On February 10th 2011 OSHA issued new enforcement guidelines in regards to personal protective equipment (PPE).
Here’s the link: PPE Enforcement Guidance
“This instruction, Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment in General Industry, establishes OSHA’s general enforcement and guidance policy for its standards addressing personal protective equipment (PPE). It instructs OSHA enforcement personnel on both theagency’s interpretations of those standards and the procedures for enforcing them.”
The scope of this enforcement guidance includes head, face, eye, foot , respiratory protection , protective clothing and electrical protective equipment. All per 29 CFR 1910.132 through 29 CFR 1910.138. The areas that will directly impact Precision machining establishments include:
1) Assuring that the proper personal protective equipment has been properly chosen and issued,;
2) An active program of enforcement is in place on its proper usage.
3) Documentation should be in place in regards to both of these aspects, as well as regarding no cost to employees as discussed in the new guidance provision.
Have you reviewed your company’s personal protective equipment policy / program ?
Are you aware of the new OSHA enforcement guidance?
Below are a few tips to consider in your review
- Has a Job Safety Analysis been performed on all tasks to determine if PPE is required ?
- Has the proper PPE been selected?
- Is the PPE properly maintained, inspected and stored ?
- Have medical exams been given to employees in reference to the use of certain types of PPE?
- Are all records pertaining to your PPE program current ?
The new guidance document is a 54 page .pdf easily downloadable. I’d urge you to download and review it now.
Post coauthored by James Pryor and Miles Free
photo Copyright (C) 2003-2011 Miles Free