Module 1: Occupational Hygiene - Section 4: Personal Protective Equipment
OH4.1: Introduction

GENERAL OBJECTIVES
To help students appreciate the role of personal protective equipment in the hierarchy of control measures.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
After completing this Module students are expected to:
  • give an overview of personal protective equipment;
  • describe the various types of personal protective equipment which are commercially available;
  • explain the advantages and drawbacks that are associated with use of personal protective equipment;
  • provide an opportunity to fit-test respirators;
  • identify elements of an effective personal protective equipment programme.

INTRODUCTION:

The ultimate objective of an occupational hygiene programme is prevention of occupational injuries and diseases. This is achieved through implementation of hazard controls. Such measures include engineering controls, administrative measures, and use of personal protective equipment.

Engineering controls seek to eliminate hazards at source. Examples of engineering controls are installation of ventilation systems and enclosure, isolation or automation of production processes.

Administrative control measures do not eliminate the source of hazard but reduce workers' exposure to hazardous conditions. Examples of administrative controls include limiting duration of exposure, limiting the number of workers exposed, and housekeeping.

Personal protective equipment is used when all other measures have failed to reduce exposure to acceptable levels, when engineering controls are not feasible or to supplement other control measures 1.

Examples of personal protective equipment are gloves, aprons and self-contained breathing apparatus.

WHAT IS PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT?

Personal protective equipment comprises products that are designed to protect against or minimise workplace hazards 2. There are various personal protective equipment that are used by the mining and manufacturing industries.

Personal protective equipment is designed to protect a specific part of the body against hazards in the workplace. They include respiratory, head, hand and arm, eye and body protection.

REFERENCES:

  1. Schoeman JJ and Schroeder HHE. Occupational Hygiene. Published by Juta and Co., 1994.
  2. Herrick RF. Personal Protection. In: ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety http://www.ilo.org/safework_bookshelf/english/.

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General Introduction to Occupational Health: Occupational Hygiene, Epidemiology & Biostatistics by Prof Jonny Myers is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 South Africa License
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