Abstract

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR BIOHAZARDS AS A CASCADE FOR SAFETY MEASURES

Sandip Sarkar*, Kushal Nandi, Pritam Bakshi, Dr. Dhrubo Jyoti Sen and Dr. Beduin Mahanti

Abstract

Safety equipment issued to help employees in protecting themselves from the hazards of their work environments. PPE includes fire retardant or chemical-proof clothing, gloves, hard hats, respirators, safety spectacles, etc. Food hygiene equipment (aprons, caps, plastic gloves, etc.) are not included in this category. PPE (or Personal Protective Equipment) is of fundamental importance in the workplace to keep workers safe and to enable workers to do their job properly. PPE can include boots, overalls, high visibility vests, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats etc. Without PPE the chances of injury are undoubtedly increased. The purpose of PPE is to ensure workers are kept as safe as possible. The PPE relevant to anyone would depend on one’s role and the environment that he/she work in. If anyone thinks of a building site, the typical PPE is usually hard hats, high visibility vests and boots. On a building site there may be loose bricks overhead so one can see why hard hats are required. High visibility vests are also useful as there may be vehicles coming in and out of the building site. Boots are also necessary and would help prevent injury if anything was dropped onto the workers foot. If anyone thinks of an alternative environment, such as a train depot or power station, PPE should include hearing protection as noise levels may reach levels that could potentially be harmful. On a train depot anyone would also expect high visibility vests so people can be seen. If a person uses vibratory tools as part of their job, such as jack hammers, gloves may be necessary to help prevent hand arm vibration syndrome (also known as vibration white finger). The importance of PPE in the workplace cannot be underestimated. PPE is required in many working environments to avoid injury and to keep workers safe.

Keywords: Physical hazards, Electrical hazards, Heat hazards, Chemical hazards, Biohazards, Airborne hazards.