• P.P.E. stands for Personal Protective Equipment and is used or worn by workers to assist in decreasing the workers exposure to hazards at the work place.

• P.P.E. may also be used as an interim measure until a more effective way of controlling the exposure risk can be established.

• P.P.E. is considered the lowest form of control management for work place hazards and is used when the hazard can not be removed or adequately controlled.

• P.P.E. can not eliminate the hazard, but it can assist to manage the hazard at the point of contact with the worker and may be used to supplement higher level control measures.

What is P.P.E.?

Why Use P.P.E.?

• Goggles, glasses & face shields

• Ear plugs & ear muffs

• Respiratory protection

• High visibility clothing

• Foot protection

• Hard hats & helmets

• Gloves & aprons

• Sunscreen

P.P.E. includes

• P.P.E. programs should consider:– Worker protection– Legislative & regulatory compliance– Internal company standards and– Technical feasibility

• Essential elements include:– Workplace surveys– Selection of appropriate controls & P.P.E.– Fitting & Training – Management support– Maintenance & auditing of the program.

P.P.E. programs are comprehensive

• P.P.E. should be selected to – Decrease the workers risk of

exposure to the work place hazard– Be suitable for the work and

workplace conditions– Be a suitable size and fit &

reasonably comfortable for the wearer

– Ensure compatibility , especially where more than one type of P.P.E. is required (e.g. ear muffs & a hard hat)

P.P.E. Should comply with the relevant Australian Standards or equivalent standard.

• PPE required for your job must consider all areas of the body, from the head and face to the core and extremities.

• E.g. Working with chemicals may require wearing goggles, or respirator to protect your eyes from splashes, but if you’re not wearing the appropriate chemical resistant gloves or clothing, your hands and body are susceptible to chemical burns.

• This could result in a serious injury, including a fatality.

P.P.E. needed for the job must consider all areas of the body

• If P.P.E. has been identified as a necessary requirement to perform the job, then it is not optional.

• It takes a split second for an incident to occur.

• Always use the correct P.P.E. required for the job.

“ This job will only take me about 10 minutes, I don’t need to wear any PPE.”

• The use of P.P.E requires all workers to be trained as not everyone will know how to use P.P.E. effectively or appropriately.

“ Yeah, its all good. I know what I'm doing.”

• Over-protection and under-protection can be equally dangerous.

• Over-protection may lead to other work place hazards(e.g. heat stress from wearing numerous layers)

• Under-protection may lead to chronic health problems after years of exposure to certain hazardous substances.

“ The more P.P.E. I wear the better I will be protected.”

• Removing P.P.E. even only for short periods of time can add up over your shift and significantly reduce the effectiveness of the P.P.E.

“ It wont effect me, I only take it off for a second”

• After each use, P.P.E. must be properly cleaned & stored according to instructions.

• P.P.E. that is damaged won’t function properly which can expose workers to injury and health hazards.

• Any damaged or worn-out P.P.E. must be reported immediately so it can be replaced.

“Cleaning and storing P.P.E. isn’t really that important.”

Remember P.P.E. can assist in reducing the risk of exposure to various hazards when enjoying our recreational activities.