Page 42 - PPE GUIDELINE

Guidelines on the Use of PPE Against Chemical Hazards
The protective equipment should match up with the risk or risks e.g. for protecting
against a chemical splash it may be necessary to provide the worker with eye, face,
body and limbs protection by the user of safety spectacles or goggles, face screens,
apron, gloves, and protective footwear.

Selection of personal protective equipment should consider whether protection is
required for a specific risk or to control multiple risks presented by the same hazard or
a combination of hazards. For example, using a pesticide sprayer to spray pesticides
in a plantation presents risks to the eyes (mists); lungs (mists & vapour); whole of
body (mists); and hands (liquid).

The selected equipment should provide adequate control of the risk or risks the wearer
is exposed to. The equipment must be able to protect the wearer either from the risk of
acute bodily injury, suffocation or the risk of chronic effect to health. Protection
against the risk to acute effects or injury will mean that the equipment must be able to
provide an effective barrier between the hazard and the wearer.

For protection against health risks, personal protection with an adequate protection
factor (or degree of protection) must be selected such that the exposure of the wearer
to the hazard is well below the recommended occupational exposure limit. However,
where no personal protective equipment will provide adequate control of risk e.g. Fire
fighter’s clothing, the personal protective equipment with the best protection
practicable for the circumstances should be chosen.

Personal protective equipment must be chosen such that it will give minimum
discomfort to the wearer. Uncomfortable equipment is unlikely to be worn properly.
In selecting personal protective equipment to be used for a particular job, the nature of
the job and the demands it places on the worker should be taken into account. Those
who do the job must be consulted as equipment selected involves the consideration of
the physical effort to do the job, the methods of work, the duration the equipment
need to be used or worn, and the requirements for visibility and communication.

4.2. Issuance & Fit Testing

It is the duty of the employer (Regulations 15(1) of USECHH Regulations 2000) to
provide items of personal protective equipment. Factors to be considered in deciding
upon the most appropriate provision of equipment for a particular workplace include:

• Absolute requirement for personal protective equipment at that workplace;
• Availability of the personal protective equipment;
• Location of the workplace;
• Need for a personal fit; and
• Industry practice, including whether personal protective equipment is a normal
requirement for that industry sector.

Department of Occupational Safety & Health, Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia ™October 2005 42