(4) Air-supplied respirators. Examples: Self-contained units that supply
air from a tank carried on the back and air-line units that provide air from a remote
source.
b. To protect you, PPE must be matched to the specific hazard. For example,
cloth gloves are useless for protection against a corrosive liquid. PPE is also useless
unless you wear it. Proper fit, correct use, and routine maintenance of the equipment
are also critical. All PPE must fit properly. Proper fit is critical for respirators because a
leaky facemask allows the wearer to breathe the airborne hazard. Although an
oversized glove may still prevent skin contact, it also hinders dexterity. This hazard can
cause an accident that results in injury or exposure to a health hazard.
4-15. ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS
a. In addition to engineering and personal protective equipment, controlling
chemical hazards requires information and training, safe work practices, good
housekeeping, good personal hygiene, and monitoring.
(1) Documentation, information, and training. Examples: warning labels,
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), hazardous chemical inventory, and a written
hazard communication program.
(2) Work practices. Examples: using all available controls correctly and
reporting controlled hazards promptly.
(3) Housekeeping--containing and removing hazards. Examples:
vacuuming toxic dusts, cleaning up chemical spills, proper storage and handling, and
correct disposal of chemical wastes.
(4) Monitoring--checking the effectiveness of other controls. Examples:
Air and wipe samples for area monitoring, personal sampling for individual monitoring,
medical exams, and laboratory tests.
b. Always be alert for uncontrolled chemical hazards in the workplace. You
can see bulk liquids and solids, but most airborne hazards are invisible. You can smell
or taste some airborne airborne chemicals, but not others. Some chemicals deaden the
sense of smell, and others cannot be detected by smell at the very low levels that can
harm you. Remember, anything you taste or smell is entering your body.
c.
In addition to sensing the chemical itself, you can detect exposure hazards
by doing the following:
(1) Spotting equipment failures such as a ventilation system that stops
working, damaged chemical containers, and faulty PPE.
MD0173
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