How to Select the Right Protective and High-Visibility Apparel and Hand, Foot and Fall Protection
Published in: Occupational Hazards
Date: 4/1/2006
By: Bradley, Janice Comer
The primary criteria for personal protective equipment (PPE) selection is that it be suitable for the hazard to which the worker is exposed and conforms to the standard(s) for that type of equipment.
Protective and High-Visibility Apparel
The body must be protected from exposure to particulate, liquid and vaporous hazardous materials, radiation, impacts, cuts and abrasions, and against burns from exposure to heat, hot metals and flame. A variety of protective clothing is available, ranging from disposable coveralls to fully encapsulated chemical protective suits, heat- and flame-resistant clothing, and cut-protective gloves and chaps.
High-visibility apparel can be worn to make workers more visible to vehicle operators in sufficient time to avoid accidents. The more conspicuous the worker is at greater distances, the better chance that a maneuver can be executed successfully to avoid an incident.
High-visibility apparel is necessary for all who work near moving equipment and vehicles traveling at any speeds. Garments including vests, pants, coats, gloves, hats and shirts are available in fluorescent colors with retro-reflective materials to provide visibility in all lighting conditions, day and night. Garment selection should be based on creating the greatest contrast between the worker and the background environment.
With either protective or high-visibility apparel, it is important to select clothing that offers the necessary protection or visibility, without restricting the wearer’s movement. Consideration also must be given to the length of time that the clothing is to be worn.
The applicable standard for protective clothing is ANSI/ISEA 101-1996 (R2002) (Limited Use and Disposable Coveralls – Size and Labeling Requirements), and for high-visibility apparel it is ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 (High-Visibility Safety Apparel).
Answers to the following questions will help a safety officer make the right protective clothing choices:
* Is the hazard a dry particle or a liquid?
* Is the hazard a dangerous gas or vapor?
* Is the hazard under pressure or does it involve residual contact?
* Is the hazard unknown or an identified entity with known concentration?
* Is the hazard at an extreme temperature?
Answers to the following questions will help a safety officer make the right high-visibility apparel choices:
* Is the work environment predominantly one color?
* What is the task load of the worker?
* Are there competing distractions for drivers in the area, such as signs and traffic cones or barrels?
* Is the work environment controlled, such as a parking lot?
* Is there separation between the worker and vehicles?
* Are there other hazards, such as electricity?
Hand Protection
(Editor’s note: Also see the feature entitled “Get the FAQs About Hand Protection and Aprons” in this issue of Protection Update.)
A variety of gloves are available to protect against cuts, abrasions, burns and chemicals. Careful attention must be paid to the type of work being done so that the protective gloves do not impair the user’s dexterity. The performance characteristics of glove material must be matched to the hazard to which the worker is exposed.
Applicable standards are ANSI/ISEA 105-2005 (Hand Protection Selection Criteria) and 29CFR 1910.138 (OSHA general industry).
Answers to the following questions will help a safety officer make the right hand-protection choices:
* Can the hazard puncture, cut or abrade the skin?
* Is the hazard a dangerous chemical or mixture? Are the components known?
* Is a biological hazard present?
* Is dexterity to perform fine work a consideration?
* Are temperature extremes a consideration?
Foot Protection
Safety shoes and boots may provide protection against impact, crushing, puncture and electrical shock. Shoes with impact-resistant toes would be required where there is a potential for heavy objects being dropped on the feet. Compression protection is required for work involving heavy rolling objects or vehicles that could run over the worker’s foot.
Puncture protection, such as a metal insole, is a consideration where there are sharp objects underfoot. The hazard assessment also should identify areas where there is a potential for slips and falls, and specify footwear with non-slip soles.
Applicable standards are ASTM F2412-05 (Standard Test Methods for Foot Protection) and OSHA 29 CFR- 1910.136 (Occupational Foot Protection).
Answers to the following questions will help the safety officer make the right footprotection recommendations:
* Does the work involve the lifting of heavy or sharp equipment or tools?
* Does the worker have to maneuver over objects that can puncture?
* Is the work surface slippery or wet?
Fall Protection
Whenever anyone is working at an elevation, such as a platform, scaffold, bridge, pole or other elevated vertical location, or in a confined space from which vertical or horizontal extraction may be necessary, fall protection should be used. Passive fall protection devices include safety nets and guard rails that prevent falls. On the other hand, personal fall-arrest systems (active fall protection) are equipment that enables workers to survive falls. Such equipment includes harnesses, lanyards, anchorages, lifelines, shock absorbers and fittings.
All this equipment should be static-load tested and maintained according to manufacturers’ instructions. Workers should be trained to don and adjust the equipment properly, to inspect and maintain it, and use it correctly as a system. Keep a record of the age of the equipment as well, and do not use it beyond the manufacturer’s recommended shelf life. Above all, whenever such equipment is subjected to a fall-arrest load, replace it. It has done its job.
Applicable standards are ANSI Z117.1-2003 (Safety Requirements for Confined Spaces), ANSI/ASSE Z359.1 -1992(R1999) (Safety Requirements for Personal Fall Arrest Systems, Subsystems and Components), ANSI A14.3-1992 (Ladders – Fixed – Safety Requirements), and ANSI A10.14.1 991 (Requirements for Safety Belts, Harnesses, Lanyards and Lifelines for Construction and Demolition).
Answers to the following questions will help the safety officer to make the right fall protection choices:
* Is movement vertically, horizontally or both necessary to perform work?
* At what elevation is the work being performed?
Also, a comprehensive Use and Selection Guide for Personal Fall Protection Equipment is available from ISEA; visit safetyequipment.org.
Conclusion
There are additional factors that should be considered, as well. All protective equipment must be properly fitted and comfortable enough to ensure that the user will wear it. For example, protective clothing and footwear must be sized properly for the worker, just as regular clothing. Many product standards include guidelines for fitting and using the products.
No matter what form of safety equipment, purchasers should always look for evidence that it meets the required standard(s). The manufacturer may do its own testing and declare that the product is in compliance, or get certification from a third-party conformity assessment body.
SIDEBAR
Editor’s note: This is the third and final article in a series that examines the various types of personal protective equipment (PPE) and how hazard evaluations should be applied to select the proper PPE. All three articles build upon Mrs. Bradley’s report, “How to Identify, Evaluate Workplace Hazards,” in the summer 2005 Protection Update; find that issue at www.occupationalhazards.com.