reveals deaths of 19 NHS workers amid PPE row. Personal Protective Equipment. Coronavirus: Lack of PPE 'killing' staff says trade union

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Matt Hancock reveals deaths of 19 NHS workers amid PPE row
Health secretary pledges investigation, after telling staff not to overuse equipment
個人防護用具（英: Personal Protective Equipment).


Coronavirus: Lack of PPE 'killing' staff says trade union - BBC ...
www.bbc.co.uk › news › uk-wales-52256385

10 時間前 - A lack of personal protective equipment is "killing" front-line staff, a trade union has said. Unison Cymru said one of its members had died from coronavirus and asked the Welsh Government to "urgently" confirm PPE stock ...



Coronavirus: Priti Patel 'sorry if people feel there have ... - BBC
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Supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) in London and Yorkshire are at "dangerously low levels", according to the BMA. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said doctors were being forced into a corner and faced " ...


Risk at Work - Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): update


Read the guidance on Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) face-fit testing to avoid transmission.


Employers have duties concerning the provision and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at work.


PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

Case study
Why is PPE important?


Making the workplace safe includes providing instructions, procedures, training and supervision to encourage people to work safely and responsibly.


Even where engineering controls and safe systems of work have been applied, some hazards might remain. These include injuries to:
the lungs, eg from breathing in contaminated air
the head and feet, eg from falling materials
the eyes, eg from flying particles or splashes of corrosive liquids
the skin, eg from contact with corrosive materials
the body, eg from extremes of heat or cold


PPE is needed in these cases to reduce the risk.
What do I have to do?
Only use PPE as a last resort
If PPE is still needed after implementing other controls (and there will be circumstances when it is, eg head protection on most construction sites), you must provide this for your employees free of charge
You must choose the equipment carefully (see selection details below) and ensure employees are trained to use it properly, and know how to detect and report any faults
Selection and use


You should ask yourself the following questions:
Who is exposed and to what?
How long are they exposed for?
How much are they exposed to?


When selecting and using PPE:
Choose products which are CE marked in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 – suppliers can advise you
Choose equipment that suits the user – consider the size, fit and weight of the PPE. If the users help choose it, they will be more likely to use it
If more than one item of PPE is worn at the same time, make sure they can be used together, eg wearing safety glasses may disturb the seal of a respirator, causing air leaks
Instruct and train people how to use it, eg train people to remove gloves without contaminating their skin. Tell them why it is needed, when to use it and what its limitations are
Other advice on PPE
Never allow exemptions from wearing PPE for those jobs that ‘only take a few minutes'
Check with your supplier on what PPE is appropriate – explain the job to them
If in doubt, seek further advice from a specialist adviser
Maintenance


PPE must be properly looked after and stored when not in use, eg in a dry, clean cupboard. If it is reusable it must be cleaned and kept in good condition.


Think about:
using the right replacement parts which match the original, eg respirator filters
keeping replacement PPE available
who is responsible for maintenance and how it is to be done
having a supply of appropriate disposable suits which are useful for dirty jobs where laundry costs are high, eg for visitors who need protective clothing


Employees must make proper use of PPE and report its loss or destruction or any fault in it.
Monitor and review
Check regularly that PPE is used. If it isn’t, find out why not
Safety signs can be a useful reminder that PPE should be worn
Take note of any changes in equipment, materials and methods – you may need to update what you provide
Types of PPE you can use
Eyes
Hazards

Chemical or metal splash, dust, projectiles, gas and vapour, radiation

Options

Safety spectacles, goggles, face screens, faceshields, visors

Note

Make sure the eye protection chosen has the right combination of impact/dust/splash/molten metal eye protection for the task and fits the user properly

Head and neck
Hazards

Impact from falling or flying objects, risk of head bumping, hair getting tangled in machinery, chemical drips or splash, climate or temperature

Options

Industrial safety helmets, bump caps, hairnets and firefighters' helmets

Note
Some safety helmets incorporate or can be fitted with specially-designed eye or hearing protection
Don't forget neck protection, eg scarves for use during welding
Replace head protection if it is damaged
Ears
Hazards

Noise – a combination of sound level and duration of exposure, very high-level sounds are a hazard even with short duration

Options

Earplugs, earmuffs, semi-insert/canal caps

Note
Provide the right hearing protectors for the type of work, and make sure workers know how to fit them
Choose protectors that reduce noise to an acceptable level, while allowing for safety and communication
Hands and arms
Hazards

Abrasion, temperature extremes, cuts and punctures, impact, chemicals, electric shock, radiation, vibration, biological agents and prolonged immersion in water

