I have always believed PPE is essential in the workplace to minimize or eliminate as many accidents as possible. When I was a mechanic, I witnessed an accident that caused a co-worker to lose an eye. This individual wasn't even working when the accident happened. He was just walking past another employee who was working with some metal when a shard flew into his eye. If he was wearing proper safety glasses with side shields, this accident might have been prevented.
At least once a day, I make a point to walk through my maintenance shop bays wearing my PPE so the employees know I practice what I preach. There is nothing we do at the MATES facility that is so important that we can afford to omit any safety practices. One aspect of the safety process I try to stress is we check each other and that there is no chain of command when it comes to correcting someone on a safety violation.
Signs are posted at all of our shop entrances, informing everyone PPE is mandatory before coming inside. The minimum PPE required in the MATES shop area is safety glasses with side shields, hearing protection, safety boots and an Occupational Safety and Health Administration-approved helmet. If an individual wears prescription glasses, the organization will furnish him or her with prescription safety glasses with side shields at no cost. Our internal shop standard operating procedure also protects any visitors, such as salesmen, vendors or dignitaries, who may be inside of our work areas.
The shop also provides additional PPE for employees to wear when operating equipment such as grinders and parts cleaning vats. Some of these items include aprons, gloves and full-face shields, which are all stored and maintained at the working site. Signs are posted at each piece of equipment stating the required PPE, and supervisors are tasked with ensuring these items are kept in good condition.
While we're not quite where we want to be with safety, we are improving each day by changing our cultural awareness in the workplace. In turn, I hope this will lead our employees to place an emphasis on off-duty safety as well.
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Protection that Matters
In many occupations, workers need personal protective equipment (PPE) as a barrier against injuries. Without it, we would be plagued by lost-time injuries and fatalities. Here's a PPE checklist to use at work:
Eye Protection
Aca,!Ac Maintain your eye protection by frequently inspecting it for dirt and scratches.
Aca,!Ac Ensure that all protective eyewear is clean before use and take the time to clean the eyewear as required throughout each workday.
Aca,!Ac If scratched, make sure that you replace your eyewear with a clean, unscratched pair.
Face Protection
Aca,!Ac Face protection should be inspected for dirt and scratches on a regular basis.
Aca,!Ac If face protection becomes dirty or scratched, it should be cleaned or replaced.
Head Protection
Aca,!Ac Hardhats must be properly adjusted to ensure the suspension system will distribute the impact evenly over the entire head.
Aca,!Ac The hardhat should fit securely on the head to prevent it from slipping or falling off.
Aca,!Ac Wear your hardhat directly on top of your head, with the brim facing forward.
Aca,!Ac Hardhats must be inspected regularly and replaced if the shell or suspension is damaged.
Aca,!Ac Hardhats will last longer if they are not stored in sunlight or heat.
Hearing Protection
Aca,!Ac Wear your hearing protection in posted areas.
Aca,!Ac Wash your hands thoroughly before inserting hearing protection and make sure that earplugs are clean.
Hand Protection
Aca,!Ac Ensure you inspect your gloves before use and replace them if they are torn, cracked, worn thin or have holes.
Aca,!Ac Check the material safety data sheet or speak with your supervisor before handling hazardous materials.
Aca,!Ac Wear the right type of glove for the task.
Foot Protection
Aca,!Ac Inspect your footwear often to ensure the sole is still providing good traction and the rest of the boot or shoe meets safety standards.
Aca,!Ac Replace the boot when the steel toe insert becomes exposed, the treads are worn or any part of the boot is cracked or worn thin.
In the workplace, PPE is your armor against "war wounds." Wear it with confidence.
Source: 8th Army (Field Army) Command Safety.
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