The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering and/or administrative controls are not feasible or ineffective in reducing the exposure. Employers are required to identify and assess all of the exposures in their workplace and determine if PPE should be used to protect workers.

If PPE is to be used to reduce the exposure of employees to workplace hazards, a formal PPE program should be initiated and maintained. The program should contain identification and evaluation of hazards and determination of PPE use as an appropriate control alternative; (if PPE is to be used) how PPE is to be selected, maintained, and evaluated for effectiveness; training and education of employees in selection and use of PPE; and vigilance of the program to measure its effectiveness in preventing employee injury and/or illness.

1910.132 -- General Requirements

(a) Application

Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition whenever it is necessary by reason of hazards or processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation, or physical contact.

(b) Employee-owned equipment

Where employees provide their own protective equipment, the employer shall be responsible to assure its adequacy, including proper maintenance, and sanitation of such equipment.

(c) Design

All personal protective equipment shall be of safe design and construction for the work to performed.

(d) Hazard assessment and equipment selection

(1) The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). If such hazards are present, or likely to be present, the employer shall:

(i) Select, and have each affected employee use, the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment;

(ii) Communicate selection decisions to each affected employee:

(iii) Select PPE that properly fits each employee

(2) The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated; the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed: the date(s) of the hazard assessment: and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment.

(e) Defective or damaged equipment

Defective or damaged personal protective equipment shall not be used.

(f) Training

(1) The employer shall provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use PPE. Each employee shall be training to know at least the following:

(i) When PPE is necessary

(ii) What PPE is necessary

(iii) How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE;

(iv) The limitations of the PPE: and

(v) The proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of the PPE

(2) Each affected employee shall demonstrate an understanding of the training specified in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, and the ability to use PPE properly, before being allowed to perform work requiring the use of PPE

(3) When the employer has reason to believe that an affected employee who has already been trained does not have the understanding and skill required by paragraph (f)(2) of this section, the employer shall retrain each such employee. Circumstances where retraining is required include, but are not limited to, situations where:

(i) Changes in the workplace render previous training obsolete: or

(ii) Changes in the types of PPE to be used render previous training obsolete; or

(iii) Inadequacies in an affected employee’s knowledge or use of assigned PPE indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill

(4) The employer shall verify that each affected employee has received and understood the required training through a written certifcation that contains the name of each employee trained, the date(s) of training, and that identifies the subject of the certification.

(g) Paragraphs (d) and (f) of this section apply only to 1910.133, 1910.135, 1910.136, and 1910.138. Paragraphs (d) and (f) of this section do not apply to 1910.134 and 1910.137.

1910.133 – Eye and Face Protection

• Appropriate eye and face protection is required to protect workers from eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.

• Eye protection with side protection required when there is a hazard from flying particles (detachable side shields meeting the pertinent requirements of this section are acceptable).

• Accommodation for prescription lenses is required.

• Eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or;

• Eye protection worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses.

• Eye and face PPE shall be distinctively marked to facilitate identification of the manufacturer.

• Appropriate filter lenses shall be provided for protection from injurious light radiation

• Protective eye and face devices purchased after 5 July 1994 shall comply with ANSI Z87.1-1989, “American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Education Eye and Face Protection”, or be equally effective as demonstrated by the employer.

• Protective eye and face devices purchased before 5 July 1994 shall comply with ANSI Z87.1-1968, “American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Education Eye and Face Protection”, or be equally effective as demonstrated by the employer.

1910.134 – Respiratory Protection

(a) Permissible practice

1) In the control of those occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors, the primary objective shall be to prevent atmospheric contamination. This shall be accomplished as far as feasible by accepted engineering control measures (for example, enclosure or confinement of the operation, general or local ventilation, and substitution of less toxic materials). When effective engineering controls are not feasible, or while they are being instituted, appropriate respirators shall be used pursuant to the following requirements:

(2) Respirators shall be provided by the employer when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of the employee. The employer shall provide the respirators which are applicable and suitable for the purpose intended. The employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protective program which shall include the requirement outlined in paragraph (b) of this section.

(3) The employee shall use the provided respiratory protection in accordance with instructions and training received.

(b) Requirements for a minimal acceptable program

(1) Written standard operating procedures governing the selection and use of respirators shall be established.

(2) Respirators shall be selected on the basis of hazards to which the worker is exposed.

(3) The user shall be instructed and trained on the proper use of respirators and their limitations.

(4) [RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE]

(5) Respirators shall be regularly cleaned and disinfected. Those used by more than one worker shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each use.

(6) Respirators shall be stored in a convenient, clean, and sanitary location.

(7) Respirators used routinely shall be inspected during cleaning. Worn or deteriorated parts shall be replaced. Respirators for emergency use such as self-contained devices shall be thoroughly inspected at least once a month and after each use.

(8) Appropriate surveillance of work area conditions and degree of employee exposure or stress shall be maintained.

(9) There shall be regular inspection and evaluation to determine the continued effectiveness of the program.

(10) Persons should not be assigned to tasks requiring use of respirators unless it has been determined that they are determined that they are physically able to perform the work and use the equipment. The local physician shall determine what health and physical conditions are pertinent. The respirator user’s medical status should be reviewed periodically (for instance, annually).

(11) Respirators shall be selected from among those jointly approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health under the provisions of 30 CFR part 11.

