Understanding the Major Types of PPE

By Rehan Iqbal

Personal Protective Equipment or PPE refers to various forms of protective gear such as goggles, helmets, or specialized garments that are specially designed to protect the wearer from ailments or injuries. Below is an outline of each type of PPE.

Eye and Face Protection Equipment

These are used to protect the eyes and face from various hazards. The five kinds of eye and face PPE are:

Laser safety glasses – These are specialized glasses designed to shield the eyes from laser radiation. The selection of lenses depends on the power and the wavelength of the lasers.
General safety glasses – This is the most common form of eye and face PPE. It typically has a singular lens that protects both eyes and it is wrapped around the temple. In some cases, side shields are present. These are effective against splashes and debris.
Chemical splash goggles – These are usually recommended in situations where infectious or dangerous chemicals can splash around. While they are not built for protection against debris, they may be used.
Impact goggles – As the name suggests, impact goggles are built to protect the eyes from flying debris. The ventilation holes in the sides make them not suitable for much else.
Face shields – These are usually worn with chemical splash goggles in situations where highly dangerous chemicals that pose immediate danger to the skin are handled.

Hand Protection Equipment

These are specialized gloves to protect against various hazards. The six kinds of hand PPE are:

Light chemical resistant – These are natural latex gloves used for working with minor quantities of corrosive or flammable chemicals.
Light to heavy chemical resistant – These gloves tend to have high resistances to tears and cuts an are used when working with chemicals that are reactive to air and water.
Heavy chemical resistant – These are used when a high level of permeation is needed such as in situations where large quantities of organic solvents are handled.
Insulated – These gloves provide extreme temperature protection such as is needed when handling cryogenic liquids or hot liquids.
Light latex – These are the most common (usually disposable) gloves used for biological and splash hazards.
Wire mesh – These are cut resistant and used when there is potential exposure to cuts or when working with live animals.

Body Protection Equipment

These are lab coats that are built for specific uses. The three body PPE options are:

Barrier – These are primarily comprised of polyester and offers protection for the body against splash hazards. They are typically used when working with materials that are infectious to the skin. Note that they do not offer any flame resistance.
Flame resistant – These are predominantly made using flame-resistant cotton blends such as Nomex. The application is when working with chemicals that are potentially explosive, or when working with chemicals that are reactive to either water or air.
Traditional – This is the most basic form of lab coat and is usually comprised of cotton or a polyester and cotton blend. The use of this type of coat is general and includes protection against physical hazards, radiation, inks, dirt, and non-hazardous chemicals.

Respiratory Protection Equipment

Respiratory protection requires individual assessment by the dept' of Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S). Once they approve same, training is provided. The five types of respiratory PPE are:

Half-mask respirators – These protect against fumes, vapors, mists, etc. by purifying the air. The protection it offers depends on the respirator cartridge inserted. These are useful for those who work in dusty environments, around vapors, or with live animals.
Full-face respirators – These provide the same kind of functionality as half-mask respirators, however, the cover more of the face and the eyes.
Respirator cartridges – These are inserts for half-mask and full-face respirators that are specialized to either protect the wearer against acidic gasses, organic vapor, or dust.
N-95 respirators – These offer protection against micro-organisms, mists, and dust. They are used when working with infectious substances in BSL-2 level labs where contractible airborne diseases such as influenza exist.
Surgical masks – This is the only respiratory kind of PPE that does not require individual fit testing. Its purpose is to offer protection against splashes and large droplets.

Hearing Protection Equipment

These protect against unsafe noise levels. The three types of hearing PPE are:

Hearing band – These are earplugs that are joined using a flexible band. These are for areas where noise exceeds 85 dBa.
Reusable earplugs – These earplugs are made of silicone and can be uncorded or corded. These are also used in areas with noise levels over 85 dBa, however, they need to be cleaned after each use.
Disposable earplugs – These single use earplugs offer a universal fit and they are cost effective. They also protect against noise that exceeds 85 dBa.
EH&S professionals offer assessments to determine noise levels, which helps to decide if you need hearing PPE.

Foot Protection Equipment

The last form of PPE is foot protection. Your feet could get damaged or lead to the damage of other body parts from falls if they are not properly protected. There are 10 kinds of foot protection PPE in total, which are:

Non-conductive boots – These are made from materials such as rubber and offer protection in high voltage environments.
Conductive boots – These are used in environments where static buildup in the body can lead to explosions or fires. They allow static to be transferred to other items in the environment
Cut-resistant boots – Made from tough materials to prevent injury from items such as chainsaws
Heavily insulated boots – These offer protection from molten materials and immense heat.
Durable caps – The boots use a cap to create a shield that protects our toes from being crushed by falling objects.
Puncture resistant boots – These use a steel or composite plate to protect the bottom of the shoe and your foot from puncture.
Heavy machine boots – This is an extended version of the durable cap boots where protection is extended to the whole foot to avoid crushing from heavy machines and objects sliding or rolling on the foot.
Cold weather boots – These boots are insulated to promote warmth in cold weather.
Moisture resistant boots – These are designed to prevent splashes from entering your boots by using a seal.
Slip resistant boots – These are used to prevent falling in areas that are either smooth or covered in substances such as oil.