PPE Appendix E

Standards are not currently available for all types of protective clothing or body protection. Where such standards exist, only those items of protective clothing and equipment that meet NIOSH, ANSI, ASTM, or NFPA standards, as appropriate, may be used. Questions regarding the suitability of a specific item for a given hazard should be referred either to the manufacturer or Environmental Health & Safety.

The department must provide body protection for employees if they are threatened with bodily injury or illness while performing their jobs and if engineering or administrative controls have failed to eliminate these hazards. Workplace hazards that could cause bodily injury include the following:

• Exposure to highly toxic chemicals or carcinogens
• Exposure to intense heat or cold 
  • Note: Cold weather clothing is generally considered to be normal-wear clothing and is not covered by this program.
• Splashes of very cold or very hot metals or liquids
• Impacts from tools, machinery, or materials
• Cuts and/or abrasions
• Exposure to hazardous chemicals
• Contact with potentially infectious materials, like blood or other bodily fluids
• Radiation
• Exposure to electrical hazards
• Exposure to some fall hazard situations

Many types of protective clothing restrict airflow and impede perspiration. The risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, therefore, may be greatly increased with some types of protective clothing. Employee training on the symptoms of heat stress and the use of engineering controls (e.g. increasing ventilation), administrative controls (e.g. employee rotation), and personal protective equipment (e.g. cooling vests) may be essential to assuring employee safety in hot work environments.

The protective clothing provided must be constructed of a material that will protect against the specific hazards in the workplace. The degree of body protection should be carefully considered since this category covers aprons to gastight suits. Materials used in protective clothing include paper-like fiber, treated wool, and cotton, duck, leather, rubber/plastics, etc.

• Coveralls are designed to protect personal clothing while on the job.
• Lab coats protect clothing and skin from dirt, inks, and chemicals. The effects of skin contact can range from relatively minor diseases such as dermatitis, to systemic poisoning, to the risk of cancer and death.
• Barrier gowns provide protection from bloodborne pathogen splashes.
• Disposable suits, such as Tyvek® or PVC-coated, protect against harmful particulates, some liquids and chemicals, and bloodborne pathogens. 
• Aprons come in a variety of materials to protect against a variety of hazards, such as chemicals, heat, sparks/slag, etc.
• Chemical suits, used in hazardous material spills, for example, are categorized by levels.
  • Level A suits provide protection against vapors and include a gastight zipper. 
  • Level B splash suits, such as Tychem®, provide chemical and biological protection.
• Arc-Rated Clothing (ARC) clothing is treated to self-extinguish when removed from flame or ignition sources. Clothing includes undergarments, coveralls, lab coats, overalls, shirts, and pants. NFPA 70E requires personnel working within a flash protection boundary to wear arc-rated clothing. Employers must perform a flash hazard analysis (before allowing personnel to approach exposed electrical parts) to determine the protection boundary distance and the appropriate level of ARC to be used. Detailed information is available from Environmental Health & Safety. The Arc Thermal Protective Value (ATPV) must be calculated to determine the incident energy in calories per centimeter squared (cal/cm2). The ATPV signifies the amount of incident energy that would just cause the onset of second-degree burns. It also signifies the amount of protection the clothing affords when an electrical arc comes in contact with the fabric. Each FR garment is assigned an ATPV rating by the manufacturer. This rating must be noted on the garment label, along with other pertinent information.
  • Electrical-arc hazard protection consists of jackets, overalls, coats, leggings, and hoods with arc-protective face shields for full body protection. ATPV rating is typically 8, 20, 32, or 40 cal/cm².
• Welding clothing is available in aprons or suits and is typically made of leather to resists cuts, sparks, and slag.
• Heat-reflective clothing includes aluminized coats, pants, leggings, aprons, sleeves, gloves, and hoods. This type of clothing is designed to repel molten metal splash and reflect 90% of radiant heat.
• Cooling vests have bladder inserts for ice packs or are water-soak activated. They are beneficial in heat stress situations.
• High-visibility clothing comes in neon colors with reflective strips for work around traffic or other situations where the worker needs to be seen. Available in vests, jackets, bib overalls, insulated, waterproof, or lightweight.
• Steel mesh aprons provide protection against cuts, slashes, and lacerations to the torso. They are typically worn in the meat-cutting industry.
• Floatation vests are worn when working around water.

Always follow the manufacturers instructions regarding special care, cleaning, storage, and care.