Any occupation governed by the Occupational Safety’s Health Administration (OSHA) Act is likely to have a certain level of danger that requires employers to supply their workers with adequate protection from potential hazards. Among other workplace safety measures, businesses must provide employees personal protective equipment (PPE).
Although PPE has been a major headline grabber over the past year due to the pandemic, it isn’t a recent requirement. PPE is standard protocol in many industries including medical, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceutical, and oil and gas.
With such a high demand globally for emergency PPE over the last year, organizations must prioritize obtaining adequate supplies for their employees.
How to Choose the Right PPE
Choosing the right PPE for employees is vital as they must be sufficiently protected under OSHA regulations. Any potential work hazards must be assessed to determine what PPE is necessary and how it should be used and maintained. Although the exact frequency may vary, OSHA requires that assessments take place at least once per year.
The PPE should be chosen based mainly on the dangers identified during the hazard assessment. Another consideration could be how the PPE fits, the comfort levels, and the employees’ abilities to work while wearing it. Where possible, PPE should be tailored to fit individual employees.
Specific organizations help businesses to carry out PPE assessments. However, it can be done in-house. The basic steps involved in the process include:
- Carry out a walk-through of work areas to discover potential hazards, such as chemical, heat, light, radiation, and other harmful materials.
- Outline sources of risk like falling objects or materials, machinery, sharp objects, and electrical hazards.
- Gather and organize the data for analysis of the work environment. This helps determine the necessary PPE.
- Analyze the data and assess the risk of accidents, injury, and illness. Consider the level of risk, the severity of potential injuries from each hazard, and the potential for multiple hazards to co-occur.
- Choose the right PPE. After gathering and analyzing the data, determine what PPE is suitable for protecting employees. Ensure that you study all PPE types before making your decision.
In most cases, PPE can only be used once, by one individual before disposal. However, there are some exceptions, such as protective goggles. Check with your provider for more information.
How to Buy PPE
Having adequate supplies of quality PPE is essential in minimizing the risk of injury and ensuring employees’ safest possible work environment. While low-price goods are necessary at times in business, it should never be a priority with PPE. Always seek safety equipment from a reputable source.
ICU Production, Inc. is a PPE specialist. We provide quality and thoroughly tested PPE that is ready for immediate use. We partner with organizations in various industries to make sure their employees and associates can function in safe working environments.
Some of the PPE we provide includes:
- Face masks: ASMT-rated 3 ply, N95, and KN95 masks to protect against airborne pathogens.
- Gloves: available in several materials, including latex, nitrile, nitrile-vinyl blend, and vinyl.
- Gowns: from Level 1 to 4 per the ANSI/AAMI rating system.
- Face shields of various designs.
- Hand sanitizers: FDA and CDC-approved sanitizers in a range of sizes and quantities.
- Disinfection wipes: available in soft packs and canisters.
- Kids masks & face shields: specialized PPE for kids in different protection levels and styles, from high-level face shields to daily use masks.
Whether you need to top up your existing supply of equipment or you need a bulk order, we ensure you have the necessary PPE on hand.