Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Occupational Safety and Health Case Study

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Occupational Safety and Health

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Introduction: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Occupational Safety and Health

This report briefly describes the aspect of occupational safety and the effectiveness of personal protective equipment or PPE for OSH professionals. Hazards and unsafe conditions occur in all types of workplaces in multiple forms such as flying sparks, sharp edges, chemicals, noise, falling objects and a myriad of other possible unsafe and dangerous conditions. In this report, there is a compact discussion of personal protective equipment’s proper use in the workplace as well as how detailed information about PPE is essential for employees and employers. The type of PPE in the selected workplace and the value of this kind of equipment are properly explained in this paper.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

As per Tian et al. (2020), PPE or personal protective equipment basically known as the clothing or the equipment worn by individuals to protect themselves from injuries and harm while doing potentially hazardous situations or tasks. Personal protective equipment involves many types of products like safety glasses, gloves, hard hats, respirators, full-body suits and so on. The use of this kind of equipment is very important in multiple industries and workplaces like construction, healthcare, manufacturing and others. In these types of workplaces where employees may be exposed to hazardous materials or infectious agents, the use of personal protective equipment is increasing day by day. As per Vukicevic et al. (2022), proper use of this kind of equipment is necessary to ensure maximum protection in the workplace. According to the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 PPE is able to minimize the accident rate within workplace as the report recorded the death of 60 people from workplace accidents (gov.ie, 2023). The proper type of equipment, maintaining it properly, wearing it correctly and so on are included in the equipment check. Also, the personal protective equipment should be inspected properly on a daily basis and worn or damaged equipment muti be replaced immediately. As an OSH professional, there is an importance for using PPE and ensuring own protection and safety while carrying out the discussion. An OSH professional needs different kinds of personal protective equipment for multiple tasks in the workplace.

In this report, the multiple types of personal protective equipment needed for an OSH professional are briefly discussed.

• Safety glasses: safety glasses are a kind of PPE that is designed to protect the eyes and the surrounding areas of the eyes from different types of damage and harm such as injuries caused by chemicals, flying debris and others (Deza, 2022). This equipment is a very important component of workplace safety programs and is used by OSH professionals and employees. Safety glasses basically made from impact-resistant materials like tempered glass or polycarbonate and can be equipped with multiple features like UV protection, anti-fog coatings and side shields to offer additional protection and safety to the employees.
• Hard hat: A hard hat is a kind of PPE that is mainly designed to provide protection and safety to the head of individuals from different types of damage and injuries occurred in the work environment. As per Zhang et al. (2019), hard hats are basically made of durable and impact-resistant materials like fibreglass and plastic and sometimes have an adjustable suspension system to assure a snug and comfortable fit. The main purpose of the equipment is to protect the wearer’s head from flying debris, falling objects, electrical injuries and other types of head damage that may happen in the work environment. Occupational safety and health professionals use this type of equipment as part of their safety program to decrease the high risk of head damage and promote a safe working ambience.
• Earplugs: This equipment is basically designed to give protection and safety to a person’s ears from high and harmful levels of sound and noise. These elements are small and portable devices that are inserted into the ear canal and create a barrier between the inner ear as well as the outside environment. In OSH settings, earplugs are sometimes used to provide safety and protection to the workers from exposure to loud noise and sounds in the work environment like from machinery or heavy equipment. Prolonged exposure to high levels of noise may cause hearing damage or other difficulties in the ears, this is why earplugs are an essential tool for protecting employees’ hearing as well as preventing occupational hearing loss.
• Gloves: Gloves are a kind of PPE that help to cover the hands and provide protection against multiple hazards in the work environment. There are multiple types of gloves available for safety programs and each of them is designed to protect against particular damage like cuts, chemicals, heat, cold, punctures, electric shock and others.
• Respirator: As per Clarke et al. (2020), a respirator is basically designed to provide safety and protection to the wearer from inhaling hazardous substances like harmful dust, vapours, fumes, dangerous particles, gases and other harmful objects. This equipment comes in multiple sizes and types, ranging from simple filtering facepiece masks to more complicated air-purifying respirators and supplied-air respirators.
• Safety boots or steel-toed boots:  Steel-toed boots or safety boots are usually designed for protecting the feet of the worker from injuries in the workplace. These are specifically important for employees who perform tasks that include heavy equipment, machinery or other unsafe objects that may fall or roll onto the feet. Safety boots have a protective toe cap made of steel or other composite materials, which offers a layer of protection between the foot and possible damage (Varianou-Mikellidou et al. 2019). The toe cap is basically integrated into the safety boot’s design and it can withstand varying degrees of pressure and impact depending on the particular pattern and quality of the boot.

