Subject: Personal Protective Equipment
Effective Date: August 1, 2006
Approved: Robert Martin, Vice Chancellor - Policy: 10

Purpose and Background

The Indiana Occupational Health and Safety Administration (IOSHA) requires employers to provide a safe work environment. Regulations were expanded in 1994 and now require employers to complete a workplace assessment to determine all hazards which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE includes all clothing and other work accessories worn by employees designed to create a barrier against workplace hazards.

If hazards are found, the employer must:

1. Select the types of PPE that will protect employees from the hazards identified;
2. Communicate the selection decisions to each affected employee;
3. Select PPE that properly fits each employee;
4. Train employees in use and limitation of selected PPE; and
5. Require each employee to use the PPE selected. (29 CFR 1910.132)

IUPUI is committed to providing a safe work environment for employees and complying with applicable regulations. The purpose of this policy is to outline the procedures which will be used to comply with these standards.

Scope

This policy applies to all faculty, staff, part time employees and students that receive compensation for services performed for IUPUI.

All activities which could pose a hazard to the employee are covered by this policy. All locations where the hazardous activities occur are covered.

Policy

Individual departments are responsible for complying with the requirements of this regulation. The department shall evaluate the hazards and recommend appropriate PPE to protect employees from the hazards identified.

Failure to use the selected PPE in a proper manner can subject the employee to progressive disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. Failure of the employee's supervisor to enforce the proper use of PPE subjects the supervisor to progressive disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

Failure to use required PPE may result in the denial of workers' compensation benefits to the extent such PPE would have prevented injury.
Each department may establish standards for PPE, which limits the selection of PPE.

All PPE must meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards when required by IOSHA or in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Program developed by EHS.

Authority and Responsibility

IUPUI Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) shall be responsible for:

Employee shall be responsible for:

1. Wearing the appropriate PPE upon the direction of their immediate supervisor;
2. Participating in mandatory training; and
3. Notifying their supervisor when new PPE is necessary or of defective or damaged PPE.

Personal items are those which are usable by employees off the job. Personal items include, but are not limited to: safety shoes, prescription safety glasses and cold-weather outer wear. The University is not required by the regulation to provide these items to employees.

Safety Shoes

The University will offer a safety shoe allowance for full-time employees who purchase safety shoes (includes all types of footwear) when safety shoes are required PPE and can be worn off the job. Casual hourly employees may be excluded from this allowance at the department's discretion; otherwise, departments are required to pay this allowance. The recommended allowance is initially set at $70.00 per year per full time employee and will be reevaluated yearly by a subcommittee of the Environmental Safety Committee. Any department may review the benefit to the department for providing these items and may exceed the University's recommendation if they deem it appropriate.

Details regarding vendors and the allowance program will be maintained by EHS.

Safety Eyewear

Safety glasses, goggles, face shields, welding masks and/or other face protection will be provided at the employee’s department’s expense when:

Prescription safety glasses may be obtained at the employee’s department’s expense:

A number of options are available to those employees needed prescription safety eyewear, including tinted lenses, polarized lenses, photo chromic lenses, if the employees job duties warrant the option (such as working outdoors in bright sunlight).

These options must be approved by EHS, indication that the option does not interfere with or impair the employee’s corrected vision, and thus does not constitute an additional safety risk.

If the option is deemed by the manager and EHS to be critical to the employee’s job performance, the option will be paid for by the department. Otherwise, options and any other additional costs will be borne by the employee.

Procedures

All University departments will complete a workplace assessment utilizing information provided by EHS and forward the compiled information to EHS.

EHS will review the information and conduct follow-up investigations as necessary to determine the necessity for PPE in each department.

Appropriate PPE will be selected by the department with assistance from EHS if necessary.
EHS has the authority of ensuring the PPE selected is appropriate.

EHS will maintain written workplace assessments in compliance with the IOSHA Standard.

The department may purchase the selected PPE from any vendor. EHS will maintain information regarding vendors of PPE.

Safety Shoes

Safety shoes will be purchased by utilizing the recommended allowance. Separate agreements may be made which exceed the recommended allowance if the department chooses. All departments must meet the minimum allowance which is established yearly by the Environmental Safety Committee. If the department desires, and safety is not compromised, individuals may select safety shoes that meet their personal taste.

If the employee's choice is less expensive than the allowance, the department will pay the provider the actual cost.

If the employee's choice is more expensive than the allowance, the employee shall be responsible for the additional cost, and shall make payment as designated by the supplier.

Safety Eyewear

Non-prescription safety eyewear may be obtained through the employee’s department or commercially so long as it meets the requirements indicated in the EHS Personal Protection Equipment Program.

Eye examinations may be obtained from the Indiana University School of Optometry or other qualified providers. NOTE: Effective January 1, 2004, each employee covered by IU Healthcare Plans is entitled to one eye examination per year with applicable co-payment. Since plan provisions periodically change, it is necessary to check with the health care plan provider from terms of the coverage. The affected employee is otherwise responsible for payment of the eye examination fee.

Prescription safety eyewear will be obtained from the Indiana University School of Optometry. For prescription safety eyewear, the following process must be used, and the attached request form must be used:

If an employee reports for work without required PPE, the employee shall not be allowed on the job until the required PPE has been secured. Failure to have appropriate PPE when necessary can subject the employee to progressive disciplinary action.