CHAPTER 4: PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE).

What is personal protective equipment?

Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE", is equipment worn to minimize
exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and
illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical,
or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves,
safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full
body suits.
What can be done to ensure proper use of personal protective equipment?
All personal protective equipment should be safely designed and constructed, and should be
maintained in a clean and reliable fashion. It should fit comfortably, encouraging worker use.
If the personal protective equipment does not fit properly, it can make the difference between
being safely covered or dangerously exposed. When engineering, work practice, and
administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must
provide personal protective equipment to their workers and ensure its proper use. Employers
are also required to train each worker required to use personal protective equipment to know:

▪ When it is necessary
▪ What kind is necessary
▪ How to properly put it on, adjust, wear and take it off
▪ The limitations of the equipment
▪ Proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of the equipment

We shall look at the personal protective equipment in general the dwell on those specific to oil
and gas industry.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) FOR GENERAL INDUSTRY
Hand and Arm Protection

Potential hazards to hands and arms include skin absorption of harmful substances, chemical
or thermal burns, electrical dangers, bruises, abrasions, cuts, punctures, fractures or
amputations. Protective equipment includes gloves, finger guards and arm coverings.

Types of Protective Gloves

There are many types of gloves available today to protect against a wide variety of
hazards. The nature of the hazard and the operation involved will affect the selection of
gloves. The variety of potential occupational hand injuries makes selecting the right pair of
gloves challenging. In general, gloves fall into the following four categories:
 1. Leather, Canvas or Metal Mesh Gloves: These types of gloves protect against cuts,
burns and punctures.
2. Fabric and Coated Fabric Gloves: These types of gloves are made of cotton or other
fabric. They generally protect against dirt, chafing and abrasions.
3. Insulating rubber gloves: These gloves are used for protection against electrical
hazards.
4. Chemical and liquid resistant gloves: When working with chemicals with a high acute
toxicity, working with corrosive materials in high concentrations, handling chemicals
for extended periods of time or immersing all or part of a hand into a chemical, the
appropriate glove material should be selected, based on chemical compatibility. The
following table includes major glove types and their general uses. This list is not
exhaustive. For more information on chemical resistant glove selection, see PPE for
Chemical Hazards or the Safety Data Sheet for a particular substance.

Hearing Protection

There are several options for hearing protection available that include ear plugs, ear muffs,
and hearing bands, which are also known as canal caps. Each should be carefully considered
for the noise reduction they will provide, as well as for comfort and fit. EHS assists departments
with hearing protection selection to ensure that these variables are properly addressed.

Typical Hearing Protection Devices

• Pre-molded Ear Plugs - Come in different sizes and shapes to fit different sized ear
canals. They have virtually no expansion or contraction, so obtaining a good seal with
the ear canal may be challenging.
• Formable or Foam Ear Plugs - When placed in the ear correctly, this type of ear plug,
will expand to fill the ear canal and seal against the walls. This expansion allows foam
ear plugs to fit ear canals of different sizes.
• Ear Muffs - These devices fit against the head and enclose the entire perimeter of the
external ear. The inside of the muff cup is lined with acoustic foam, which reduces
noise. Their effectiveness depends on how tight the seal is between the foam cushion
and the head.
• Hearing Bands or Canal Caps - These devices cover the ear canal at its opening. They
do not provide as much of a seal inside the ear canal and generally provide less
protection than ear muffs or plugs, so they are typically not recommended.

Eye and Face Protection

Selecting the most suitable eye and face protection should take into consideration the following
elements:

• Ability to protect against specific workplace hazards

 • Should fit properly and be reasonably comfortable to wear
• Should provide unrestricted vision and movement
• Should be durable and cleanable
• Should allow unrestricted functioning of any other required PPE

Options
Safety spectacles, goggles, face screens, face shields, visors, Chemical Splash Goggles, Dust
Goggles, Fluid Resistant Shields, Laser Eyewear, Welding Shields

Feet and legs Hazards

Wet, hot and cold conditions, electrostatic build-up, slipping, cuts and punctures, falling
objects, heavy loads, metal and chemical splash, vehicles

Options
Safety boots and shoes with protective toecaps and penetration-resistant, mid-sole wellington
boots and specific footwear, eg foundry boots and chainsaw boots

Lungs Hazards
Oxygen-deficient atmospheres, dusts, gases and vapours

Options – respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

•
Some respirators rely on filtering contaminants from workplace air. These include
simple filtering facepieces and respirators and power-assisted respirators
• Make sure it fits properly, eg for tight-fitting respirators (filtering facepieces, half and
full masks)
• There are also types of breathing apparatus which give an independent supply of
breathable air, eg fresh-air hose, compressed airline and self-contained breathing
apparatus
Whole body Hazards
Heat, chemical or metal splash, spray from pressure leaks or spray guns, contaminated dust,
impact or penetration, excessive wear or entanglement of own clothing

Options
• Conventional or disposable overalls, boiler suits, aprons, chemical suits, one-piece and
two-piece overalls, donkey jackets, rubber and PVC-coated aprons, chain-mail aprons,
vapour suits, splash-resistant suits, warehouse coats, body warmers, thermal and
weather protection overclothing, oilskin overclothing, high-visibility clothing, personal
buoyancy equipment, such as life jackets;

head protection

Options
 • safety helmets, various forms of riding helmet, industrial scalp
protectors (bump caps), caps and hairnets;

Fall Protection

When work is performed on elevated surfaces that are six feet or more above the surrounding
area in a construction setting or four feet or more in an industrial setting, protection against
falls frequently must be considered. Fall arresting systems, which include lifelines, body
harnesses, and other associated equipment, are often used when fall hazards cannot be
controlled by railings, floors, nets, and other means. These systems are designed to stop a free
fall of up to six feet while limiting the forces imposed on the wearer.

