May 14, 2003

SUBJECT: Midwest Area Personnel Protective Equipment and Clothing Policy

TO: All Employees

Midwest Area

FROM: Adrianna D. Hewings

Director

Personal Protective Equipment is a worker\'s last line of defense
against injury and illness while on the job. When engineering controls
and work practices may not successfully limit exposures, it is the
policy of the Midwest Area to provide a complete ***Personal Protective
Equipment Program*** and training, along with the necessary protective
equipment and clothing to fully protect the worker. Supervisors must
provide a type of protector suitable for the work to be performed and
employees must use the protectors. These stipulations also apply to
contractors and visitors while they are in hazardous areas.

The following guidelines are provided as basic policy and are not to be
used as the Location's written *Personal Protective Equipment Program*.
Locations meeting the hazard conditions listed must provide employees
working in the area with the proper PPE. It is the responsibility of the
supervisor to assure proper PPE is issued, training is provided, and
that the PPE is correctly maintained and used.

To properly evaluate the workplace, the supervisor must perform a
workplace hazard assessment and select the types of PPE which will
protect the employee. Prior to commencing work, the supervisor will
perform a ***Job Hazard Analysis***, complete a ***Personnel Protective
Equipment Assessment*** and develop ***Standard Operating Procedures**
(*SOPs). Guidelines and instructions for completing these processes are
enclosed and/or can be found on the MWA Safety, Health and Environmental
Management (SHEM) Homepage
\[[[www.mwa.ars.usda.gov/mwa/shem/shem.shtml]{.underline}](http://www.mwa.ars.usda.gov/mwa/shem/shem.shtml)\].

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed
stringent Personal Protective Equipment Standards for the protection of
eyes, face, head, extremities, hearing and respiratory systems along
with requirements for protective equipment and clothing, hearing and
respiratory devices and protective shields and barriers. Links to the
general OSHA PPE requirements \[29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
1910.132\] and specific PPE standards can be found on the MWA SHEM
Homepage.

PPE fitting and training should be performed by someone skilled in the
procedure. Prescription safety glasses should be measured and fitted
only by qualified optical personnel. It is the responsibility of the
supervisor to assure the PPE selected and purchased meets OSHA codes and
use requirements.

Use of personal protective equipment is not new to the Midwest Area.
This policy is meant to reinforce our commitment to providing a safe
workplace for all employees. If you need assistance developing or
reviewing your ***Personal Protective Equipment Program***, PPE
training, or guidance performing assessments, identifying and selecting
PPE, please contact Caryl Romine, Area Safety and Occupational Health
Manager at 309/681-6608 or email \[<cromine@mwa.ars.usda.gov>\].

Enclosures

**MWA Personal Protective Equipment Selection and Use Guidelines**

The following guidelines will be used for Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) selection and use.

**Personal Protective Equipment --- 29 CFR 1910.132**

Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes,
face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices
and protective shields and barriers, will be provide, used and
maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever there is a
reasonable possibility of worker exposure to hazards associated with
processes or environment, biological, chemical and radiological agents,
or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing
injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through
absorption, inhalation or physical contact.

Suitable personnel protective equipment and clothing is required by OSHA
where there is a reasonable probability of preventing injury by
preventing absorption, inhalation or physical contact. PPE must meet the
following minimum requirements:

-   adequately protect against the particular hazards for which they
    were designed;

-   be reasonably comfortable when worn under designed conditions;

-   fit properly without interfering with the movements or vision of the
    wearer;

-   be durable;

-   be capable of being cleaned and/or disinfected; and,

-   be kept clean and in good repair.

Provide special protective equipment and clothing whenever these
conditions capable of causing injury or impairment are present: when:

-   hazards of process or environment;

-   biological, chemical or radiological hazards;

-   mechanical irritants; or,

-   welding, cutting or working molten metal.

All PPE equipment and clothing are to be maintained in a sanitary and
reliable condition.

Supervisors must provide a type of protector suitable for the work to be
performed and employees must use the protectors. To properly evaluate
the workplace, the supervisor must perform a workplace hazard assessment
and select the types of PPE which will protect the employee.

**Eye and Face Protection --- 29 CFR 1910.133**

Employees working in agricultural and laboratory research and
maintenance environments, including but not limited to laboratories,
greenhouses, fields and shops will wear eye protection at all times.

The supervisor will ensure employees use appropriate eye or face
protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles and
projectiles; biologicals, chemicals, pesticides and radiological agents;
acid or caustic liquids; and hazardous dusts, gases, mists or vapors.

Eye and face protective equipment is required by OSHA where there is a
reasonable probability of preventing injury. Suitable safety glasses,
goggles or face shields are required where a hazard exists that could
cause injury to unprotected eyes. Examples of conditions where suitable
eye protection must be provided include:

-   biological, chemical or radiological hazards;

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   machines;

-   flying objects;

-   welding, cutting or working molten metal;

-   operating construction equipment such as a drill, saw, lathe,
    grinding wheel; or,

-   extreme light, glare, UV or laser exposure.

Suitable eye protection must comply with American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) Z87.1-1989. Eye and face PPE must be distinctly marked
to facilitate and document compliance.