Options

Gloves, gloves with a cuff, gauntlets and sleeving that covers part or all of the arm

Note
Avoid gloves when operating machines such as bench drills where the gloves might get caught
Some materials are quickly penetrated by chemicals – take care in selection, see HSE’s skin at work website
Barrier creams are unreliable and are no substitute for proper PPE
Wearing gloves for long periods can make the skin hot and sweaty, leading to skin problems. Using separate cotton inner gloves can help prevent this
Feet and legs
Hazards

Wet, hot and cold conditions, electrostatic build-up, slipping, cuts and punctures, falling objects, heavy loads, metal and chemical splash, vehicles

Options

Safety boots and shoes with protective toecaps and penetration-resistant, mid-sole wellington boots and specific footwear, eg foundry boots and chainsaw boots

Note
Footwear can have a variety of sole patterns and materials to help prevent slips in different conditions, including oil - or chemical-resistant soles. It can also be anti-static, electrically conductive or thermally insulating
Appropriate footwear should be selected for the risks identified
Lungs
Hazards
Oxygen-deficient atmospheres, dusts, gases and vapours
Options – respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
Some respirators rely on filtering contaminants from workplace air. These include simple filtering facepieces and respirators and power-assisted respirators
Make sure it fits properly, eg for tight-fitting respirators (filtering facepieces, half and full masks)
There are also types of breathing apparatus which give an independent supply of breathable air, eg fresh-air hose, compressed airline and self-contained breathing apparatus
Note
The right type of respirator filter must be used as each is effective for only a limited range of substances
Filters have only a limited life. Where there is a shortage of oxygen or any danger of losing consciousness due to exposure to high levels of harmful fumes, only use breathing apparatus – never use a filtering cartridge
You will need to use breathing apparatus in a confined space or if there is a chance of an oxygen deficiency in the work area
If you are using respiratory protective equipment, look at HSE’s publication Respiratory protective equipment at work: A practical guide
Whole body
Hazards

Heat, chemical or metal splash, spray from pressure leaks or spray guns, contaminated dust, impact or penetration, excessive wear or entanglement of own clothing

Options

Conventional or disposable overalls, boiler suits, aprons, chemical suits

Note
The choice of materials includes flame-retardant, anti-static, chain mail, chemically impermeable, and high-visibility
Don't forget other protection, like safety harnesses or life jackets
Emergency equipment


Careful selection, maintenance and regular and realistic operator training is needed for equipment for use in emergencies, like compressed-air escape breathing apparatus, respirators and safety ropes or harnesses.
Risk at Work - Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): update


Read the guidance on Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) face-fit testing to avoid transmission.


Employers have duties concerning the provision and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at work.


PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

Case study
Why is PPE important?


Making the workplace safe includes providing instructions, procedures, training and supervision to encourage people to work safely and responsibly.


Even where engineering controls and safe systems of work have been applied, some hazards might remain. These include injuries to:
the lungs, eg from breathing in contaminated air
the head and feet, eg from falling materials
the eyes, eg from flying particles or splashes of corrosive liquids
the skin, eg from contact with corrosive materials
the body, eg from extremes of heat or cold


PPE is needed in these cases to reduce the risk.
What do I have to do?
Only use PPE as a last resort
If PPE is still needed after implementing other controls (and there will be circumstances when it is, eg head protection on most construction sites), you must provide this for your employees free of charge
You must choose the equipment carefully (see selection details below) and ensure employees are trained to use it properly, and know how to detect and report any faults
Selection and use


You should ask yourself the following questions:
Who is exposed and to what?
How long are they exposed for?
How much are they exposed to?


When selecting and using PPE:
Choose products which are CE marked in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 – suppliers can advise you
Choose equipment that suits the user – consider the size, fit and weight of the PPE. If the users help choose it, they will be more likely to use it
If more than one item of PPE is worn at the same time, make sure they can be used together, eg wearing safety glasses may disturb the seal of a respirator, causing air leaks
Instruct and train people how to use it, eg train people to remove gloves without contaminating their skin. Tell them why it is needed, when to use it and what its limitations are
Other advice on PPE
Never allow exemptions from wearing PPE for those jobs that ‘only take a few minutes'
Check with your supplier on what PPE is appropriate – explain the job to them
If in doubt, seek further advice from a specialist adviser
Maintenance


PPE must be properly looked after and stored when not in use, eg in a dry, clean cupboard. If it is reusable it must be cleaned and kept in good condition.


