What PPE Should You Use?

All PPE does not work for every type of work task. What types of PPE should you use - and when should you use them?

The best PPE to use to protect yourself against impact and heat injuries are safety spectacles and safety goggles. This is because safety spectacles protect the wearer from fragments, sparks, splashes, chips, objects, and particles that may fly about as you work. They also work well against extreme heat caused by hot dipping, pouring, and casting. Keep in mind that any PPE that you use to guard against impact injuries must have side shields. Safety goggles protect the immediate eye area from similar flying hazards by forming a protective seal around the eyes. Face shields also work as an effective secondary protector - and heat-reflective face shields work particularly well against exposure to extremely high temperatures.

• The most effective PPE to use against chemical and dust hazards are safety goggles. As you learned when you read the Buffalo hospital case study, goggles form a protective seal directly around the eye area that guards against chemical and dust exposure. Those who face frequent exposure to severe chemical hazards should use a face shield as well - just make sure the face shield window is thick enough to adequately protect you.
• When it comes to optical radiation, there is only one choice: A welding helmet. In order to use this PPE effectively, workers must know the maximum intensity (or power density) that a laser produces when exposed to laser beams. Based on that knowledge, workers should choose a lens that protects against that maximum intensity. This selection should also depend on the lasers being used and the work conditions under which they are used. Workers can also use special laser safety glasses as secondary protectors.

To learn more about Eye & Face Protection visit our Eye & Face Protection Online Training web page.