The Relevance of PPE for the Work

PPE or personal protective equipment is an important aspect of OSH or occupational safety and health management. Personal protective equipment and clothing are designed to provide protection and safety to employees from chemical, physical and biological damage that may cause illness or injury. For OSH professionals, the relevance of personal protective equipment depends on its capability of preventing and mitigating accidents and injuries occurred in the working environment (Caldarescu et al. 2021). Through assessing workplace hazards and addressing accurate PPE for employees, occupational safety and health professionals can help to decrease the risk of workplace injuries and accidents and also assure the well-being and safety of employees. The government record outlined a serious occurrence of 15000 people’s serious injuries within the workplace which should be mitigated for maintaining safety (Gov.ie. 2023). In addition to providing safety and protection to the employees, the use of this kind of equipment can also help companies to decrease the cost of workplace illness and injuries by mitigating lost workdays, workers’ compensation claims and so on. It is very essential for OSH professionals to stay updated on the latest PPE technologies and regulations and also to assure that employees are properly trained in the correct use and maintenance of personal protective equipment. A proper understanding of the multiple types of PPE available and different types of PPE policies and programs is included here.

Failure in the use of personal protective equipment can create major issues and injuries. Employees should receive proper training and guidance on how to appropriately use and maintain PPE (Eze et al. 2020). Moreover the 2005 act was consisted in Safety Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 to specify the relevance (Gov.ie, 2023). If employees are not properly guided or trained about the use of PPE, they cannot use this equipment accurately and because of that, they can create workplace hazards and unsafe conditions. Also, there is a need for fitting the PPE properly because uncomfortable or unfit can lead to workplace accidents and injuries.

The aspects of PPE

The aspect of personal protective equipment involves choosing the accurate pattern of equipment for the particular job or task being performed, assuring that the PPE fits correctly and is comfortable to wear and work and significantly maintaining and keeping the equipment. Moreover, training and providing guidance on the basic use and maintenance of personal protective equipment is important to assure that it is efficient and effective in protecting the person. The use of this kind of equipment in OSH management includes multiple aspects. Before confirming the correct PPE there is a need for carrying out a risk assessment to address the hazards and fix the level of danger associated with the particular work activity (Babalola et al. 2022). This can help to identify the pattern of PPE that is appropriate for the particular job or task. After completing a risk assessment, it is important to select the correct PPE based on the issues recognised in the workplace. There is a need to assuring that the personal protective equipment is utilised properly and continuously by employees. This involved offering training and guidance on how to usually inspect, maintain and use PPE and also assuring that employees properly understand the value of using the equipment. According to the aspects of PPE, it can be said that PPE must be appropriately maintained to give assurance that it continues to offer proper safety and protection.

After focusing on the aspects of the use of PPE, many issues can be identified due to improper use of PPE. A notable case study of personal protective equipment failure in occupational safety and health management in the United Kingdom in the 2005 Buncefield oil depot explosion. In the year 2005, a huge explosion happened at the Buncefield oil depot in Hertfordshire, UK (Chamberlain et al. 2019). The massive explosion was caused by a fuel tank overflow. Almost 43 people were injured and suffered from extensive damage. After focusing on the explosion matter, it could be observed that some of the employees were not wearing accurate PPE or personal protective equipment at the site. Moreover, there were no proper evacuation procedures or plans in place, which caused delays and confusion in getting employees and nearby residents to a safe place. The United Kingdom’s HSE or Healthy and Safety Executive completed an investigation and found that the organisation was mainly responsible for the site and failed to appropriately manage and assess the danger associated with the storage of fuel in large quantities. Also, the company has failed to properly train employees and provide proper guidance about personal protective equipment. As per Godoy et al. (2023), as a result of the examination, the company was penalised almost £3.6 million for their irresponsibility in the accident and safety program.