Think about:
using the right replacement parts which match the original, eg respirator filters
keeping replacement PPE available
who is responsible for maintenance and how it is to be done
提供適當的一次性衣服，這些衣服可用於洗衣費用高的骯髒工作，例如，需要防護服的遊客


員工必須正確使用PPE，並報告PPE的丟失或破壞或任何故障。
監控和審查
定期檢查是否使用了PPE。如果不是，找出原因
安全標誌可以提醒您應該佩戴PPE
注意設備，材料和方法的任何更改–您可能需要更新所提供的內容
您可以使用的PPE類型
眼睛
危害性


化學或金屬飛濺，灰塵，彈丸，氣體和蒸氣，輻射

選件


安全眼鏡，護目鏡，面罩，面罩，遮陽板

注意


確保所選的護目鏡具有抗衝擊/防塵/防濺/熔融金屬護目鏡的正確組合以適合任務，並正確地適合用戶

頭頸
危害性


墜落或飛行物體的撞擊，頭部撞擊的危險，頭髮纏在機器中，化學滴劑或飛濺物，氣候或溫度的影響

選件


工業安全帽，防撞帽，發網和消防員頭盔

注意
某些安全帽裝有或可配備專門設計的眼部或聽力保護器
不要忘記保護脖子，例如在焊接過程中使用的圍巾
如果頭部保護裝置已損壞，請更換
耳朵
危害性


噪聲–聲音水平和持續時間的結合，即使持續時間短，非常高的聲音也是一種危害

選件


耳塞，耳罩，半插入式/耳罩

注意
為工作類型提供合適的聽力保護器，並確保工人知道如何適應他們
選擇能夠將噪聲降低到可接受水平的保護器，同時確保安全和通信
手和手臂
危害性


磨損，極端溫度，割傷和刺穿，撞擊，化學藥品，電擊，輻射，振動，生物製劑以及長時間浸入水中

選件


手套，帶袖口的手套，手套和覆蓋手臂的部分或全部的袖子

注意
在操作台式鑽機等機器時，應避免戴手套
某些材料會很快被化學物質滲透-注意選擇，請在工作網站上查看HSE的皮膚
隔離霜不可靠，不能替代適當的PPE
長時間戴手套會使皮膚發汗和出汗，從而導致皮膚問題。使用單獨的棉質內手套可以幫助防止這種情況
腳和腿
危害性


潮濕，冷熱條件，靜電積聚，打滑，割傷和刺穿，掉落的物體，重物，金屬和化學飛濺物，車輛

選件


安全靴和防護鞋，帶有保護性的鞋頭和防刺穿中底惠靈頓靴，以及特定的鞋類，例如鑄造靴和電鋸靴

注意
鞋類可以具有多種鞋底花紋和材料，以幫助防止在不同條件下打滑，包括耐油或耐化學腐蝕的鞋底。它也可以是防靜電的，導電的或隔熱的
應為發現的風險選擇合適的鞋類
肺
危害性
缺氧的大氣，粉塵，氣體和蒸氣
選件–呼吸防護裝備（RPE）
一些呼吸器依靠過濾工作場所空氣中的污染物。其中包括簡單的過濾式口罩和呼吸器以及電動輔助呼吸器
確保正確安裝，例如用於緊身呼吸器（過濾面罩，半面罩和全罩）
也有一些類型的呼吸器可以獨立提供呼吸空氣，例如新鮮空氣軟管，壓縮空氣和自給式呼吸器
注意
必須使用正確類型的呼吸過濾器，因為每種過濾器僅對有限範圍的物質有效
過濾器的使用壽命有限。如果由於暴露於高水平的有害煙霧而導致氧氣不足或失去知覺的危險，請僅使用呼吸器–切勿使用濾芯
您將需要在密閉空間中使用呼吸器，或者工作區域中氧氣不足的機會
如果您使用呼吸防護設備，請參閱HSE的出版物《呼吸防護設備在工作：實用指南》
全身
危害性


高溫，化學或金屬飛濺，壓力洩漏或噴槍噴出的噴霧，受污染的灰塵，撞擊或滲透，過度磨損或纏住自己的衣服

選件


常規或一次性工作服，鍋爐服，圍裙，化學服

注意
材料的選擇包括阻燃，抗靜電，鎖鏈，化學不滲透和高可見性
不要忘記其他保護措施，例如安全帶或救生衣
緊急設備


對於緊急情況下使用的設備，例如壓縮空氣逃生呼吸器，呼吸器和安全繩或安全帶，需要仔細的選擇，維護以及定期和現實的操作員培訓。