PPE Program

OBJECTIVE

To protect employees from the risk of injury by creating a barrier against workplace hazards. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is to be used in conjunction with engineering or administrative controls or good work practices.  

SCOPE 

This procedure is applicable to all activities in the company.

RESPONSIBILITY

Management shall be responsible in ensuring resources are provided to provide and replace adequate and suitable PPE for employees in work areas where such PPE are required by legal requirements and/or recommended by HODs, Supervisors, or EHS Officer.

Company representative in charge of their visitors, suppliers and contractors are responsible for ensuring that they adhere to mandatory PPE signs put up in the organisation.

Supervisors are responsible for implementing the PPE program in their work area. This involves

• Providing appropriate PPE and making it available to employees.
• Ensuring employees are trained in the proper use, care and cleaning of PPE.
• Maintaining PPE issuance records
• Supervising staff to ensure that employees properly use and care for PPE.
• Participate and contribute to risk assessments 
• Notify and consult EHS when new hazards are introduced or identified or when processes are added or changed
• Ensure defective or damaged PPE is immediately replaced.

Employees are responsible for: 

• Wearing PPE as required, including in areas where mandatory PPE signs are put up.
• Attending required training on PPE;
• Caring for, cleaning and maintaining PPE as required;
• Informing their Supervisors of the need to repair or replace PPE.

EHS Manager / Officer shall be responsible for:

• Working with Supervisors to conduct risk assessments to determine the presence of hazards which necessitates the use of PPE.
• Providing recommendation to Supervisors for the selection and purchase of approved PPE for required tasks. 
• Providing / arrange training and technical assistance to supervisors on PPE use and care.
• Submit training records to the Human Resource
• Periodically review and update this program for overall effectiveness
• Retain training records related to PPE training 

HR Department shall be responsible for:

• Ensuring adequate stock and iissuance of safety shoes to all employees and retaining such records for at least 5 years.
• Manage and retain records of PPE training (whether in-house or external) in the appropriate files as required.

Contractors are responsible for:

• Providing and wearing their own PPE as identified in the risk assessment for that work / activity or as required by the organisation.  
• Ensuring that their sub-contractors adhere to the same requirements

DEFINITIONS

PPE – Personal Protective Equipment

PROCEDURE

1)Requirements for PPE 

Hazards exist in the workplace in many different forms: sharp edges, falling objects, flying sparks, chemicals, noise and a myriad of other potentially dangerous situations. Controlling a hazard at its source is the best way to protect employees.

The Hierarchy for Hazard Control includes:

• Elimination
• Engineering Controls
• Substitution of raw materials 
• Work practice control (Changing the way in which employees work)
• Substitution of tools 
• Administrative controls
• PPE

When engineering, work practice and administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide enough protection, PPE is provided to the employees to be worn to minimize exposure to a variety of hazards. Therefore PPE is the last line of defence. 

2)Selecting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)  

HODs, Supervisors and the EHS Officer shall consider the following during the selection of PPE. 

• Nature of Work during Exposure
• Nature of the hazards (physical, gaseous, liquid, vapour, etc.)
• Severity of exposure – acute, chronic effects 
• Frequency and duration of exposure
• Parts of the body exposed and the manner of exposure 
• The organisation’s compliance obligations (legal requirements, Codes of Practice, etc)

Types of PPE

• Head protection – safety helmets, bump caps
• Hearing protection – ear plugs, ear muffs
• Eye protection – safety goggles, safety glasses
• Face protection – face shields, hoods
• Respiratory System Protection – air purifying & air supplied respirators
• Free-fall hazard protection – safety belts, life-lines
• Body protection – clothing, apron and gloves
• Feet and legs protection – safety boots, safety shoes

3)Issue of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Basing on the above criteria, HODs, Supervisors and the EHS Officer shall establish the type of PPE that the worker needs and issue to them accordingly.

Contractors are to provide their own PPE. If they do not have the appropriate PPE, they are not to commence work. 

Records of PPE issued are to be maintained and kept by the Department Supervisors 

4)Training

EHS Manager / Officer shall provide in-house training or arrange for vendor training for all employees on the proper use, care for and limitations of PPE.

Training records shall be submitted to HR and kept for a minimum of 5 years.

HODs and Supervisors shall continuously encourage/enforce the worker to use PPE through toolbox meeting, safety talks etc.

5)Using PPE

PPE PROTECTS DIFFERENTLY FOR EACH HAZARD!    

It does not provide protection against all hazards. Choose appropriate PPE depending on the hazard and task you are performing. Remember:  USING THE WRONG PPE MAYBE AS BAD AS USING NO PPE!

PPE DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE HAZARD! 

Know the limitations of PPE.  Follow SAFETY PRECAUTIONS while working.

USE AND MAINTAIN PPE PROPERLY TO ENSURE ITS PERFORMANCE

Having safety goggles does no good if it's resting on your head.

BE AWARE THAT THERE MAY BE HAZARDS WITH USING PPE

Talk to your Supervisor or the EHS Officer before using PPE.

PPE DOES NOT PROTECT WORKERS THE SAME WAY!

PPE should be properly sized and fitted to ensure its adequacy.

WEAR MORE THAN THE MINIMUM PPE!

TAKE OFF YOUR JEWELRY (i.e. rings and watches).

This reduces chemical seepage and contact with electrical sources.

5)Monitoring & non-conformance

HODs, Supervisors and the EHS Manager / Officer shall monitor and enforce the use of PPE in required areas in the plant.

In the event that anyone is found to be intentionally working without the appropriate PPE in the plant, the EHS Manager / Officer shall note down his/her employee code or IC or work permit number for contractors, and report the misconduct to his immediate superior.  

In the case of recalcitrant misconduct/ non-conformance of safety rules, the EHS Manager / Officer shall inform the HOD and the HR Section Head, who may decide on appropriate action to take against the worker based on requirements spelt out in organization’s Employee Code of Conduct

PPE Issuance Record