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15. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT |
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Faculty, staff, and students may be
required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while performing their
jobs or in certain environments (e.g. chemical, biology, ag., art, theater
and engineering departments,
also facility, ag., & engineering shops). Your supervisor will inform you of and
provide the specific PPE you must wear (guide). The following are only general
guidelines. If you are required to wear PPE not mentioned here or have other
questions, contact your supervisor or EH&S for additional information. More
information is available on the safety web site (www.nmsu.edu/~safety).
Eye and Face Protection
Chemical hazards - Safety glasses are the minimum protection for
all operations involving chemicals. If a risk of splash to the eyes and face
exists when using or dispensing hazardous liquids, non-vented chemical
goggles or safety glasses with side shields and full-face shield offer the
best protection.
Physical hazards - High-pressure cleaning or spray equipment
requires that safety glasses with side shields and full-face shields be
worn. Work activities producing chips or dust (e.g. grinding/drilling, power
fastening, or power tools) require safety glasses with side shields as the
minimum protection level. In some cases full face shields are required.
Welding - Welding operations require full welding hoods with the
appropriate tinted vision screen. Safety glasses with side shields must be
used with or without the hood. Acetylene-oxygen torch soldering, brazing, or
cutting, requires appropriately tinted safety glasses with side shields or
tinted goggles.
Lasers - Appropriate safety eyewear is a must when using lasers or
when in areas with a working laser. Different lasers require different types
and shades of eye protection.
Lasers are to be registered with EH&S and
users must be trained (eyesafety
guide)
Hand/Arm and Body Protection
Gloves resistant to the chemical(s) in use, a protective
smock, lab coat, or coveralls, and at times a splash apron are the correct
PPE for handling hazardous chemicals. Specialized gloves and arm sleeve
covers are recommended when working with cryogenic or electrical hazards. To
reduce cut or abrasion injuries, use puncture or abrasion resistant gloves,
arm sleeve covers, and at times an apron.
Head and Foot Protection
A hard hat or other head protection and foot protection may be required
for certain jobs or work areas (e.g. construction zones). Foot protection is
required when the potential for foot injury is present from rolling, falling, piercing or
electrical hazard. All hard hats or safety shoes must meet the requirements for
protection outlined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Hearing Protection
Certain work areas and job tasks are designated as requiring hearing
protection. You are required to wear approved protective equipment; this does not
include personal stereos with headphones. Certain work areas or tasks may be
designated as requiring additional protective measures. Supervisors are responsible
for identifying these areas and for generally providing training on the use of hearing
protection equipment. If you have questions about high noise levels in your work
area, you should ask your supervisor or contact the Environmental Health and Safety for
more information.
Respiratory Protection
Some employees are required to wear respirators. Respirators
include dust masks, air-purifying negative-pressure respirators,
self-contained breathing apparatus, supplied-air respirators, and other such
devices. If you must wear a respirators, you must have a medical evaluation,
be "fit tested" and trained by EH&S before using it. Annual training is
required. NMSU has a written
Respiratory Protection Program.
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