PENPAGES: Factsheets from Pennsylvania State University

Personal Protective Equipment

Using personal protective equipment can either prevent or reduce the severity of many farm injuries. No one ever expects to have an accident and no one knows exactly when one will happen. For this reason personal protective equipment should always be worn when injury is possible.

HEAD PROTECTION
The use of hard hats or bump caps could prevent many head injuries common in farm operations. Jobs requiring protection include construction work, operating and repairing machinery, felling or trimming trees, entering or exiting buildings with low doors, repair, demolition, blasting, and electrical work.

Hard Hats - Hard hats are rigid head gear designed to protect the head from impact and falling or flying objects. Nonconducting hats also protect the wearer from electrical work.

Bump Caps - Bump caps are lightweight, thin-shelled protective head gear. They offer good protection from ordinary head bumps and blows. They provide adequate head protection for most farming operations but are insufficient where heavy impacts could occur or where there is a potential for heavy flying or falling objects.

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
Dust and chaff are well-known respiratory hazards to the farmer. Other hazards are toxic chemicals, oxygen-depleted atmospheres connected with silos, and large concentrations of animal wastes.

Mechanical-Filter Respirator (Dust Mask) - Dust masks filter out or trap minute airborne particles such as dust, chaff, and most molds. They are useful when haying, harvesting, tilling dusty fields, applying ordinary fertilizer and lime, grinding feed, and sweeping. Dust masks should NEVER be used when working with volatile chemicals or when entering a toxic or oxygen-depleted atmosphere.

Chemical-Cartridge Respirator - This apparatus is a mask that covers the nose and mouth. It has filters to remove dust and absorbent material such as charcoal to absorb chemicals. This device offers protection for a limited amount of time from toxic gases, vapors, fumes, and extremely heavy dust. This type respirator should be used during most pesticide applications.

Gas Masks - Gas masks are similar to chemical-cartridge respirators but have far more capacity. Absorbent filtering materials are carried in a canister connected to the face mask by a flexible hose. With a gas mask, workers can stay on jobs longer and handle more toxic chemicals than would be safe with cartridge respirators.

Supplied-Air Respirators - In atmospheres where oxygen is less than 21 percent, a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is required. Manure pits, some silos, and grain bins that have been fumigated are structures where such a device might be required. The air tanks worn by fire fighters and scuba divers are common examples of supplied-air respirators.

EYE PROTECTION
Eye protection is needed when handling and applying pesticides; on jobs involving dust, chaff, or flying particles; when grinding, drilling, sawing or other shop work; or when operating equipment in low-hanging tree branches.

Safety Glasses - Safety glasses provide only frontal eye protection. Adding side shields will increase the protection. Industrial safety glasses can be fitted with prescription lenses, including bifocals. Street-wear glasses have impact-resistant lenses, but these may pop out of their frames.

Goggles - Goggles provide both front and side protection. Most models are flexible, inexpensive, and will fit over street glasses. Goggles are most useful in environments with much flying dust, or with chemicals.

Face Shields - Face shields safeguard against chemical splashes and small flying particles (as from grinding). Protective glasses or goggles should be worn under the face shield for heavy impact resistance.

EAR PROTECTION
Tests show that most "open" tractors and those with ordinary weather cabs produce sound levels exceeding 90 decibels (db). Long exposure to 90 db or more will damage hearing. Noise in this range can be generated by tractors, harvesters, grinders, choppers, blowers, conveyors, chain saws, and power mowers.

Ear Plugs - Ear plugs are rubber or plastic and are inserted into the ear canal. Ear plugs should fit well. They should initially be fitted to your ear by an audiologist. Cotton plugs may change the tone of noise but are not effective in reducing damaging sound levels.

Ear Muffs - Ear muffs are cup-type devices that cover the external ear. Muff protectors can be taken off quickly and put on as needed. They are ideal where loud noise is intermittent. Muffs provide more dependable protection than ear plugs.

BODY PROTECTION
Proper clothing for the job is necessary to ensure safety during many operations. Leather clothing or aprons offer protection from sparks and hot metal splashes which may be encountered during welding or cutting with a torch. Pads are available and should be worn to protect the shoulders and back when heavy loads or rough-edged objects are carried. Knee pads should be worn for work when kneeling continuously.

Aprons, coats and garments that cover the wearer that are made of impervious materials should be worn for protection against toxic chemicals.

HAND PROTECTION
Farm work is hard on hands. In addition to protecting the hands from cold temperatures, gloves also offer protection against coarse or sharp-edged objects, chemicals, dirt, solvents, fuels, greases, and paint.

Leather gloves provide good gripping power and protect hands when handling rough, abrasive, or sharp objects. Gloves should be worn for welding or torch operations. Cotton or canvas gloves provide sufficient protection for most light-duty work.

Gloves coated with synthetic rubber or plastic offer protection from petroleum products, solvents, and agricultural chemicals. Gloves should be cleaned thoroughly after contact with chemicals and before removal. Gloves should fit well. Tight gloves interfere with dexterity and are uncomfortable; loose gloves are dangerous around moving machinery parts.

FOOT PROTECTION
Proper foot protection will guard against injuries caused by: a lawn mower, an animal stepping on feet, dropping heavy objects, or stepping on sharp objects.

Safety shoes have steel-toe caps and puncture- and slip-resistant soles. Built-in metatarsal or in-step protection is also available. Proper fitting safety shoes are as comfortable as regular shoes.

WHERE TO BUY PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Farm supply stores and local hardware stores may stock some types of personal protective equipment. Protective eyewear is available from safety supply firms or optical houses. Ear doctors can custom fit ear plugs. Ag chemical dealers may sell or suggest sources where respirators and impervious clothing may be purchased. The yellow pages of many phone books will list (under "Safety" or "Safety Equipment") companies that sell personal protective equipment.

Keywords: ACCIDENT, AG-ENGINEERING, AGRICULTURAL-ENGINEERING, BODY, BREATHING,

          ENGINEERING, EYE, FEET, HAND, HAZARD, HEAD, MURPHY-DENNIS,
          PERSONAL-PROTECTIVE-EQUIPMENT, PROTECTION, REFERENCE, RESPIRATION,
          SAFETY

תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתThe National Dairy Database (1992)תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת\NDB\OCCSAFE\TEXT2\95תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת

%f TITLE;PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
%f COLLECTION;FARM AND OPERATOR SAFETY
%f ORIGIN;Pennsylvania
%f DATE_INCLUDED;June 1992