Answer:
All PPE clothing and equipment should be of safe design and
construction, and should be maintained in a clean and reliable
fashion. Employers should take the fit and comfort of PPE into consideration when selecting appropriate items for their workplace.
PPE that fits well and is comfortable to wear will encourage
employee use of PPE. Most protective devices are available in
multiple sizes and care should be taken to select the proper size for
each employee. If several different types of PPE are worn together,
make sure they are compatible. If PPE does not fit properly, it can
make the difference between being safely covered or dangerously
exposed. It may not provide the level of protection desired and may
discourage employee use.
OSHA requires that many categories of PPE meet or be
equivalent to standards developed by the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI). ANSI has been preparing safety
standards since the 1920s, when the first safety standard was
approved to protect the heads and eyes of industrial workers.
Employers who need to provide PPE in the categories listed below
must make certain that any new equipment procured meets the cited
ANSI standard. Existing PPE stocks must meet the ANSI standard in
effect at the time of its manufacture or provide protection equivalent
to PPE manufactured to the ANSI criteria. Employers should inform
employees who provide their own PPE of the employer’s selection
decisions and ensure that any employee-owned PPE used in the
workplace conforms to the employer’s criteria, based on the hazard
assessment, OSHA requirements and ANSI standards. OSHA
requires PPE to meet the following ANSI standards
Explanation:
