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CHAPTER 17 - PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

A. INTRODUCTION

1. The purpose of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is to protect
employees from the risk of injury or illness by creating a proper barrier
against workplace hazards.  PPE is NOT a substitute for good engineering
or administrative controls, or good work practices, in eliminating the
hazard source.  However, when used in conjunction with these controls,
or in the interim as more permanent controls are implemented, PPE can
serve as an effective means of reducing risk.

2. This Chapter applies to all Smithsonian Institution (SI) personnel
who, by nature of their job function, have the potential to be adversely
exposed to (or come in contact with) chemical, physical, radiological,
or biological hazards.  This Chapter provides information on recognizing
those conditions that require PPE, as well as selecting PPE for hazardous
activities. 

3. This Chapter addresses the overall program of PPE selection, use,
and maintenance, and shall conform, at minimum, to the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) Standard 1910 Subpart I, Personal Protective Equipment, including:

a. 1910.132 General Requirements;

b. 1910.133 - Eye and Face Protection;

c. 1910.135 - Head Protection;

d. 1910.136 - Occupational Foot Protection;

e. 1910.137 - Electrical Protective Devices; and

f. 1910.138 - Hand Protection.

Specific
PPE requirements are also included in every operational topic chapter
in this Manual.

B. CHAPTER-SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Safety Coordinators shall assist supervisors
in conducting and reviewing their Job Hazard Analyses (JHA), recommending
appropriate PPE, and training in the proper use and care of PPE when
appropriate.

2. Supervisors shall:

a. Conduct and document JHAs to determine PPE requirements for each
work task, with assistance as needed from their Safety Coordinator and
Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management (OSHEM).

b. Notify the Safety Coordinator when a hazard or process changes,
which may render previously used PPE ineffective, so that the JHA can
be updated.

c. Provide appropriate PPE and make it available to their employees.

d. Ensure employees are trained in the proper use, cleaning, maintenance,
and inspection of PPE.

e. Ensure that affected employees wear PPE during all tasks that require
protection, and properly and care for their assigned PPE.

f. Ensure that defective or damaged PPE is immediately replaced.

g. Maintain documentation of individual employee PPE issuance and training
per requirements of this Chapter.

3. Employees shall:

a. Wear PPE as directed by their supervisor.

b. Participate in PPE training.

c. Inspect, clean, and maintain assigned PPE.

d. Notify their supervisor of the need to replace or repair PPE.

e. Notify their supervisor when a hazard or process changes, which
may render previously used PPE ineffective.

f. Notify their supervisor of any other changes (e.g., medical conditions,
physical changes) that may require assigned PPE to be re-evaluated for
proper fit.

4. Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management (OSHEM) shall
provide technical assistance to Directors, Safety Coordinators, and
supervisors in carrying out their responsibilities under this Chapter. 
Technical assistance may include:

a. Evaluating employee exposures and advising as to the appropriate
PPE controls.

b. Conducting PPE training as required by specific chapters, such as Chapter 18,
Respiratory Protection of this Manual and Chapter 41,
Occupational Noise of this Manual, or assisting Safety Coordinators in providing other PPE training.

c. Providing medical clearance examinations, when applicable, for suitability
of employee to wear required PPE. 

C. PPE PROGRAM COMPONENTS. 

An effective PPE program must include the following four steps:

1. Hazard identification and assessment.

2. Proper selection and assignment of PPE for each hazardous task performed.

3. Established methods for effectively cleaning and maintaining PPE.

4. Training users in the correct fit, use, care, and maintenance of
PPE.

D. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT

1. Prior to starting each new project or task involving workplace hazards
not previously experienced, or when a new work crew shall perform the
work, a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA, see Chapter 4, Safety
Risk Management Program of this Manual) shall be prepared by the supervisor
and assisted and/or reviewed by the Safety Coordinator. 

2. Attachment 1, PPE Hazard Assessment and Selection Form, shall be completed as
part of the JHA and subsequent training process.

3. JHAs shall be reviewed and modified as needed to address changing
site conditions or operations.

E. HAZARD CONTROL AND SELECTION
OF APPROPRIATE PPE

1. Once a JHA has been performed, efforts to eliminate or reduce the
identified hazards through product or process substitution, engineering
controls (physically changing a machine or work environment) or administrative
controls