The IUPUI Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) has developed a program for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure a safe work environment and to protect the health and safety of IUPUI faculty, staff, and students. This program is written in accordance with the requirements of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 CFR 1910.132-138.

Wearing proper PPE will reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective in reducing the exposure to acceptable levels. PPE includes all clothing and other work accessories designed to create a barrier against workplace hazards. Employees must be aware that the equipment does not eliminate the hazard; if the equipment fails or the user is not adequately trained to use his or her specific PPE, exposure may occur. To reduce the possibility of malfunction, equipment must be properly fitted and maintained in a clean and functional condition.

Provisions for PPE shall be in accordance with this program and the IUPUI Personal Protective Equipment policy.

Scope

This policy pertains to all IUPUI faculty, staff, and students who have a possibility to be exposed or come into contact with chemical, physical, radiological or biological hazards which by this exposure can cause illness, injury or impairment to any part of the body.

Policy

All personal protective equipment (PPE) shall be provided, utilized and maintained in a sanitary and dependable condition whenever deemed necessary by reason of hazards of processes or work environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered.

Authority and Responsibility

IUPUI Department of Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for:

Considerations

PPE devices alone shall not be relied on to provide protection against hazards, but shall be used in conjunction with guards, engineering controls, administration controls and sound manufacturing practices.

The following factors shall be considered when selecting PPE:

• Chemical hazards
• Physical hazards
• Task requirements
• Potential for PPE failure
• Maintenance requirements
• Interferences
• PPE durability
• Duration of use
• Regulatory requirements/certification
• User’s size and physical abilities (for fit, comfort and individual needs)
• User acceptance

Eye and Face Protection

Suitable eye or face protection shall be provided where there is a potential for injury to the eyes or face from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, potentially injurious light radiation, or a combination of these.

There are five general classes of eye and face protection: safety spectacles, face shields, goggles, laser safety goggles, and welding helmets. The type of protection required shall be determined by the type and degree of the hazard and shall comply with ANSI Z87.1-1989 “American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection”.

Each employee that wears prescription lenses while engaged in operations that involve eye hazards shall wear eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or wears eye protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or protective lenses. Specific requirements for the procurement of prescription eyewear are identified in the EHS Personal Protection Policy.

All eye and face protection shall be distinctly marked to facilitate identification of the manufacturer and must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Provide adequate protection against the particular hazards for which they are designed;
• Be of safe design and construction for the work to be performed;
• Be reasonably comfortable when worn under the designated conditions;
• Fit snugly without interfering with the movements or vision of the wearer;
• Be durable;
• Be capable of being disinfected;
• Be easily cleanable; and
• Be distinctly marked to facilitate identification only of the manufacturer.

The use of eye protection in laboratories shall be done in accordance with the IUPUI Laboratory Polices.

Respiratory Protection

In the control of those occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors, the primary objective shall be to prevent atmospheric contamination. This shall be accomplished as far as feasible by accepted engineering control measures (for example, enclosure or confinement of the operation, general and local ventilation, and substitution of less toxic materials). When effective engineering controls are not feasible, or while they are being instituted, appropriate respirators shall be used.

Respirators shall be provided when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of the employee. The respirator shall be applicable and suitable for the purpose intended.

IUPUI EHS has developed a respiratory protection program which includes all the requirements for respirator use. Use of respirators shall be done in accordance with the IUPUI Respiratory Protection Program.

Head Protection

Head protection shall be worn in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from impact, flying or falling objects, or electrical shock.

Protective helmets shall comply with ANSI Z89.1-1986, "American National Standard for Personnel Protection-Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers-Requirements". Helmets for protection again electrical shock shall comply with ANSI Z89.2-1971.

Foot Protection

Foot protection shall be worn when there is a potential for injury to the feet from falling or rolling objects, or objects piercing the sole, and where such employee's feet are exposed to electrical hazards.

Protective footwear must comply with ANSI Z41-1991, “American National Standard for Personal Protection-Protective Footwear”.

Foot protection in the laboratory shall be consistent with those requirements of the Chemical Hygiene Plan, section 3.2.5 Personal Protective Equipment.

Specific requirements for the procurement of foot protection are identified in the EHS Personal Protection Policy.

Electrical Protective Devices
Rubber insulating equipment shall be used/worn to protect employees from shocks/burns while working on "live" electrical systems.
Rubber insulating equipment shall comply with the following American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards:
• Specification for Rubber Insulating Gloves (D120-87);
• Specification for Rubber Insulating Matting (ASTM D178-93 or D178-88);
• Specification for Rubber Insulating Blankets (ASTM D1048-93 or D1048-88a);
• Specification for Rubber Insulating Covers (ASTM D1049-93 or D1049-88);
• Specification for Rubber Insulating Line Hose (ASTM D1050-90); and
• Specification for Rubber Insulating Sleeves (ASTM D1051-87).

