SECTION I - SECTION II - SECTION III - SECTION IV - SECTION V (APPENDICES)
II.Cover | II.A | II.B | II.C | II.D | II.E | II.F | II.G | II.H | II.I | II.J | II.K | II.L | II.M | II.N

Section 2 F

F. Personal Protective Equipment

Principal Investigators (PIs) or laboratory supervisors are required to provide adequate personal protective equipment to employees as required by the Washington State Industrial Safety and Health Administration. (Policy Reference - WAC 296-800-160).

If personal protective equipment is used, Principal Investigators (PIs) or laboratory supervisors are required to perform, or to certifiy the performance of, a hazard assessment for each functional space in the laboratory workplace. The certification must be in written form and contain the wording "Certification of Hazard Assessment," and must identify the area assessed and the date of assessment. (Policy Reference - WAC 296-800-1605; Lab Safety Manual Section IV, Standard Operating Procedures and Appendix M, Certificate of Hazard Assessment)

Protective equipment must be specified for protection of employees in the functional space. Employees must be trained to properly don and use specified personal protective equipment. A written certificate must be prepared identifying the subject of training, the names of employees trained, and the date of training. (Policy Reference - Lab Safetey Manual Section IV.D Personal Protective Equipment).

1. General Requirements and Recommendations for Laboratory Apparel

1. Appropriate clothing must be worn, including a protective apron or laboratory coat to protect against chemical splashes or spills, cold, heat, moisture and radiation.
   (Policy Reference - SPPM S30). Use protective apparel, including face shields or goggles, gloves, and other special clothing or footwear as needed.
   
   
2. Skin, eyes, and respiratory tract should always be protected from possible exposure by use of appropriate laboratory clothing, goggles/ face shields and respirators. For additional information see the Fact Sheet - Eye and Face Protection.
   
   
3. Jewelry should be removed from wrists and hands to prevent chemicals from collecting underneath, contacting electrical sources, catching on laboratory equipment, and/or damaging the jewelry itself. For the same reasons, jewelry which loosely dangles from neck or ears should not be worn.
   
   
4. To prevent spreading contamination to family and friends, laboratory coats should be removed before leaving the laboratory.
   
   
5. Loose apparel should be confined.
   
   
6. Open-toed shoes or sandals should not be worn in the laboratory. For additional information, see the Fact Sheet - Foot and Leg Protection.
   
   
7. If laboratory coats are contaminated with hazardous chemicals, they should be removed immediately, and properly laundered, or disposed of as hazardous chemical waste.
   
   
8. If laboratory clothing is cleaned by a linen service contractor, contractor employees must be informed if contamination of laboratory clothing presents a danger to cleaning service employees.

2. Gloves

1. Gloves should be worn whenever working with chemicals, rough or sharp-edged objects, or very hot or very cold materials. Gloves are available from Central Stores (335-4583), or from safety supply companies.
   
   
2. Select gloves based on the material being handled, the particular hazard involved, and their suitability for the procedures being conducted. Glove manufacturers list thickness and permeation rates of glove materialss for various chemicals. In order to select the appropriate glove, see the glove selection chart in Appendix F, read the MSDS, or consult EH&S. EH&S has additional references designed to aid in proper glove selection available upon request.
   
   
3. Gloves are eventually permeated by chemicals. Inspect gloves before each use for discoloration, punctures, and tears.
   
   
4. Gloves should be changed often depending on their frequency of use and permeability to the chemical(s) handled.
   
   
5. Double-layering of gloves (wearing one pair of gloves over another) is encouraged whenever very hazardous chemicals are handled, or when glove surfaces are expected to protect the worker from more than one kind of hazard. For example:
   
   1) For mixtures of chemicals, an interior glove may be chosen which protects the worker against exposure to chemical "A" of the mixture, while an overglove protects the worker against exposure to chemical "B".
   
   2) A durable overglove should be used by workers handling chemicals, and at the same time contacting equipment or surfaces which are abrasive. The inner glove is designed to protect the worker against skin exposure to the chemical, while the outer glove protects the inner glove from abrasion or puncture.

For additional information, see the Fact Sheets - Hand Protection and Latex Alergies.

3. Respirators

Respirators should not be needed in a normal laboratory setting. However, if administrative and engineering controls cannot assure that concentrations of airborne hazardous chemicals are maintained below the permissible exposure levels (PELs) or when atmospheric conditions are unknown, respiratory protection must be used. (Reference - Lab Safety Manual Appendix D, Respiratory Protection Program ).

The WSU Respiratory Protection Program is established to insure a healthful working environment for WSU employees through the proper training in the use of respiratory protection equipment. All use of respirators at WSU comes under the requirements of the WSU Respiratory Protection Program, including routine and non-routine operations, emergency response, and work in confined spaces.

Following are the requirements of the WSU Small Unit Respiratory Program
(Policy Reference - SPPM S80.80)

1. A hazard assessment/work area evaluation conducted by Environmental Health & Safety.
2. Proper selection of respiratory equipment. Consult with EH&S if questions arise.
3. Respiratory protection training, fit testing, and certification conducted by Environmental Health & Safety.
4. An evaluation of the fitness of each respirator user to wear a respirator safely conducted by a qualified occupational health medical practitioner.
5. Respirator users must be re-certified at least annually.
   

For more information about the WSU Respiratory Protection Program call Environmental Health & Safety at 335-3041. See also the Fact Sheet, Respiratory Protection.