Protective Gear for Chemical Handling Must-Have Equipment:

While PPE should only be relied upon as a last line of defense, its use is often essential when working with chemicals and required to supplement higher level control measures. PPE for chemical handling includes, but may not be limited to overalls, aprons, footwear, gloves, chemical resistant glasses, face shields and respirators. Appropriate chemical safety PPE must be selected and used specifically for the hazardous chemical(s) in question. In addition, it must be a suitable size and fit. Workers should maintain, wear and use it correctly.

For example, when choosing appropriate chemical-resistant gloves that provide the best protection against a certain chemical, be aware that some gloves may be resistant to some chemicals but not others. Furthermore, the effectiveness of PPE – when working with chemicals or any other hazard – relies on workers using it correctly. Dexterity and clear vision are essential as is training on how to fit and use PPE properly.

In gist, these are other control measures businesses should consider when managing health and safety risks. Measures that pertain to using, handling, generating and storing hazardous chemicals include but are not limited to:

1. Providing workers with information, training, instruction and supervision.
2. Clearly labelling chemicals with warnings and safety signs
3. Maintaining a hazardous chemical register and manifest
4. Identifying any risk of chemicals reacting and ensuring their stability
5. Ensuring workplace exposure standards for hazardous chemicals are not exceeded
6. Providing health monitoring to workers (if relevant)
7. Providing a spill containment system if necessary
8. Obtaining the current SDS from the manufacturer, importer or supplier of the chemical.
9. Controlling ignition sources and providing fire protection and firefighting equipment along with emergency and safety equipment

Types of Personal Protective Equipment PPE For Hazardous Chemicals 

PPE should be carefully selected after a risk assessment is carried out on the chemical hazards while following the recommendations in the safety data sheets (SDS).  PPE used for protection against chemical hazards includes: 

Complete Coverage PPE 

PPE is designed to separate the human body from hazardous chemicals and provides protection for the skin, eye and mucous membrane, as well as the respiratory system. 

Examples of complete coverage PPE are: 

• Air-supplied respiratory equipment including SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) 
• Fully encapsulated chemical protection suits 
• Chemical resistant inner and outer gloves 
• Chemical resistant steel capped boots with shank (worn over or under chemical suit, depending on design) 

Chemical Resistant Clothing 

• Chemical resistant clothing and devices that protect the skin, face, eyes, and body from chemical splashes and spills. 
• Respiratory devices 
• Eye guards, glasses, goggles, visas, and other face shields 
• Coveralls, long-sleeved jackets 
• Hooded two-piece chemical splash suits 
• Disposable coveralls, hoods, and aprons 
• Gloves, gauntlets and sleeving 
• Boots 

Selecting PPE For Your Workers 

A chemical’s safety data sheet will have a list of recommended PPE, but you should always carry out your own risk assessment to decide on the most suitable equipment and clothing to protect your workers. To make your decision there are three essential factors to consider: the chemical being used; the task being performed; and the people working with the chemicals. We’ll look at all three below. 

1. Chemical Being Used: Your priority is to consider the chemical, it’s form (liquid, solid, gas) and hazard class.  Read the SDS closely to determine: 
   1. How can the chemical enter the body (inhaled, absorbed by the skin, ingested) 
   2. Each hazard class and statement (highly toxic, corrosive, carcinogenic) 
   3. The chemicals toxicity and concentration 
   4. Acute health effects that could impair a worker and render them unfit to carry out a routine job task (dizziness, fatigue, nausea) 
   5. Chronic health effects like allergies or cancer that could develop after long term exposure 
   6. Hazards to specific areas of the body (skin, respiratory system) 
   7. If the chemical is an asphyxiant and capable of creating an oxygen deficient atmosphere 
   8. How it affects the eyes and soft tissue 
   9. Whether the substance has an airborne exposure standard

Each of these factors will help you determine whether workers are likely to need respiratory protection, chemical resistant clothing, or eye guards. You’ll also be determining if other control measures will need to be introduced to the workplace. 

2. Job Task Being Performed: After identifying the chemical and assessing the hazardous properties, next you’ll take a close look at the actual job task.  You should be considering: 

1. How many chemicals hazards will the worker be exposed to? 
2. Does the task require more than one item of PPE at the same time? Some PPE can interfere with another piece of equipment Eg: goggles and respirators. 
3. Is it a simple/quick task, or something complex? Sometimes workers take shortcuts if they are about to perform a 1–2-minute job and it will take them 10 minutes to suit up in an elaborate set of PPEs.
4. How long will the worker be exposed to the substance? Some chemicals will penetrate PPE faster than others.

3. Workers Exposed to the Chemicals: When deciding on the suitability of PPE, it’s critical to also consider the people who’ll actually be wearing it. When PPE doesn’t fit or is uncomfortable to wear, the worker can lose concentration (or worse) not use it at all.  Here are some key questions to ask:

1. Does the PPE enable maximum dexterity and clear vision for all job tasks? 
2. Will the worker’s size and build interfere with the functionality of the PPE? 
3. Is the worker medically fit enough to cope with the extra load imposed by the PPE?
4. Can the worker communicate relatively normally while wearing the PPE? 
5. Do they have any personal features or facial hair that could interfere with the proper fit of the PPE? 
6. Will the worker’s body temperature increase substantially causing them to become psychologically stressed or physically exhausted? 

Protective gear is essential for safe chemical handling, ensuring workers are shielded from potential hazards. Key equipment includes chemical-resistant gloves to prevent burns and irritations, safety goggles or face shields to protect the eyes and face from splashes, and lab coats or coveralls to guard against spills. Respirators are crucial for protecting against inhalation of toxic fumes or vapors, while chemical-resistant footwear prevents damage to feet from spills. Additionally, having eyewash stations and safety showers provides immediate decontamination in emergencies. For optimal safety, it's important to choose PPE based on the specific chemicals and risks involved. For expert advice on selecting the right protective gear, contact SAMS Solutions.