Sources of information

PPE plays a vital role in occupational safety and health management. However improper use and maintenance of personal protective equipment can be a reason behind workplace hazards and unsafe situations. According to the case study discussed in the above section, it can be said that employees and OSH professionals must follow basic guidelines and procedures to appropriately use PPE in workplaces. According to the Hierarchy of Controls theory, implementing measures and procedures to handle and control unsafe situations in a specific order is extremely essential. This theory includes substitution, elimination, administrative control, engineering controls and personal protective equipment. The United Kingdom has a strong legislative framework governing safety and health at work involving the use of PPE in OSH management. According to the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002, the requirements for PPE include manufacture, design and testing levels. This regulation also requires organisations to offer PPE-free change to their workers where necessary to provide safety and protection to them (Dodd et al. 2019). As per the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, organisations must carry out a risk assessment to recognise and address hazards in the work environment and take proper actions to handle them. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 requires employers to assure the safety, welfare and health of their workers as far as reasonably practicable.

As the failure to use PPE in the workplace can lead to major issues and injuries, organisations must provide proper training and guidance to their workers on how to properly use and handle personal protective equipment. If workers are unable to properly use the equipment, there is a high chance of occurring dangerous accidents in the workplace. Moreover, employers must supervise that employees wear PPE on site where they need popper protection from workplace hazards.

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Conclusion

This report compactly discussed the concept of personal protective equipment and the types of PPE available in the workplace. This report properly focused on the OSH management and professionals and provided an overview of how OSH professionals use PPE in their workplace. Moreover, a case study is discussed here to understand the effect of improper use of PPE.

References

Babalola, A., Urhal, P., Manu, P., Bartolo, P.J.D.S., Cheung, C., Yunusa-Kaltungo, A., Perera, S., Gao, S., Francis, V. and Paton-Cole, V., 2022. A Systematic Review of Internet of Things Applications in Construction Occupational Safety and Health Management. Handbook of Construction Safety, Health and Well-being in the Industry 4.0 Era, pp.283-295.

Caldarescu, G., Florea, L., Nagit, G. and Bernevig, M.A., 2021. The importance of performance indicators in occupational safety and health management-a review. In MATEC Web of Conferences (Vol. 343, p. 10016). EDP Sciences.

Chamberlain, G., Oran, E. and Pekalski, A., 2019. Detonations in industrial vapour cloud explosions. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 62, p.103918.

Clarke, B., Haze, N., Sly, J., Thomas, A., Ponte, P.R. and Jurgens, C.Y., 2020. Just-in-time safety training for N95 respirators: A virtual approach. Nursing Management, 51(11), pp.17-22.

Deza, R.G.B., 2022. Impact of Quality and Self-Care on The Acceptance of Safety Glasses in an Organization. Ind. data, 25, p.2.

Dodd, V., Hooley, T. and Burke, C., 2019. Decent work in the UK: Context, conceptualization, and assessment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 112, pp.270-281.

Eze, E., Sofolahan, O. and Siunoje, L., 2020. Health and safety management on construction projects: the view of construction tradespeople. CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development, 3(2), pp.152-172.

Godoy, L.A., Jaca, R.C. and Ameijeiras, M.P., 2023. On buckling of oil storage tanks under nearby explosions and fire. In Above Ground Storage Tank Oil Spills (pp. 199-259). Gulf Professional Publishing.

Gov.ie, (2023). “Health and Safety Unit” Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/e800c0-health-and-safety-unit/#safety-health-and-welfare-at-work-act-2005 [Accessed on: 28.04.2023]

Tian, Z., Stedman, M., Whyte, M., Anderson, S.G., Thomson, G. and Heald, A., 2020. Personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection among healthcare workers–What is the evidence?. International journal of clinical practice, 74(11), p.e13617.

Varianou-Mikellidou, C., Boustras, G., Dimopoulos, C., Wybo, J.L., Guldenmund, F.W., Nicolaidou, O. and Anyfantis, I., 2019. Occupational health and safety management in the context of an ageing workforce. Safety science, 116, pp.231-244.

Vukicevic, A.M., Djapan, M., Isailovic, V., Milasinovic, D., Savkovic, M. and Milosevic, P., 2022. Generic compliance of industrial PPE by using deep learning techniques. Safety science, 148, p.105646.

Zhang, H., Yan, X., Li, H., Jin, R. and Fu, H., 2019. Real-time alarming, monitoring, and locating for non-hard-hat use in construction. Journal of construction engineering and management, 145(3), p.04019006.