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PPE Reminder

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KDPV taken from Safety poster.

I have been using protective equipment for domestic needs for a long time, including cleaning various equipment from oxides. Consumables for them are much cheaper than medicines that may be needed after working without them. And it is more convenient to use the same solvent without feeling its smell and without fear that it will get into your eyes.

But when working with them, it is important to remember one thing: the improper use of PPE is sometimes worse than their absence.

Even if you protect yourself from simple dust - you need to clean a reusable mask. Yes, after each use. And glasses too. What can we say about more aggressive environments.

I am a distracted and forgetful person, so I decided to make a memo for myself for reliability. And since I did not find its analog on Habré - I spread.

Using


Wearing PPE is for immediate use. I understand that this is now a fashion accessory, but just to spend them is not worth it. In addition, while you breathe in a mask or wear glasses, moisture evaporates from you in them. This can cause discomfort when you really need them.

Before use


Opposite you lies a mask or respirator. First you need to wear them.

  1. If you don’t have a full face mask, put on your glasses. Sense in a respirator if eyes are open?
  2. And do not forget about gloves, especially if your hands are damaged. For example, I have them constantly scratched by a cat.
  3. Check the respirator / mask for damage. If they are and violate the tightness - it is better to use another. Well, or at least try to close up the hole.
  4. If this is a mask, fix the removable filter.
  5. Put on a respirator / mask and check tightness. I do this by covering the filter and slightly drawing in air. If you breathe in easily, but the mask does not squeeze into your face, there is a problem somewhere.
  6. Check that with movements the mask is still tight and does not try to fly off.
  7. If you feel any odor, or it has become very difficult for you to breathe, quickly remove your respirator / mask. Seriously, don’t try to wear it.
  8. If the previous paragraph happened to the respirator - throw it away. Need a new one.
  9. If a foreign smell is present in the mask, change the filters.
  10. If replacing the filter did not help, the mask is the problem. It must be washed and disinfected, more on that later.

Bottom line:
You are wearing a mask or respirator. Your eyes are protected. You are sure of tightness and do not feel extraneous odors. Breathing became harder, but still not too difficult.

In use


You entered where PPE is needed. What to pay attention to?

  1. Limit activity. You have difficulty breathing! Now there is less oxygen than usual. Running or push-ups is not a good idea.
  2. Any unpleasant smell - roll back. The filter is dead and no longer filters.
  3. Did you feel dizzy? Take a walk. This is better than chopping off.
  4. Do not touch the mask! You already checked that she sits tight. If it seems to you that this is not so, it is better to flee. In no case do not correct it in the area of ​​use!
  5. This also applies to points. Are you fogged up? Go away. Cleaning them in place is not a good idea.
  6. In any other incomprehensible situation: anxiety, discomfort in any area of ​​the body, weakness, an attack of claustrophobia, etc. - go away.

Bottom line:
You finished your business. Or interrupted the work and left, for one of the reasons above. Now you need to take off your protective equipment.

After use


You are standing in a place where it is safe to breathe, splashes do not fly at you, there is no dust around. Now the only source of all rubbish is the surface of your PPE. They need to be removed correctly.

  1. Take off your outer clothing.
  2. Take off your glasses without touching the face.
  3. Take off your gloves
  4. If the respirator is not very dirty or you can remove it without touching the outside with your hands, remove it with your hands. If you have to hold it by the outside, put on clean gloves before doing so.
  5. Put all PPE that can be reused to where your cat, child, girl, neighbor, etc. will not get it.
  6. Throw away all disposable PPE.

Bottom line:
You breathe freely. Your remedies are where they are not touched by someone curious, and where they do not spread all the rubbish that is now on them. You can rest a bit and proceed to the second stage: to wash and disinfect everything that you wore.

Care


In front of you are the PPE that needs to be cleaned. If you forget to process them, you may have big problems the next time you use them. Yes, even if you just worked in a dusty place. You don’t want the dust to get inside and the next time it’s in your eyes? Or so that a colony of some interesting microorganisms grows on the mask?

The first thing you should do when planning to clean your personal protective equipment is to put on another set of personal protective equipment. The required minimum is glasses and gloves. In the case of light contaminations that are not harmful to the skin, it is possible without gloves (and if the disinfection method allows).

Having put them on, you need to run the following algorithm:

  1. Disassemble PPE. Take all parts that need processing.
  2. Take a container for water. Pour warm water and drop soap.
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Bottom line:
You washed and disinfected everything you need. Checked all PPE. Threw out all consumables that have exhausted the resource. Now you know exactly what is left in your kit. You will not have an unpleasant situation with the fact that you urgently needed a mask, and you perforated it while washing. Or with the fact that the filter suddenly died.

Additional materials:


Technical description half mask 3M 7500
Table of recommendations for choosing a filter depending on the substance (en)

Finally


Perhaps it seems to me that I am too worried. But for me, such an algorithm for working with PPE is how to buckle up in a car. You can make hundreds of trips when the belt will be superfluous garbage hanging around you. But if I’m not lucky, it will allow me not to pierce my windshield with my head.

Cleaning the contacts, cleaning the equipment housings with solvents, painting, using superglue - I do these things regularly. PPE helps make them more comfortable and safer, but only if used responsibly.

Be healthy and do not forget to change the filters on time.

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