What is PPE? PPE is a phrase that is not familiar to many people, but this is a word that is used a lot in the field of home construction. Today, Viknews.com will explain in detail the meaning of the phrase PPE and provide more interesting and interesting information about PPE.

What is PPE?

PPE stands for “personal protective equipment”. Personal protective equipment refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other equipment designed to protect the body from injury or infection. These devices help solve physical, electrical, thermal, chemical, biological and airborne hazards and can be used for occupational safety and hygiene purposes as well as in sports subjects. Sports and other recreational activities “Protective clothing” applies to traditional clothing, and “protective gear” applies to items such as pads, guards, shields or masks.

Advantages of using PPE (personal protective equipment)

The purpose of using personal protective equipment is to reduce the exposure of workers to hazards when technical and administrative controls become unable or to reduce these risks to an acceptable level. PPE is needed when there is a danger. But the limitation of PPE is that it does not eliminate the risk at the source and can lead to workers being exposed if the device is not used well.

Disadvantages of using PPE (personal protective equipment)

Any protective device creates a barrier of contact between the wearer / user and the work environment. As well as causing stress, discomfort and reducing labor productivity. This makes workers do not comply with wearing PPE, putting them in danger of injury, illness, and more seriously, death. A convenient design of PPE will minimize these difficulties, ensuring safe and healthy working conditions through the proper use of PPE. You should remember do not share your own PPE with other workers.

3 frequently mistakes when using PPE

Mistake 1: PPE is not properly stored

The worker takes out the foam earplug to talk to others, then twists the earplugs with dirty hands and shoves it back into the ear. At the end of the day, they put the foam earplug inside the helmet and use it again on the next working day. These workers did not properly store their PPE equipment. Most types of PPE require proper storage. However, there are very few workers checking their protective equipment before and after using it to see if there are signs of damage, or the level of protection has been reduced…

If PPE is not properly stored

It can become a danger: For example, workers who plug in contaminated earplugs in their ears are potentially at risk of allergies or ear infections. Contaminated earplugs should be cleaned or replaced.

Loss of effectiveness: If workers do not keep their protective equipment clean after use, they will not realize that the chemicals or grease at work can be designed Their equipment is broken quickly.

In short, when equipping workers with protective equipment, make sure they know how to preserve and keep it in good working condition.

Mistake 2: Used PPE equipment improperly

A worker uses a safety strap but wears the cord loosely. Another worker uses respiratory protection equipment but has a beard. These workers have used PPE equipment improperly. Seeing a worker wearing personal protective equipment is not mean that the worker knows how to use it properly and they still can make a work-related injury.

Workers should practice wearing and removing personal protective equipment with the guidance and support of experienced people. They should also understand the operating principle of the device because personal protective equipment will not protect workers if it is not properly worn.

Mistake 3: Do not replace PPE properly

A brick fell on the head of the worker, but thanks to the protective helmet absorbing the impact force, the worker did not suffer the pain. The worker claimed this helmet was his “guardian angel” and wearing it daily without replacing the new one. A supervisor whose workers are assigned to use a pair of gloves to increase disposable chemical protection decides to save money for their department by telling workers to use only a pair of gloves per weeks before replacing it.

These workers were wrong when they did not replace personal protective equipment when needed. Workers cannot be safe if they do not use or maintain their PPE equipment properly and of course will not be safe without replacing old equipment. Workers should replace their protective equipment.

Each shift, if it is a disposable type: Noise-proof earplugs, gloves, chemical resistant clothing, disposable type masks should be disposed of after use. They are not designed to be re-washed or reused, so they will lose efficiency when reused. Ensure that workers understand these types of protection must be removed and replaced.

Whenever there are signs of wear and tear that can affect its use efficiency. You need to train workers to recognize when equipment is worn out or damaged and needs to be replaced.

Scheduled, reusable devices should be replaced before the end of its useful life. Some types of chemical protective gloves, toxic filters, and some other types of protection may be used many times but must be replaced before the loss of protection. Change schedule is a way to manage this issue. Ensure employees understand the reason and necessity of the change schedule.

After one protection: Safety helmets, as well as safety belts, for example – they can be used continuously until they exert a protective role such as absorbing impact, holding workers fall. After promoting the protection role, they must be replaced.

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