Tool box talk

PPE Use

introduction

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is intended to protect you from risks, which cannot be eliminated or guarded against by other more effective means.

PPE is defined as ‘all equipment which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects him against risks to his health or safety’, e.g. safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses.

importance of topic

Your employer must assess the work you do and take all reasonable steps to eliminate or reduce risks. If he decides that some risk still remains he must provide you with PPE.

Some risks are always present on building sites, hence requiring ‘hard hats’ to be worn in ‘hard hat areas’, at all times.

Regulations & Requirements

The main requirement of the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 is that personal protective equipment is to be supplied and used at work wherever there are risks to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways.

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You have a duty to wear any PPE provided by your employer and he has a duty to see that you do.

You must wear and use the PPE in the way it was intended – therefore it must fit you.

If PPE doesn’t fit correctly - report it.

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PPE must not itself create a new risk – if it does – report it.

You have a duty to take care of the PPE and not to abuse it.

You have no right to take the PPE off site unless your employer says you can. Otherwise you must return it to the appropriate storage place after use.

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If you are unsure about how to use PPE (e.g. breathing apparatus) ask for training first. You must be adequately trained.

If there is anything wrong with the PPE provided e.g. worn out, broken, missing, In need of maintenance or cleaning etc. you must report it.

Make sure multiple items of PPE worn together are compatible with each other.

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The Health and Safety Executive provide free advice leaflets on PPE for construction workers which can be downloaded from the website.

Remember, the law does not expect your boss to be psychic, if you know of a problem regarding PPE or a risk that you need guarding against TELL YOUR SUPERVISOR ABOUT IT!

question 1

What should you do if your PPE does not fit you?

question 2

What should you do if you are unsure how to use the PPE provided?

summary

PPE is your last line of defence against a risk or hazard.

Make sure PPE fits you properly and is in good working order.

You have a duty to wear any PPE provided by your employer and he has a duty to see that you do.