Gotta get yourself protected

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) is a frontline, point-of-contact, hazard control for those working with dangerous substances in laboratories; here is our 10 step guide to an effective PPE program

PPE comes into play when other, pre-contact control measures are insufficient; however controlling a hazard at its source is the best way to protect employees. Exceptional Laboratories integrate high quality PPE with an effective PPE program. Here follows a simple outline to help laboratory managers create an effective 10 step PPE program and engage employees in personal protection and hazard control.

To ensure the greatest possible protection for employees in the workplace, the cooperative efforts of both employers and employees will help establish and maintain a safe and healthy working environment. A laboratory's occupational health and safety policy should serve as a guide to action. PPE programs rely on management support and should receive a level of commitment equal to other organisational policies, procedures, and programs. An appointed program coordinator can help ensure the success of any PPE program.

Bobbie Grant, Health & Safety Specialist at Life Technologies, said: “An effective PPE program protects people with high quality PPE and engages them with great tools and great training. By partnering with experts prepared to offer additional guidance and tools to help implement programs and engage employees, labs can improve return on investment when purchasing PPE.”

1.       Risk assessment

Carry out a walk-through survey of your workplace and develop a list of basic hazards. Most hazards encountered fall into three main categories: chemical, biological, or physical. Note all potential sources of:

• Chemical hazard
• Biologic hazard
• Impact or falling objects
• Motion or abrasion
• Penetration or sharpness, poking, puncturing
• Compression (roll-over) and pinching
• Extreme temperature
• Harmful dust
• Light (optical) radiation
• Electricity

Review all working practices and inventory any hazardous physical or chemical agents. Review Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), as they indicate the types of hazards associated with specific materials.

Organise and analyse the data to determine level of risk.

2.       Hazard control

Apply conscious decision-making, evaluation, and re-evaluation. Consider each hazard, evaluate all hazard control strategies available and integrate various approaches.

When evaluating hazard controls consider:

• Worker protection
• Product protection from hDNA for example
• Regulatory and corporate compliance
• Technical feasibility

Hazard control strategies include:

• Engineering controls
• Material substitution
• Process change
• Revised work practices
• Equipment upgrade
• Administrative controls
• Use of PPE

Where pre-contact controls are impractical or are not completely effective then point-of-contact controls such as PPE must be used.

3.       PPE selection

Items available include gloves, eye protection, hoods and facemasks, lab coats, aseptic overalls, shoe covers and non-slip footwear, among others. PPE clothing and equipment should be of safe design and construction and selected for fit and comfort. The degree of protection and the design of PPE are integral because both affect overall efficiency, wearability, and user conformity.

Selection of PPE should be appropriate for the level of hazard and conform to standards.

Laboratories are designated according to their design features, construction and containment facilities as Biosafety levels 1-4. To make selection easier some PPE brands can be purchased in bundles based on biosafety level.

In addition to understanding biosafety levels, other factors like contamination and chemical risk also need to be assessed before choosing the appropriate PPE.

Advice, guidance and support on application-specific PPE selection, chemical hazard identification, quality standards and certification can be sourced through quality-conscious PPE supply partners. By selecting the right supply partner from the outset, laboratory managers can leverage specific expertise and benefit from valuable add-on services.

4.       PPE storage and disposal

Poorly maintained or malfunctioning PPE is a hazard in itself. All PPE clothing and equipment should be of safe design and construction, and should be maintained in a clean and reliable fashion. Maintenance should include inspection, care, cleaning, repair, storage and proper disposal.

Look for PPE manufacturers and supply partners that provide detailed PPE life-expectancy data, cleaning, maintenance, repair and environmentally friendly disposal programs that can support your sustainable PPE program in a cost-effective manner.

Although it looks like incineration is a clean process and retrieves energy, new incineration installations have a negative impact on the environment. Incineration is, in fact, more carbon intensive than coal power and leads to higher amounts of dioxins in the air. Recycling options are therefore an important aspect of laboratory waste management.

5.       Documentation

Documentation of any risk assessment, including a PPE risk assessment, is essential and written certification must:

• Identify the workplace under evaluation
• Name the assessor
• Provide the assessment date
• Describe hazards and level of risk
• Identify those at risk
• Detail necessary protective measures
• Specify roles and responsibilities in applying protective measures
• Define monitoring and reviewing arrangements
• Include employee training records and certifications

According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, employers must be able to “demonstrate to themselves, the competent authorities, workers and their representatives that all factors pertinent to the work have been considered, and that an informed valid judgment has been made about the risks and the measures necessary to safeguard health and safety”.

6.       Occupational health program

By ensuring workers feel healthy and well, occupational health programs and workplace health promotion can increase employee engagement, reduce turnover and absenteeism, enhance motivation, improve productivity, and develop a positive reputation for the company.

Occupation health programs and engaging workplace health promotion can include:

• Healthy eating
• Flexible working
• Physical and mental wellness
• Health monitoring

In a laboratory, frequent hand washing and disinfection as part of contamination controls, frequent contact with chemicals and extended wear of gloves is daily practice. By focusing on day-to-day issues such as hand hygiene, laboratories can prevent occupational hazards such as contact dermatitis and other skin diseases.

7.       Individual PPE fitting

Every worker should have PPE that fits properly. Different types of PPE worn together should be compatible. Fitting programs should be carried out by qualified personnel and individuals should be shown how to wear and maintain each PPE component properly at the time of fitting. To achieve calculated levels of protection workers must use PPE correctly at all times.

8.       Training

Employee compliance is essential for the successful integration of a PPE program. Employee and supervisor training is essential to ensure understanding and develop the skills necessary to maintain effective use of PPE. Training should include:

• When to use PPE
• Which PPE to use
• Correct donning and doffing procedures
• Limitation of PPE
• PPE care and maintenance
• PPE life expectancy and disposal

Employees should be required to demonstrate their understanding and retraining provided whenever changes are made to PPE, workplace or procedures.

9.       Employee engagement

By combining the efforts of employers and employees, effective PPE programs and workplace health promotion fosters participation, enables healthy choices and encourages personal development. By involving employees in their own needs and integrating their views on how to organise work and the workplace, employers can actively help employees improve their own general health and wellbeing.

Actively engaged employees care more, are more productive, give improved service, and are less likely to have accidents or take sick days. Studies demonstrate that employee engagement increases the success of safety programs and, ultimately, improves profits through accumulated effort.

10.   Regular evaluation and review

According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, any effective workplace risk assessment must include regular checks to review and reevaluate whether the measures in place remain adequate. It is important to:

• Record and assess changes in conditions, equipment or operating procedures
• Review injury and illness records for trends
• Measure and compare current and previous safety performance
• Ensure preventative measures are necessary and provide improved levels of protection
• Prioritise action if further measures are necessary

Kristin Barrett is Category Manager for KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL’s KIMTECH SCIENCE quality PPE brand.

Contact:

www.kimtech.eu

kimtech.support@kcc.com