Health and Safety Procedure Applicable Legislation Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HASWA) Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended) (MHSWR) Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 Further legislation, covering specific areas of work, require Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be provided including working on highways, control of asbestos at work, food hygiene, noise at work and control of substances hazardous to health. Introduction PPE may be required to protect employees and other persons against risks to their health and safety. Purpose it s aims and objectives The Council recognises its duty of care to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare of all its employees, service users, voluntary workers, contractors, visitors and members of the public, by implementing the general principles of risk prevention to reduce risks to a minimum. Effectively this means PPE should only be used as a last resort, where no other controls fully address the risk. The aim of this procedure is to ensure that PPE is: Properly assessed before use to ensure it is suitable. Provided with information, instruction and training on how to use it safely. Used correctly by employees and other individuals (users). Maintained and stored properly. Scope This procedure applies to Council premises and work activities. Definitions Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer from bodily injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, temperature, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter. Page 1 of 5
Manager s Responsibilities Managers will ensure that: General principles of risk prevention have been applied and that if any resultant risk assessment has indicated that PPE is required, that suitable PPE is provided and is always readily available to all employees that need to use it. PPE requirements are considered when risks are assessed, in consultation with employees and safety representatives. Any PPE provided is suitable not only for addressing the risks posed but ergonomically suitable for the intended user. Adequate appropriate storage is provided and that PPE is properly stored, maintained, cleaned, repaired and replaced when necessary. Adequate information and training is provided to, and understood by, all employees who need to use, maintain or select PPE. Records of all training relating to PPE use are kept, including details of the names of the participants, the date of the training, and the subjects covered. Employees and other users understand their responsibilities regarding PPE. Any injuries, ill health or incidents relating to the use of PPE are investigated, with remedial action taken. Employees and others use any PPE provided as instructed and trained. The use and maintenance of PPE is regularly monitored and reviewed. Special arrangements are made, where necessary, for individuals with health or other conditions that could affect the use of PPE. If two (or more) items of PPE are used simultaneously, they are compatible and are as effective used together as they are separately. Assessments are reviewed and the suitability of PPE reassessed whenever there are significant changes or at least annually. Employee s Responsibilities Employees will: Use PPE only in accordance with the instructions provided and throughout the work activities for which they are intended to provide protection. Attend and comply with any training, instruction and information provided. Check that the PPE provided is suitable to give protection against the risks involved. Check the condition of their PPE before each occasion that they use it. Clean and maintain their PPE in accordance with training and instructions. Take all reasonable steps to ensure that PPE is returned to the accommodation/storage provided for it after use (unless the employee has been allowed to take PPE away from the workplace e.g. footwear or clothing). Report any losses, defects or other problems with PPE to their manager or another responsible person immediately. Take appropriate steps to ensure that disposable PPE is disposed of in accordance with training and instruction received Report to management any personal conditions that may affect their ability to use PPE correctly. Page 2 of 5
Types of PPE PPE will vary depending on the work area and work activities carried out. Eyes Hearing Hazards Chemical, metal or liquid splash, dust, projectiles, gas and vapour, radiation. Noise Options Safety spectacles, goggles, face shields, visors. Ear muffs or defenders, plugs. Head Breathing Protecting the body Hands and arms Feet and legs Selecting PPE Impact from falling or flying objects, risk of head bumping, hair entanglement. Food contamination. Inhaling dust, vapour, gas. Oxygen-deficient atmospheres. Temperature extremes, adverse weather, chemical or metal splash, spray from pressure leaks or spray guns, impact or penetration, contaminated dust, excessive wear or entanglement of own clothing, poor visibility. Fall from height, fall into water. Vibration, abrasion, temperature extremes, cuts and punctures, impact, chemicals, electric shock, skin infection, disease or contamination. Water, snow, electrostatic buildup, slipping, cuts and punctures, crushing, falling objects, metal and chemical splash, abrasion. Range of helmets and bump caps. Mob caps, hair nets, beard nets/snoods. Disposable filtering facemask or respirator, half or full face respirators, breathing apparatus. Conventional or disposable overalls, boiler suits, thermal clothing, waterproof clothing. Specialist protective clothing e.g. chainmail aprons, chainsaw jackets and trousers, high-visibility clothing, fall protection (lanyards & harnesses), lifejackets. Cut resistant, waterproof and thermal gloves, gauntlets, mitts, wristcuffs, armlets. Kevlar sleeves. Safety boots and shoes with protective toe caps and penetration-resistant mid-sole, gaiters, leggings. When selecting suitable PPE choose products which are BS / CE marked in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 suppliers can advise you. You should also take into account occupational standards. For example, employees working on highways have to conform to industry standards regarding the wearing of high- Page 3 of 5
visibility clothing complying with EN ISO 20471 and those working with chainsaws must have clothing to meet EN 381. Choose equipment that suits the user consider the size, fit and weight of the PPE. If the users help choose it, they will be more likely to use it. Some facemasks and respirators will require users to be clean shaven ensure this requirement is enforced when appropriate. If more than one item of PPE is worn at the same time, make sure they can be used together, e.g. wearing safety glasses may disturb the seal of a respirator, causing air leaks. Training Information, instruction and training (including refresher training) must be provided to employees, to enable them to make effective use of the PPE provided to protect them against workplace hazards to their health and safety. Employees (users) must be trained in the proper use of PPE, how to correctly fit and wear it, and what its limitations are. Managers must retain up to date training records. Inspection and Maintenance An effective system of inspection and maintenance of PPE is essential to make sure the equipment continues to provide the degree of protection for which it is designed. Therefore, the manufacturer s maintenance schedule (including recommended replacement periods and shelf lives) must always be followed by being incorporated into work processes, practices and procedures. Maintenance will include; cleaning, examination, replacement, repair and testing and must only be carried out by competent persons. The costs associated with the maintenance of PPE are the responsibility of the Council and arranged through the manager. Storage Storage should be adequate to protect the PPE from contamination, loss, damage, damp or sunlight. Where PPE may become contaminated during use, storage should be separate from any provided storage for ordinary clothing. Providing PPE to non-employees As well as identifying when employees need PPE, consideration of who else might be at risk is necessary. For instance, are there visitors, maintenance contractors or cleaners who may need to wear PPE to protect them from risks? If there are, decisions must be made on how best to protect them. Contractors, cleaners and other people working on premises must be informed about the risks they may meet and what they need to do to protect themselves including any PPE that they may need. For visitors, PPE will need to be provided, e.g. safety glasses for people entering areas where eye protection is necessary, where the risks cannot be controlled in any other way. Page 4 of 5
Schools Pupils often need to wear PPE in science and technology lessons. The provision of such PPE is required, for example, under CLEAPSS risk assessments. CLEAPSS guidance indicates the appropriate PPE to be used in relation to both staff and pupils and should be used in conjunction with lesson plans where relevant. For further information and advice: OCC Health and Safety Team healthandsafetyhelp@oxfordshire.gov.uk Tel: 03300 240849 Health and Safety Executive (HSE) http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/ppe.htm Issue date: August 2015 Page 5 of 5