wet, hot and cold conditions, electrostatic build-up, slipping, cuts and punctures, falling objects, heavy loads, metal and chemical splash, vehicles

Safety boots and shoes with protective toecaps and penetration-resistant, mid-sole wellington boots and specific footwear, e.g. foundry boots and chainsaw boots

Lungs Oxygen-deficient atmospheres, dusts, gases and vapours

respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

Whole body Heat, chemical or metal splash, spray from pressure leaks or spray guns, contaminated dust, impact or penetration, excessive wear or entanglement of own clothing

Conventional or disposable overalls, boiler suits, aprons, chemical suits



The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 The Regulations state that:

• PPE should be used as a last resort.

• Used wherever there are risks to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 require PPE to be supplied free of charge.

The Regulations also require that PPE is:

• Properly assessed before use to make sure it is fit for purpose

• Maintained and stored properly

• Provided with instructions on how to use it safely

• Used correctly by employees.



Assessing suitable PPE

To make sure the right type of PPE is chosen, consider the different hazards in the workplace and identify the PPE that will provide adequate protection against them; this may be different for each job.

Consider the following when assessing suitability:

• Does the PPE protect the wearer from the risks and take account of the• environmental conditions where the task is taking place?

• Does using PPE increase the overall level of risk or add new risks, eg by making communication more difficult?

• Can it be adjusted to fit the wearer correctly?

• What are the needs of the job and the demands it places on the wearer?

• If someone wears more than one item of PPE, are they compatible?



Activity

In groups list the PPE that should be worn in the picture below compare findings with the class



Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)Work activities may result in harmful substances contaminating the air in the form of dust, mist, gas or fume. For example:

• Cutting a material such as stone, concrete or wood

• Using a liquid containing volatile solvents

• Handling a dusty powder

Filtering Face piece Respirator Half-mask Respirator Full-face Respirator



Types of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)

Workers may also need to work in areas where oxygen levels are low, for example: confined spaces, such as a chamber or tank.

RPE is designed to protect the wearer from these hazards

You will require RPE that is adequate and suitable to ensure the wearer is protected. This means:

Adequate – It is right for the hazard and reduces exposure to the level required to protect the wearer’s health.

Suitable – It is right for the wearer, task and environment, such that the wearer can work freely and without additional risks due to the RPE



Know how to use personal protective equipment (PPE)

Activity

Using activity sheet 14:

• Name four items of personal protection equipment

• Can a company charge you for PPE

• Name three items of RPE

• Wherever there are risks to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways, when should PPE be used



Any questions?

Documents

Power point 5