A variety of systems may be chosen from when providing fall protection. These systems
include:

• Guardrails
• Personal Fall Arresting Systems
• Positioning Device Systems
• Safety Monitoring by a Competent Person
• Warning Line Systems
• Covers
• Safety Net Systems

Guardrails

Standard guardrails consist of a top rail, located 42 inches above the floor, and a mid-rail.
Screens and mesh may be used to replace the mid-rail, so long as they extend from the top rail
to the floor.

Personal Fall Arresting Systems

Components of a personal fall arresting system include a body harness, lanyard, lifeline,
connector, and an anchorage point capable of supporting at least 5000 pounds.
Positioning Device Systems

Positioning device systems consist of a body belt or harness rigged to allow work on a vertical
surface, such as a wall, with both hands free.

Safety Monitoring by a Competent Person

A Safety Monitoring System allows a trained person to monitor others as they work on elevated
surfaces and warn them of any fall hazards.

Warning Line Systems

Warning line systems are made up of lines or ropes installed around a work area on a roof.
These act as a barrier to prevent those working on the roof from approaching its edges.

Covers

Covers are fastened over holes in the working surface to prevent falls.

Safety Net Systems

Safety Net Systems consist of nets installed as close as possible under the work area.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) FOR OIL AND GAS PERSONNEL
From 2003 to 2010, 823 oil and gas extraction workers were killed on the job—a fatality rate
seven times greater than the rate for all U.S. industries. Workers in the oil and gas industry
face a wide variety of hazards in their daily job duties. Oil and gas products and chemicals can
be irritating, corrosive, flammable and worse. To help prevent workers from coming into
contact with these hazards, employers will provide them with personal protective
equipment (PPE). On oil and gas sites, required PPE usually includes eye protection, hearing
protection, hand and foot protection, and flame-resistant clothing (FRC). Many workers are
also required to wear portable monitors that detect hydrogen sulfide (H2S) or other gases.

Hazards Unique to the Oil and Gas Industry

Oil and gas wells can expose workers to hydrogen sulfide gas. If your workplace uses sand for
any process, such as hydraulic fracturing, workers may be exposed to crystalline silica.
Crystalline silica is a known lung carcinogen, and can cause silicosis, which can be debilitating
and even fatal. Oil-and-gas-related flash fires can reach up to 1900 degrees Fahrenheit and can
last up to five seconds. These fires most commonly occur in well drilling, servicing, and
production-related operations. Fortunately, there are many different types of personal
protective equipment (PPE) to protect against these hazards.
Head, Face and Eye PPE

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide
their workers with eye protection if their job will expose them to flying particles; molten metal;
hazardous, acidic, or caustic liquids, gases, or vapors; or potentially harmful light radiation.
Safety glasses with side shields are effective at protecting against flying objects. Impermeable
goggles can be worn while working around liquid, gas or vapor hazards. Face shields can
protect the entire face from both flying objects and chemicals. Face shields aren’t a replacement
for goggles or safety glasses, because they aren’t as good at protecting the eyes. Welders use
special filtered helmets to protect their eyes from radiant light, sparks, flying particles and
glare.

If there’s a danger of falling objects, overhead electrical hazards or fixed objects that workers
could bump into, they’ll need to wear head protection. All classes of hard hats provide impact
and penetration protection. Class G hard hats also provide protection against up to 2,200 volts
of electricity. Class E hard hats protect against up to 20,000 volts. Class C hard hats provide
no electrical protection, so they aren’t usually worn on oil and gas sites.
Body PPE
OSHA recommends that employers and employees choose gloves based on the employee’s job
duties, work environment and the performance and construction characteristics of glove
materials. Leather, canvas and fabric gloves can protect hands from dirt, splinters, abrasions,
cuts and heat, but they can’t fully protect against liquids or strong chemicals. Neoprene, nitrile,
vinyl and rubber gloves can protect against liquid and chemical hazards, but each material is
only rated to protect against certain types of chemicals. Many of these types of gloves are only
intended for a single use and are vulnerable to tears. Specialty gloves can be worn to protect
against crushing injuries, heavy vibrations, and situations where multiple hazards are present.

Workers may step on sharp objects, have their feet crushed by heavy objects, be exposed to
excessive heat or cold, and be exposed to slip, trip, and fall hazards. Depending on your
worksites’ job duties, workers may also be susceptible to electrical hazards, caustic chemicals
and acids, and even molten metal. Safety boots with steel or impact-resistant toes are common
and should have slip-resistant soles with a strong grip. Boots made of neoprene or nitrile can
protect against chemicals or petroleum products. Insulated rubber boots help protect against
electric shock. For welders, leather leggings can be worn above or over boots to protect from
sparks and molten metal.
Respiratory PPE

If a workplace has unsafe atmospheric conditions, employers must provide employees with
respirators. Before wearing a respirator, all employees must undergo a medical examination
and fit test to ensure that they can safely use a respirator. Finally, all employees must receive
extensive training on their respirator, including how to maintain and inspect it, before using it
in the workplace. Air-purifying respirators have cartridges designed to filter airborne particles
and/or chemicals, such as organic vapors or acid gases. In circumstances where the air cannot
be made safe through filtering, such as in oxygen-deficient atmospheres, atmosphere-supplying
respirators can provide clean breathing air from a tank or generator.

Summary
There is a wide variety of PPE on the market, but it will only work if employees are adequately
trained on when, how and why to use it and if they always wear it properly.