Page 7 - PPE GUIDELINE
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Guidelines on the Use of PPE Against Chemical Hazards
General Duties of Employees at Work
The Occupational Safety & Health Act 1994: Section 24(1) states (in part) that
‘It shall be the duty of every employee while at work-
c) to wear or use at all times any protective equipment or clothing provided by
the employer for the purpose of preventing risks to his safety and health; and
d) to comply with any instruction or measure on occupational safety and health
instituted by his employer or any other person by or under this Act or any regulation
made there under.’
This mean that employees who are provided with personal protective equipment or
clothing must wear or use them at all times and in accordance to safety instructions.
Duty Not to Charge Employees for Things Done or Provided
Occupational Safety & Health Act 1994: Section 26 states that:
No employer shall levy or permit to be levied on any employee of his any charge in
respect of anything done or provided in pursuance of this Act or any regulation made
there under.
This means that personal protective equipment provided by an employer to his
employees must be made at no cost to the employees.
2.2.1 Occupational Safety & Health (Use & Standards of Exposure of Chemical
Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000
Personal Protective Equipment as a Control Measure
USECHH Regulations 2000: Regulation 15(1) states that
The employer shall control chemicals hazardous to health through the following
control measures:
a) elimination of chemicals hazardous to health from the place of work;
b) substitution of less hazardous chemicals for chemicals hazardous to health;
c) total enclosure of the process and handling systems;
d) isolation of the work to control the emission of chemicals hazardous to health;
e) modification of the process parameters;
f) application of engineering control equipment;
g) adoption of safe work systems and practices that eliminate or minimize the
risk to health; or
h) provision of approved personal protective equipment.
The provision of approved personal protective equipment is listed last in the control
hierarchy. Other means are preferred over the use of personal protective equipment.
Department of Occupational Safety & Health, Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia October 2005 7
