PPE in the Fabrication Lab
Many materials and fabrication methods require some form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be worn, most often to protect the individual from physical and chemical hazards. It might also be necessary for others in the immediate vicinity to wear PPE for their own protection, even if they are not participating in the work being performed.
A material Safety Data Sheet or a Standard Operating Procedure will list any required PPE.
The Fabrication Lab provides the commonly-needed types of PPE, such as:
- eye protection (safety glasses, goggles to be worn with prescription glasses, face shields to protect from splashes)
- hearing preservation equipment (ear muffs and foam ear plugs)
- skin protection (disposable nitrile gloves, work gloves, thermal gloves)
- respiratory protection (N95 dust masks)
Some material processes will require additional PPE. It is often a good idea to wear work clothing with long sleeves and pant legs to protect your skin, or to simply have clothing that is used only during fabrication activities and is laundered separately, if needed. Some materials may require impervious clothing to be worn, such a Tyvek suit. Other processes require clothing that will prevent burns, such as welding jackets.
PPE is often not enough to protect the individual or others nearby from hazards associated with a material process. Engineering Controls, such as ventilation, and Administrative Controls, such as training, are higher-order safeguards that should precede use of PPE.
Regarding Respiratory Protection
OSHA: Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required
Respirators are an effective method of protection for an individual against designated hazards when properly selected and worn. Respirator use can provide an additional level of comfort and protection even when exposures are below the limits set by OSHA and other non-regulatory guidance. However, if an individual is not healthy enough to wear a respirator, a respirator does not properly fit, is used improperly, or not kept clean, the respirator itself can become a hazard. You need to take certain precautions to be sure that the respirator itself does not present a hazard.
You should do the following:
- Read and heed all instructions provided by the manufacturer on use, maintenance, cleaning and care, and warnings regarding the respirators limitations.
- Choose respirators certified for use to protect against the contaminant of concern. NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, certifies respirators. A label or statement of certification should appear on the respirator or respirator packaging. It will tell you what the respirator is designed for and how much it will protect you.
- Do not wear your respirator into atmospheres containing contaminants for which your respirator is not designed to protect against. For example, a respirator designed to filter dust particles will not protect you against gases, vapors, or very small solid particles of fumes or smoke.
- Keep track of your respirator so that you do not mistakenly use someone else’s respirator.
Most respiratory protection equipment utilizes filters or cartridges that need to be replaced, sometimes after only a few hours of use.
Harvard University EHS maintains a Respiratory Protection Program to ensure respirator use on campus follows applicable regulations. They can facilitate training, medical evaluations, fit-testing for all individuals required to wear respiratory protection.