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Policy

RESPONSIBILITIES

Departments - Each department is responsible for compliance with the criteria set forth in this policy. They must ensure that all elements of this policy and related procedures are implemented and followed.

Sr. Benefits and Safety Specialist

• Review changes in operations and keep current with new processes and/or facilities within the College and identify new PPE requirements when needed. 
• Work with managers and coordinate efforts to analyze, minimize occupational exposures.
• Document training records.
• Ensure that hazard assessments have been completed (when necessary) to determine the type of PPE to be used.

Departmental Managers

• Implement and enforce PPE requirements within their respective area(s) of responsibility to ensure compliance with all aspects of this policy.
• Provide PPE to all applicable employees and communicate the necessary PPE requirements prior to hiring.
• Evaluate the workplace to identify substandard or otherwise hazardous conditions, which may require administrative controls, engineering controls, PPE, or any combination thereof as a means to ensure employee health and safety.
• Ensure that employees who require PPE receive periodic training including the proper use and limitations of their PPE.
• Ensure that all employees understand the job tasks or areas which require PPE.
• Promote employee feedback in the selection of PPE.
• Establish and maintain a system, which assures the proper cleaning, maintenance and storage of all PPE.

Employees

• Use PPE as instructed and in accordance with training received.
• Maintain PPE and report any damage or loss to supervisor or manager.

Procedures

TRAINING - Training programs for employees required to use PPE must include:

• What PPE is necessary, why it was selected and how it can be obtained.
• Specific PPE that is required by certain job tasks or exposures.
• The capabilities and limitations of PPE.
• The proper care, maintenance, storage, useful life and disposal of PPE.
• The potential injury or illness that may reasonably be expected if PPE is not used.
• Employees must demonstrate an understanding of the training and their ability to properly adjust and wear PPE before they are allowed to perform job tasks that may result in an exposure.
• Retraining shall be completed if the employees are not using PPE properly, if there are changes in the work environment, changes in the type of PPE used or new PPE is introduced.

PPE REQUIREMENTS

Eye & Face Protection 

• Eye and face protection must be worn by all employees working in designated areas, to include, but not limited to, areas of manufacturing, maintenance, construction and installation.
• Eye and face protection must be worn by all employees in areas where dangers exist from flying debris, welders flash, hazardous liquids or a combination of these hazards. For arc flash protection, see NFPA 70E. 
• All eye and face protection must be free of defects and maintained in good condition and must be replaced when damaged. 
• Only American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved safety glasses and prescription safety glasses can be worn. Each must have the ANSI: Z87, or Z87+ or Z87+2 designation stamped on the inside of the temple frame.
• Safety glasses must fit properly to be effective. The face has four points of contact: the bridge of the nose and the top, bottom and side of each eye socket. Ensure safety glasses contact at least three of these four areas. 
• If not of a wrap around style, safety glasses, both prescription and non-prescription, must have permanently affixed side shields. 
• Approved safety goggles must be worn by employees involved in activities where safety glasses do not provide adequate protection from objects or chemicals. Examples of tasks and operations where safety goggles are required include, but are not limited to:
  • Any type of overhead work where dust or particles can fall into the eyes
  • Working with or around equipment or environments that produce dust and/or debris
  • Performing work that generates particulate or chemical splash
  • While using compressed air
  • While changing propane tanks on forklifts
  • If the exposure requires the employee to wear a face shield, it shall be worn over the approved eye protection.

Restrictions

• Safety glasses with mirrored or darkened lenses shall not be worn for indoor use unless medically prescribed.
• Contact lenses shall not be worn in any hazardous environment unless goggles with indirect ventilation (air allowed to escape, but not enter) are worn.
• When a half-face cartridge respirator is required, safety glasses and/or goggles that are designed to fit over the respirator shall be worn.

