For many employees, personal protective equipment is a last defense against serious injuries or
death at work. This equipment will act as a failsafe against other protective devices, such as
machine guards or ventilation systems, and will help in the event of human error while using
machines, chemicals, working with loud noises, or anything else which could present a danger to
employees. Personal protective equipment comes in all shapes and sizes, as well, from gloves
and goggles, to full hazmat suites.
But with all of this personal protective equipment present, there can begin to be some issues with
when it needs to be worn, who is responsible for providing it, where it is stored, and who is
responsible for updating and maintaining it. To help with this, OSHA created OSHA Standard
1910.132, which lays out very general guidelines for the use, care, storage, and maintenance of
personal protective equipment. Unfortunately, there are also specific guidelines present within
other OSHA standards, meaning you need to reconcile Standard 1910.132 with every
occupational safety and health policy and procedure for your company which involves any
personal protective equipment.
This reconciliation and creation of policies can become taxing on any safety team. And the
constant monitoring of equipment can also be time consuming. But it is an important part of
creating a safe work environment, and it is important in avoiding expensive fines from OSHA
should your facility ever be audited. And if you have any questions about any of your personal
protective equipment policies or procedures, it is imperative you contact a qualified third party
occupational safety and health auditing firm to assist in ensuring the facility is compliant.
If you have any questions about your personal protective equipment policies and procedures,
please contact us. If you have anything to add about the importance of personal protective
equipment, please leave a comment.
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