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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8615.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
has released the latest edition of its booklet on personal protective
equipment(PPE). The booklet discusses the types of equipment most commonly used
for protection of the head, including eyes and ears, and the torso, arms, hands
and feet. The publication stresses PPE should not be used as a substitute for
engineering, work practice, and/or administrative controls but rather in
conjunction with them. Employers also must be aware that PPE does not eliminate
a hazard.
The revised booklet spells out OSHA's position on cost
assumption for PPE by employers. The publication says that OSHA interprets its
standards as requiring employers to provide and pay for company-required PPE
for the worker to do his or her job safely and in compliance with OSHA
standards. Where equipment is personal in nature and usable by workers off the
job, however, the matter of payment may be left to labor-management
negotiations.
The pamphlet also spells out five conditions under which
respirators must be used: in regulated areas, in emergencies, where engineering
and work practice controls are inadequate, where exposures exceed permissible
limits, and during maintenance and repair activities or during brief or
intermittent operations where engineering and work practice controls are not
feasible or required.
Also included are factors to be considered for selecting
gloves such as toxic properties of substances, how the gloves will be used and
their resistance to punctures, tears, or chemicals.
A single free copy of the booklet may be obtained by
sending a self-addressed label to the U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA/OSHA
Publications, P.O. Box 37535 Washington, DC 20013-7535. Telephone (202)
219-4667, Fax (202) 219-9266.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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