Personal Protective Equipment Healthcare Workers Session Objectives You

Personal Protective Equipment Healthcare Workers

Session Objectives You will be able to: • Recognize the importance of PPE • Identify job hazards that require PPE • Select appropriate PPE • Inspect and fit PPE properly • Remove and dispose of PPE safely • Maintain PPE in good, safe condition © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

What You Need to Know • Why using assigned PPE is essential • Common healthcare hazards that require PPE • Types of PPE that could be necessary • Proper selection, inspection, use, and maintenance of PPE • When new or different PPE might be required © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Why You Need to Wear Assigned PPE • You could face a variety of workplace hazards • Safety controls don’t always eliminate hazards • When hazards can’t be eliminated, PPE serves as a barrier between you and the hazards • OSHA regulations and our policy require appropriate PPE © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

OSHA Requirements • What PPE is needed for each task • How to use it correctly • Limitations of PPE • How to maintain PPE properly © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Common Healthcare Hazards Requiring PPE • Skin penetration by • • sharps Chemicals Antineoplastic and other potentially harmful drugs Blood and other potentially infected materials TB or other airborne bacteria © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Common Healthcare Hazards Requiring PPE (cont. ) • Mechanical hazards • Heat • X rays • Light radiation (e. g. , lasers or UV) • Any other identified hazard © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

PPE Is Your Personal Defense Against Hazards • Eyes and face • Skin • Respiratory system • Feet • Hearing • Head © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Eye and Face Protection • Shatterproof safety • • glasses Goggles Filtered lenses Face shields Eye protection with prescription glasses © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Skin Protection • Gloves • Disposable • Cotton • Leather • Rubber, neoprene, or vinyl • Heat resistant • Protective clothing © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Respiratory Protection • Masks • Respirator fit testing and training © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Foot Protection • Sensible, sturdy shoes with nonslip soles • Safety shoes • Boots • Shoe covers © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Hearing Protection • Earmuffs • Earplugs • Canal caps • Homemade hearing protection IS NOT effective and should NOT be used © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Head Protection Hard hats protect your head in two ways: • Hard outer shell resists blows and penetration • Shock-absorbing suspensions act as a barrier between the outer shell and your head to absorb impact © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Hazards and Protections • Do you understand the information that has been presented so far? © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Select the Right PPE for the Job You’re Performing We will provide you with PPE that: • Protects from identified hazards • Is of safe design and construction and gives you a good fit • Is sanitary and reliable • Provides more than minimum protection • Meets required safety and health standards © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Select the Right PPE for Chemical Hazards • Read the label • Check the MSDS • Ask your supervisor if you have any questions © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Inspect PPE Before Use • Inspect before each use • Look for holes, tears, cracks, wear, or other problems • Don’t use defective, worn, or damaged PPE. Turn it in and get an effective replacement. © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Get a Good Fit PPE fits well when it: • Provides you with the protection you need • Is comfortable enough to allow you to move and perform your job well Remember to check fit before each use © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Remove and Dispose of PPE Correctly • Remove PPE when it’s contaminated • Remove PPE from the top down, wearing gloves to protect your skin • Grasp contaminated gloves on the inside and peel down without touching the outside • Place contaminated PPE in assigned containers • Wash thoroughly after removing PPE © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Maintain PPE Properly • Clean PPE before you put it away • Store PPE in a safe place where it won’t be damaged or lost © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Selection, Use, and Maintenance • Do you understand the information in the previous slides? © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

When New or Different PPE May Be Required • When tasks change, hazards may change too • When new equipment or substances are introduced, you may face new hazards • When hazards change, new or different PPE may be required • When technology changes, you may be assigned new and improved PPE • Your supervisor will explain any changes and prepare you to use new PPE © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Use PPE Responsibly • Know the job hazards • Use the equipment provided • Check the equipment • Take care of your equipment • Remove equipment carefully and clean or dispose of it properly © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609

Key Points to Remember • OSHA requires the use of PPE when workplace hazards can’t be eliminated • PPE provides you with a barrier of protection against job hazards • You need to know how to select, inspect, use, and maintain your PPE correctly • Always use assigned PPE • If there’s anything about PPE you don’t understand, ask your supervisor © Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0609