All electrical protective equipment shall be subjected to periodic electrical tests conducted in accordance with appropriate voltages identified by ASTM standards to reliably indicate whether the insulating equipment can withstand the voltage involved. Insulating equipment failing to pass inspections or electrical tests shall NOT be used by employees.

Rubber insulating equipment test intervals shall occur as follows:

• Rubber insulating line hoses shall be tested upon indication that the insulating valve is suspect;
• Rubber insulating covers shall be tested upon indication that the insulating valve is suspect;
• Rubber insulating blankets shall be tested before first issue and every twelve months thereafter;
• Rubber insulating gloves shall be tested before first issue and every six months thereafter; and
• Rubber insulating sleeves shall be tested before first issue and every twelve months thereafter.

Note: If the insulating equipment has been electrically tested but not issued for service, it shall not be placed into service unless it has been electrically tested within the previous twelve months.
All departments using rubber insulating equipment shall make the appropriate arrangements for testing of such equipment.

Hearing Protection

Hearing protection devices shall be made available to all employees exposed to an 8-hour TWA of 85 dB or greater at no cost to the employees and shall be replaced as necessary. Types of hearing protection include formable and preformed ear plugs, canal caps, and ear muffs.

Hearing protection devices shall be worn by any employee who is exposed to an 8-hour TWA of 85 dB or greater, and who has not yet had a baseline audiogram or has experienced a standard threshold shift. Employees shall be given the opportunity to select their hearing protection from a variety of suitable hearing protection devices.

Performance Information

Attenuation refers to the damping or decrease of noise levels as a result of wearing hearing protection devices. The hearing protection device attenuation shall be evaluated by EHS for the specific noise environments in which the hearing protection device will be used.

Hearing protection devices shall attenuate employee exposure to at least an eight hour time-weighted average of 90 dBA. For employees who have experienced a standard threshold shift (STS), the hearing protection device shall attenuate exposure at or below the action level of 85 dBA-TWA (time-weighted average).

Hearing protection shall be used in accordance with the IUPUI Hearing Conservation Program.

Hand Protection

Appropriate hand protection is required when hands are exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasions; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes.

The type of hand protection used shall be based on the performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the task(s) to be performed, conditions present, duration of use, and the hazards or potential hazards identified.

Torso Protection

Torso protection shall be provided when there is a potential for bodily injury (e.g., legs, arms, back, chest) from cuts and radiation, temperature extremes; hot splashes from molten metals and other hot liquids; potential impacts from tools, machinery and materials; and hazardous chemicals.

Employees who face possible bodily injury of any kind that cannot be eliminated through engineering, work practice or administrative controls, shall wear appropriate body protection while performing their jobs.

Body protection includes laboratory coats, coveralls, vests, jackets, aprons, surgical gowns and full body suits.

Maintenance Schedules

PPE shall be inspected, cleaned and maintained by employees at regular intervals so it can be discarded, changed and/or decontaminated as deemed necessary. At a minimum, all PPE shall be discarded when it has become contaminated, worn, torn or has other integrity problems.

It is important to ensure that contaminated PPE which cannot be decontaminated is disposed of in a manner that protects employees from exposure to hazards while ensuring compliance with appropriate regulations.

Note: Inspect PPE before each use for tears, punctures, holes, cuts, cracks, embedded foreign objects and texture changes (e.g., swelling, softening, hardening, becoming sticky or inelastic).

Disposable PPE shall be thrown away after use and shall not be re-used.

Training

Initial Training
Initial training shall be provided by Environmental Health and Safety or the appropriate department for each employee who is required to use PPE.
Each employee shall be trained in at least the following:
• When PPE is necessary;
• What PPE is necessary;
• How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE;
• The limitations of the PPE; and
• The proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of the PPE.

Each affected employee shall demonstrate an understanding of the aforementioned training and the ability to use PPE properly before being allowed to perform work requiring the use of PPE.

Retraining
When there is reason to believe that any affected employee who has already been trained does not have the understanding and skill as required above, Environmental Health and Safety or the affected department shall retrain each such employee. Circumstances where retraining is required include, but are not limited to, situations where:
• Changes in the workplace render previous training obsolete;
• Changes in the types of PPE to be used render previous training obsolete; or
• Inadequacies in an affected employee's knowledge or use of assigned PPE indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill.

Recordkeeping

The employer shall verify that each affected employee has received and understood the required training through a written certification that contains the name of each employee trained, the date(s) of training, and that identifies the subject of the certification.

To view the IUPUI Respiratory Protection Program, click here.
The view the IUPUI Personal Protective Equipment Policy, click here.

The IUPUI Chemical Hygiene Plan also contains information regarding PPE.