Everything you Need to Know about PPE

1/24/2023 (Permalink)

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary for the health and safety of restoration professionals. PPE is designed to protect workers from potential hazards in their workplace. It can also be used to prevent injuries from occurring if a worker does get injured due to exposure to these hazards. In order for restoration professionals to use this gear properly and effectively, it's important that they understand what kinds of equipment exist and why they're needed.

What is PPE?

When you hear the term PPE, it’s likely that you associate it with safety gear. That’s because PPE stands for personal protective equipment. It refers to any type of equipment that will help protect the wearer from certain risks, including those related to chemical hazards and other environmental conditions.

For example, if your job has a lot of exposure to harmful chemicals or involves working in extreme temperatures (like in cold storage), you may need to wear special clothing and gear like goggles and respirators so you don’t hurt yourself on the job.

Who Needs to Use It?

PPE is needed by anyone who works with harmful chemicals, dangerous equipment, or both. For example:

• Restoration professionals will need to wear PPE if they are using harsh chemicals that are toxic or flammable or working on properties that have suffered from mold, fire, or sewage damage. They may also need protective clothing when using heavy machinery and other tools that can cause injury if not handled correctly.
• People working in construction, plumbing, and electricity should wear special PPE on the job. 

How to Use PPE

PPE is a collection of gear designed to protect you from dangerous contaminants. It's not just a uniform, mask, gloves, or eye protection—it's all of those things together.

When you're wearing PPE correctly and consistently, they can help keep your body safe from harmful substances on a job site. This is especially important when you're working in contaminated buildings where mold may be present. You need PPE to protect yourself from these materials so that they don't enter your body through the air or via contact with the skin.

Personal Protective Equipment Standards

When it comes to developing standards for personal protective equipment (PPE), organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and many others have a role in writing safety regulations. When these organizations create standards they often have input from associations like the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) and ASTM International.

There are also numerous other organizations that develop their own PPE standards including ECG Environmental Consultants Group; the European Committee for Standardization; the Association of Contractors & Consultants U.K.; and the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. 

When you need restoration work done in your San Antonio home or business, SERVPRO of Alamo Ranch is here with the right PPE to make sure everyone stays safe and your property is restored to its original condition.