Head Protection

• Head protection is required to be worn by all employees who are subject to head injuries from moving, falling or flying objects as well as splashing from hazardous chemicals and other liquids.
• Approved safety hard hats will be certified with EN 397 stamped in the crown. Bump caps are prohibited. 
• Examples of tasks and operations where a hard hat is required include, but not limited to:
  • Construction sites.
  • Spaces where there is insufficient room to stand upright or where low hanging obstacles are present.
  • Working in the proximity of an operating overhead crane/hoist or other piece of overhead operated equipment.
  • When working at a location that requires the use of hard hats.
• Accessories, such as winter liners and chinstraps, shall be provided as conditions warrant.
• Hard hat suspensions and sweatbands should be cleaned regularly with mild detergent and inspected for damage.
• Hard hat suspensions shall be changed if there are signs of wear and tear.
• Stickers, labels, tape and any other adhesive objects shall not be placed on a hard hat unless authorized to do so.
• Damaged, cracked or sun damaged hard hats shall be discarded.
• Hard hats must be replaced within 5 years of issuance - the date appears stamped into the crown. The date of issuance should be written inside the hard hat brim.

Occupational Foot Protection

• Safety shoes are required to be worn by all employees who are exposed to workplace conditions capable of causing foot injuries. 
• At a minimum, safety shoes shall be worn by maintenance employees, forklift operators and those employees handling object that if dropped could cause injury to the foot.
• Specifically constructed shoes may be required for specific work environments, for example:
  • Rubber boots and shoes that resist chemicals. 
  • Non-conductive soles may be needed in locations where flammable or combustible hazards exist.
  • Shoes equipped with reinforced soles or inner soles of flexible metal are available where the hazard of puncture through the sole exists.
  • Metatarsal guards offer protection for the upper area of the foot.
  • Slip-on toecaps are appropriate protection for guests, contractors and/or vendors that need access to the designated areas.

Hand Protection

• Proper PPE shall be used if employees are exposed to hazards including but not limited to:
  • Abrasive and sharp edges and surfaces
  • Chemicals
  • Heat
  • Vibration
  • Medical emergencies
• Types of hand protection:
  • Gloves
  • Barrier Creams
  • Hand pads
  • Finger shields
  • Tapes
• Cut resistant gloves rated II or above in protection rating will be worn when using a knife or a sharp object for cutting scraping purposes.
• Cut resistant gloves II or above in protection rating will be worn when handling sharp objects such as metals, woods to prevent further injury.

Restrictions - Gloves should not be used while working on rotating or moving equipment that can catch the glove and pull it and the employee’s hand into hazardous areas.

Protective Clothing - Additional hazards or environmental exposures may require employees to wear protective clothing including but not limited to:

• Arm Sleeves
• Wristlets
• Protective suits
• Long pants, cotton shirts
• Cool vests (warm weather protection)
• Cold weather clothing (jackets, pants, coveralls, hats, gloves, etc.)
• Reflective Vests - Class II vests (working on roads with speed limits between 25 – 40mph) or Class III vests (working on roads with speed limits over 40 mph)
• Fire rated (FR) protective clothing will be required when working on electrical panels where arc flash is a hazard (per FNPA 70E).

VISITORS & OTHER PERSONNEL - Visitors, contractors (personnel not under the direct supervision of the College), and other personnel will be required to comply with all administrative controls and PPE requirements specified in this policy. 

POLICY EVALUATION - The HR Environmental Health and Safety Specialist will conduct periodic evaluations of the workplace to ensure that the provisions of this policy are being implemented. The evaluation will include regular consultations with employees who utilize PPE, their supervisors, site inspections and review of records. Identified problems will be noted and addressed by the HR Environmental Health and Safety Specialist. These findings will be reported to management, and the report will list plans to correct deficiencies and target dates for the implementations of those corrections.

DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDKEEPING - Copies of training will be retained. These records will be updated as new employees are trained and as existing employees receive refresher training. Training records shall be maintained at the affected department and in the HR Office.