(c) Selection of respirators

Proper selection of respirators shall be made according to the guidance of the American National Standard Practices for Respiratory Protection Z88.2-1969.

(d) Air quality

• Compressed air, compressed oxygen, liquid air, and liquid oxygen used for respirators shall be of high purity.

• Breathing air may be supplied to respirators from cylinders or air compressors.

• Air line couplings shall be incompatible with outlets for other gas systems to prevent inadvertent servicing of air line respirators with nonrespirable gases or oxygen.

• Breathing gas containers will be appropriately identified and labeled.

(e) Use of respirators

• Standard procedures shall be developed for all respirator use

• The correct respirator shall be specified for each job. The respirator type is usually specified in the work procedures by a qualified individual supervising the respiratory protection program.

• Written procedures shall be prepared covering safe use of respirators in dangerous atmospheres that might be encountered in normal operations or in emergencies. Personnel should be familiar with these procedures and the available respirators.

• Respiratory protection is no better than the respirator in use, even though it is worn conscientiously. Frequent random inspections shall be conducted by a qualified individual to assure that respirators are properly selected, used, cleaned, and maintained.

• For safe use of any respirator, it is essential that the user by properly instructed in its selection, use, and maintenance. Both supervisors and workers shall be so instructed by competent persons. Training shall provide workers an opportunity to handle the respirator, have it fitted properly, test its face-piece-to-face seal; wear it in normal air for a long familiarity period, and finally, to wear it in a test atmosphere.

• Every respirator wearer shall receive fitting instructions including demonstrations and practice in how the respirator should be worn, how to adjust it, and how to determine if it fits properly.

• Providing respiratory protection for individuals wearing corrective glasses is a serious problem. A proper seal cannot be established if the temple bars of eyeglasses extend through the sealing edge of the full facepiece. As a temporary measure, glasses with short temple bars or without temple bars may be taped to the wearer’s head. Wearing of contact lenses in contaminated atmospheres with a respirator shall not be allowed. Systems have been developed for mounting corrective lenses inside full facepieces. When a worker must wear corrective lenses as part of the facepiece, the facepiece and lenses should be fitted by qualified individuals to provide good vision, comfort, and a gas-tight seal.

• If corrective spectacles or goggles are required, they shall be worn so as not to affect the fit of the facepiece. Proper selection of equipment will minimize or avoid this problem.

(f) Maintenance and care of respirators

• A program for maintenance and care of respirators shall be adjusted to the type of plant, working conditions, and hazards involved and shall include the following basic services:

(i) Inspection for defects (including a leak check)
(ii) Cleaning and disinfecting
(iii) Repair
(iv) Storage

• All respirators should be inspected routinely before and after each use.

• Self-contained breathing apparatus shall be inspected monthly.

• Respirator inspection shall include a check of the tightness of connections and the condition of the facepiece, headbands, valves, connecting tube, and canisters.

• A record shall be kept of inspection dates and findings for respirators maintained for emergency use

• Routinely used respirators shall be collected, cleaned, and disinfected as frequently as necessary to ensure that proper protection is provided to the wearer.

• Replacement or repairs shall be done only by experienced persons with parts designed for the respirator. No attempt shall be made to replace components or to make adjustment or repairs beyond the manufacturer’s recommendations.

• After inspection, cleaning, and necessary repair, respirators shall be stored to protect against dust, sunlight, heat, extreme cold, excessive moisture, or damaging chemicals.

• Respirators should be packed or stored so that the facepiece and exhalation valve will rest in a normal position and function will not be impaired by the elastomer setting in an abnormal position.

1910.135 – Head Protection

(a) General requirements

(1) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee wears a protective helmet when working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects

(2) The employer shall ensure that a protective helmet designed to reduce electrical shock hazard is worn by each such affected employee when near exposed electrical conductors which could contact the head

(b) Criteria for protective helmets

(1) Protective helmets purchased after 5 July 1994 shall comply with ANSI Z89.1-1986, “American National Standard for Personnel Protection – Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers Requirements”, or be equally effective as demonstrated by the employer.

(2) Protective helmets purchased before 5 July 1994 shall comply with ANSI Z89.1-1969, “American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection”, or be equally effective as demonstrated by the employer.

1910.136 – Foot Protection

(a) General requirements

The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses protective footwear when working in areas where there is a danger of foot injuries due to falling or rolling objects, or objects piercing the sole, or where such employee’s feet are exposed to electrical hazards.

(b) Criteria for protective footwear

(1) Protective footwear purchased after 5 July 1994 shall comply with ANSI Z41-1991, “American National Standard for Personnel Protection – Protective Footwear”, or be equally effective as demonstrated by the employer.

(2) Protective footwear purchased before 5 July 1994 shall comply with the ANSI standard, Z41.1-1967, “USA Standard for Men’s Safety-Toe Footwear”, or be equally effective as demonstrated by the employer.

1910.138 – Hand Protection

(a) General protection

Employers shall select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection when employees’ hands are exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasions; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes.

(b) Selection

Employer shall base the selection of appropriate hand protection on an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the task(s) to be performed, conditions present, duration of use, and the hazards and potential hazards identified.

This bulletin is advisory and does not attempt to supplement the standard. This bulletin is not a comprehensive review of the text of 29 CFR 1910.132 – 1910.136 and 1910.138. Fairmont Specialty recommends that employers refer to the regulatory text of all OSHA standards when establishing and implementing employee safety programs.