Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes gloves, eye protection, aprons and overalls. Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is a special kind of PPE for the lungs. Used correctly, it can save your health. Used wrongly, it gives a false feeling of safety.
The rules for employers
- PPE is the last resort. Employers must first try to prevent or control exposure in other ways.
- When PPE is needed, the employer must provide it free of charge and make sure it is suitable for the hazard, the job and the wearer. For hazardous substances this comes from COSHH itself (regulation 7), and section 9 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 says the employer may not charge for it.
- The employer must train you to use it, and tell you how to look after it.
- It must be kept clean, stored properly, checked and replaced when worn or damaged.
- Where RPE is used, COSHH requires it to be adequate and suitable. It must have the right standard mark.
Gloves
- One glove does not fit all chemicals. A glove that stops one chemical may let another through in minutes. The SDS and the glove maker's data show what to use.
- Disposable gloves are for single use. Do not wash and reuse them.
- Check for holes and tears before use. Replace damaged gloves at once.
- Take them off correctly. Pull them off so the outside does not touch your skin. Then wash and dry your hands.
- Wearing gloves for a long time can cause sweaty skin and dermatitis. Follow the advice on cotton liners and breaks.
Eye and body protection
- Use goggles for splashes. Ordinary glasses are not enough.
- Use face shields for larger splashes, together with goggles if the assessment says so.
- Wear aprons, overalls or boots as the assessment says. Take off contaminated clothing quickly. Do not take it home to wash unless the employer has said how.
Respirators
There are two main types.
- Filtering types clean the air you breathe. They include disposable masks (FFP1, FFP2, FFP3) and half or full masks with filters. The filter must suit the hazard. A dust filter does not stop vapours or gases, and a basic paper mask protects against very little.
- Air-supplied types give clean air from outside the work area.
Face-fit testing
Tight-fitting respirators rely on a seal against the face. If air leaks around the edge, the mask does not protect you. For these, the employer must arrange a face-fit test, carried out by a competent person. It checks that the make, model and size suit your face. You may need a different size or type.
- Facial hair where the mask seals, including stubble, can ruin the seal. You must be clean-shaven in that area.
- A fit test is repeated if your face changes, for example after weight loss, dental work or scarring, and as the employer's procedure requires.
- Each time you put it on, do a fit check according to the maker's instructions.
- Loose-fitting types (hoods and helmets with blown air) do not need a face-fit test, but they need checks, such as airflow.
Looking after PPE and RPE
- Check it before each use.
- Clean and store it as instructed, away from dust and chemicals.
- Change filters on time.
- If it is damaged, uncomfortable or does not seem to work, stop and report it.
- Never work in a hazard area without the PPE the assessment calls for.