Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
What the exam tests
PPE selection, limitations, fitting, care and training, and the principle that PPE is the last line of defence and does not remove the hazard.
Categories
- Head: hard hats, chin straps, bump caps.
- Eyes and face: safety glasses, goggles, face shields; goggles seal against dust and splash.
- Hearing: plugs and muffs; the rating must match the noise level.
- Respiratory: disposable dust masks, half or full-face cartridge respirators, supplied air; fit testing and a clean-shaven seal are essential.
- Hands, feet, body: gloves matched to the chemical or mechanical hazard, safety boots, coveralls, high-visibility clothing.
- Fall protection: full-body harness, lanyard, anchor point, plus a rescue plan.
A PPE programme covers hazard assessment, selection, training, fitting, maintenance, replacement, record-keeping and worker consultation.
Worked example
A compressor room measures 98 dBA over 8 hours. Earmuffs are rated NRR 25. Derated protection = (25 - 7) / 2 = 9 dB, so exposure is about 98 - 9 = 89 dBA, still above 85 dBA. Reasoning: a laboratory NRR overstates real-world protection, and PPE alone does not solve this. The correct answer is an engineering control such as enclosure or silencing, with muffs plus plugs as interim protection and audiometry for exposed staff.
Traps
- Believing PPE eliminates the risk; it only reduces exposure and depends on correct use.
- Wearing two pairs of gloves instead of choosing the correct glove material for the chemical.
- Assuming any respirator works with a beard or without fit testing.
- Using safety glasses where sealed goggles or a face shield are required.