MWA PPE Selection and Use Guidelines Page 2

**Respiratory Protection --- 29 CFR 1910.134 and 42 CFR 84**

Respirators will be provided when required to protect the health of the
employee. The supervisor will provide respirators which are applicable
and suitable for the purpose intended. The supervisor will be
responsible for the enforcing and maintaining a respiratory protection
program which will include the requirements outline in 29 CFR
1910.134(c), ***Respiratory Protection Program.***

Respiratory protection requires constant vigilance to protect workers.
Employee participation in the ***Respiratory Protection Program*** is
required for both cartridge masks and dust masks. Program requirements
include but are not limited to:

-   Performance of hazard assessments.

-   Determination of airborne contaminants levels. Employee exposures to
    contaminates may not exceed the OSHA Permissible Exposure Levels
    (PEL) nor the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) of the American
    Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) \[whichever
    limit is more stringent\].

-   Implementation of a written ***Respiratory Protection Program***
    including training on the selection, fitting, use, maintenance,
    cleaning, disposal, recordkeeping and supervision.

-   Whenever respirators are used in areas with atmospheres immediately
    harmful to life, at least one other person with backup equipment and
    rescue capability must provided.

-   Performance of a physical examination to ensure employee is fit to
    wear respiratory protection.

Selection and use criteria for respirators, cartridges and dust masks
must meet the standards in 42 CFR 84, *Respiratory Protection*,
published by the Public Health under National Institute for Occupational
Safety & Health (NIOSH). Selection of respiratory PPE will be based upon
hazard assessments and manufacturers' performance recommendations.

**Head Protection --- 29 CFR 1910.135**

The supervisor will ensure that each employee wears a protective helmet
or hard hat when working in any area where falling, low objects or
electrical conductors may create a hazard. Selection and use criteria
for suitable helmets and hard hats must comply with ANSI Z89.1-1986
headwear standards.

**Foot Protection --- 29 CFR 1910.136**

The supervisor will ensure that each employee wears foot protection when
working areas where a hazard exists that could cause injury to feet or
toes due to falling or rolling objects, objects piercing the sole and
exposure to electricity. Selection and use criteria for suitable foot
PPE must based upon a hazard assessment and must comply with ANSI
Z41.1-1991 foot and toe protection standards.

**Electrical Protection --- 29 CFR 1910.137 and Subpart S**

The supervisor will ensure that each employee working in areas where an
electrical hazard exists are provided and use PPE such as insulating
blankets, matting, covers, line hose, gloves and sleeves made of rubber,
and insulated tools. Selection and use criteria for electrical PPE must
based upon a hazard assessment and must comply with the guidelines found
in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.137(a) (1).

**Hand Protection --- 29 CFR 1910.138**

The supervisor will ensure that each employee wears hand protection when
working in areas where a hazard exists that could cause injury to hands
and fingers due to skin absorption of hazardous substances, severe cuts,
lacerations, abrasions, punctures or burns and temperature extremes.

MWA PPE Selection and Use Guidelines Page 3

Hand protection must meet the following minimum requirements:

-   adequately protect against the particular hazards for which they
    were designed;

-   be reasonably comfortable when worn under designed conditions;

-   fit properly without interfering with the movements of the wearer;

-   be durable;

-   be capable of being cleaned and/or disinfected and/or disposed of
    upon completion of intended use; and,

-   be kept clean and in good repair.

Selection and use criteria for suitable hand protection will be based
upon a hazard assessment and must comply with the PPE manufacturers'
performance recommendations.

**Noise (*Hearing Conservation Program*) --- 29 CFR 1910.95**

The supervisor will ensure that each employee working in areas where the
sound level is at or exceeds 85 dBA measured on the A scale of a
standard sound level meter at the slow response. When employees are
subjected to sound at or exceeding 85 dBA, feasible administrative or
engineering controls will be utilized. If such controls fail to reduce
sound level below 85 dBA, personal protective equipment will be provided
and used to reduce sound levels. The supervisor will be responsible for
the enforcing and maintaining a hearing conservation program which will
include the requirements outline in 29 CFR 1910.95(c), ***Hearing
Conservation Program.***

Noise is a constant hazard in many daily working environments and
operations. In responding to the need to protect workers, supervisors
will protect their employees by:

-   Implementing a written ***Hearing Conservation Program*** including
    training for:

    -   monitoring of work environments;

    -   notification of employee exposure levels;

    -   establishing the need for hearing protection;

    -   providing workers with baseline and subsequent annual
        audiograms;

    -   training of employees in hearing conservation and PPE selection,
        fitting, use, maintenance, cleaning, disposal, recordkeeping and
        supervision; and,

    -   recordkeeping of employee exposures.

-   monitoring noise levels using approved meters; and,

-   not allowing exposure to go over 115 dBA in any case and impulsive
    or impact noise may not exceed 140 dBA peak sound pressure level.

Selection and use criteria for suitable hearing protection will be based
upon a hazard assessment and must comply with the PPE manufacturers'
performance recommendations.

**Fall Protection --- 29 CFR 1926.501 -- 503**

The supervisor will ensure personal fall protection is provided
employees working on roofs, in trees, or on ladders, manlifts, powered
working platforms, cages and other lifting devices where personnel are
elevated 6 feet or more above ground level surfaces. Safety belts,
harnesses and lines are required when there is a danger of falling. A
second person to tend the lifeline is required whenever entry into a
bin, tank or other potentially dangerous area is made.

Selection and use criteria for suitable personal fall arrest systems
must meet the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.28, Appendix C.

**Life Jackets & Belts ---**

The supervisor will provide life jackets or belts whenever working in or
over the water or when there is a chance of being pulled, pushed or
falling into the water.