Personal Protective Equipment Inspection Checklist

Personal Protective Equipment must be used and worn in many work situations in order to protect employees from harm. The U.S. Department of Labor is responsible for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA sets down requirements with which workplaces must abide. There is a great variation in the type of equipment that may be required, as workplaces have different mandates because of different dangers.

Assesssments

• A hazard assessment will identify when PPE needs to be used, in what circumstances, and who must wear it. The staff is trained to use the equipment, demonstrating they can use it correctly. If they cannot do so, they should be retrained. Keep a log of the training as written evidence to prove that it was done in a timely and correct manner.

Maintenance

• The equipment should be well maintained and stored correctly. The equipment must be repaired or replaced when necessary. Protective helmets must be worn where there is a risk of falling debris. Aprons, glooves and shields are necessary where there is possible spillage or splashes of chemical, blood or other hazardous material. Protective, steel-toe boots should be worn where there is a risk of damage to a worker's feet. Goggles or other eye-protection devices should be worn when welding, or whenever there is a danger of the eyes being splashed or damaged in the course of work.

Compliance

• Where boots or head-protection equipment is worn, it must comply with the American National Standards Safety Requirements. A respirator may be required in some workplaces. Eye wash material will need to be kept on the site where there is a danger of splashes in the eyes. Where PPE such as goggles or safety helmets are required, a notice to this effect should be posted at the entrance to the workplace.