Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes all clothing and other work accessories designed to create a barrier against workplace hazards. It provides an important link in the chain of workplace safety, but PPE alone is not a substitute for safe engineering design, proper training, good work practices, safety awareness, or hazard reduction. All these elements together are required to minimize the danger of workplace hazards and maximize the safety and health of workers.
Using personal protective equipment requires hazard awareness and training on the part of the user. You must be trained to know when personal protective equipment is necessary, what type is necessary, how it is to be worn, and what its limitations are, as well as know its proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal. In addition, you must be aware that the equipment does not eliminate the hazard. If the equipment fails, you can be injured. To reduce the possibility of failure, equipment must be properly fitted, and maintained in a clean and serviceable condition.
To protect yourself, you must be wearing the proper personal protective when it is needed and recognize its limitations. The equipment must not be altered or removed even though you may find it uncomfortable. In some cases however, the equipment may be uncomfortable because it does not fit properly.
In this chapter we will discuss some of the personal protective equipment normally found and used aboard ship.
