Workplace Safety: Personal Protective Equipment and Emergency Response

Posted on Dec 14, 2024 in Biology

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE is divided into two classes:

  • PPE Respiratory
  • Non-Respiratory PPE: These protect the head, eyes, feet, hands, and body.

Head Protection

The head is protected with a previously regulated helmet designed to withstand high shock loads. It should absorb the potential energy from falling objects and distribute the blow. The helmet must be dielectric, meaning it does not conduct electricity. It has the following parts:

  • Adjustable basket
  • Visor for protection from direct radiation
  • Face masks
  • Chin strap
  • Ear protection

Note: In hoisting work, use a helmet without a visor for better control of the workplace.

Eye Protection

Eyes are protected using special lenses that shield the eyeball from solid particles. These lenses should have a protective film against UV rays, be made of high-impact-resistant material, and have front and side protection to prevent unwanted elements from entering the eyeball. They should not cause vision disturbances or distortion.

Antiparra

Provided with a seal that prevents particles from entering the eyeball, it has an anti-fog system with one-way valves that release sweat and prevent fogging. Anti-fog can also be applied while working.

Chemical Protection Lens

Protects the eyeball from the effects of gases and vapors. It has a seal system and is made of elastic material.

Transparent Lens

For indoor use.

Yellow Lens

Provides a better view when discriminating details in indoor places, offering better visibility.

Smoked Lenses

For outdoor use, equipped with a filter for ultraviolet and infrared radiation.

Safety Shoes

Must be certified and equipped with a conical steel toe to prevent toe crushing. They should have a metal plate on the sole to prevent sharp objects from entering. They are dielectric and must be completely sealed for workplaces with chemicals.

Safety Gloves

Protect hands, palms, and fingers from harmful substances or objects.

  • Natural Rubber Gloves (Latex): Resistant to cutting; exposure to petroleum softens and breaks them.
  • PVC Gloves (Vinyl – Plastic): Resistant to chemicals and abrasives, and resistant to cuts.
  • Neoprene Gloves: Resistant to abrasion, cuts, punctures, and chemicals; not resistant to solvents.
  • Nitrile Gloves: Resistant to cuts, abrasion, punctures, tears, grease, oil, and solvents; contact with oil makes them slippery when wet.
  • PVA Gloves: 100% resistant to organic solvents; dissolve in contact with water; usable only in dry areas.
  • Cotton Gloves: Resistant to abrasion and light temperatures; offer good comfort; for thin work only.
  • Pure Rubber Gloves: Dielectric gloves; do not resist punctures and cuts.
  • Chrome Leather Gloves: Resistant to friction and abrasion; become rigid when wet.

Respiratory Protective Devices

Their function depends on the percentage of ambient air. With 21% air, a purifying filter is used. Below 21%, an air supply is needed.

Air-Purifying Respirators

Use an absorbent filter to eliminate contaminants in the air. There are two types of filters:

  • Mechanical Filter: Prevents particles from entering the respiratory tract. Made of materials like cellulose and cotton. When saturated, it should be replaced immediately.
  • Chemical Filter: Used for gases and vapors. Consists of an activated carbon filter with a wide contact area. Has a filtering agent that changes chemically in contact with gases and particles.
  • Mixed Filter: Used for dust and gases. Has an external mechanical filter and an internal chemical filter.
  • Combination Filter: Removes gases and vapors. Has two filters; the mechanical filter can be changed as needed.

Respirator Service Time: Depends on the user’s respiration rate, contaminant concentration, and absorption effectiveness.

Finite Capacity to Remove Contaminants: When the filter’s capacity is exhausted, it allows contaminants to pass through to the respiratory tract.

Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

Used in confined spaces, these devices carry a determined quantity of air based on the activity and time. They have a theoretical time of 30 minutes, a safety reserve of 500 psi, and a pressure regulator set to 150 psi. Cylinders are charged with air pressure of 2216 psi for 30 minutes or 4500 psi for 1 hour and undergo hydrostatic pressure testing.

Parts of the SCBA: Pressure reducer, cylinder clamping band, pressure gauge, pressure regulator valve, full-face mask.

Hydrostatic Testing: The cylinder is submerged in water and subjected to high pressure to check its elasticity and resistance.

Thermal Protective Devices

Special equipment to protect against heat and radiation, used in industrial processes.

  • Structural Equipment: Regulated for firefighters, including helmet, gloves, jacket, pants, boots, SCBA, warning system, and cape.
  • Runway Suit: Used where heat radiation is emitted; not for direct flame; high thermal resistance for limited times.
  • Entry Suit: Similar to the runway suit but for worse conditions; used for 30-60 seconds; low chemical and mechanical protection.

Chemical Protective Suits

  • Level A Suit: Protects airways, skin, and eyes, isolating the operator from the environment. Used for chemical leaks, gases, or vapors. Increases operator chill; not thermal; easily burns. Used when the chemical is identified and poses a high vapor pressure threat.
  • Level B Suit: Similar to Level A but with medium skin protection (against some splashes and fumes). Used for lower exposure spills that do not endanger the worker’s skin.
  • Level C Suit: Used where atmospheric pollutants and splashes do not harm exposed skin. Provides the same skin protection as Level B. Used in environmental monitoring.
  • Level D Suit: Used as work clothes; no respiratory or chemical protection; provides mechanical risk protection. Used in support areas and cold zones; not for areas with respiratory, skin, or eye dangers.

Limitations of Protective Clothing: Heat disorders, decreased flexibility, vision, hearing, oral communication interference, claustrophobia, lack of thermal protection, high maintenance cost.

Emergency Response

A manual for emergency response to assist the first crews arriving at an accident involving hazardous materials (fire, police, ambulances, etc.).

To be used: To quickly identify specific or generic hazards of materials involved in an accident, protecting the safety of personnel and third parties.

Simulation Model

Mathematical functions representing an idealization of reality to predict the spread of hazardous materials and measures to eliminate or contain the problem.

To be taken into account: An initial isolation zone to prevent further harm, a protection zone to evacuate people, and delineated shelter areas for those involved in incident control.

Inversion

A natural phenomenon, recurrent in winter, where a layer of warm air is trapped between two layers of cold air, preventing free movement in the atmosphere and increasing pollutants at ground level.

Initial Decision

Find a way to address a situation considering factors involved in an incident:

  • Material involved: Degree of danger to health and people, amount involved, containment and control of emission, speed and movement of vapor.
  • Levels of personal protection: To cope with the emergency.
  • Weather conditions: Effect of the vapor cloud, movement, possibility of change, effect of evacuation and site protection.

Control Zones

  • Hot Zone: Area immediately surrounding the incident, extended to prevent adverse effects from hazardous materials. Also called the exclusion or restricted zone.
  • Warm Zone: Area where personal decontamination equipment and support for the hot zone are installed, including checkpoints to reduce contamination spread.
  • Cold Zone: Area where the command post and other functions to control the incident are set up. Also known as the clean or support zone.