Protective equipment

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a term that encompasses all products that are designed to be worn by a person to protect against injury and health hazards. The employer must provide the PPE necessary for the work at no cost to the employee/student. The risk assessment determines the type of PPE needed to perform the work. Anyone who needs personal protective equipment must receive training on how to use, clean and store it and check its correct functionality. The protective equipment purchased must be CE-marked. Always contact the laboratory manager or supervisor if you are unsure what PPE is required.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Lab coat

A knee-length lab coat or equivalent with long sleeves must be worn. The lab coat must be buttoned up when in use.

Protective gloves

Different gloves protect against different things such as: cold, heat, welding, cutting risks, microorganisms, chemical risks, etc. When working with chemicals, gloves prevent substances from being absorbed through or coming into contact with the skin.

Protective eyewear

Protective eyewear must always be worn when working with activities that can injure the eyes. Avoid using contact lenses in the laboratory, as they can melt onto the eyes and cause blindness if the eyes come into contact with a corrosive substance.

Safety shoes

Safety shoes protect both the user as equipment and instruments and are available in different protection classes. Safety shoes can protect the user against impact, crushing, falling or rolling objects, ensure that the user does not enter sharp or pointed objects, protect against heat/cold, chemicals, mechanical and thermal hazards, and can act as anti-slip and can have ergonomic and electrically insulating properties.

Respiratory protective equipment

Respirators must protect against inhalation of air pollutants such as particles, dust, gases, bacteria, and viruses. Respirators must be used when there is a risk of oxygen deficiency. Different types of respirators vary in their effectiveness in protecting against different substances, so it is crucial to choose the right type. For a respirator to be effective, it must sit tightly against the face. The filter unit in a face mask becomes clogged over time, so it must be replaced regularly. For hygienic and functional reasons, respirators must only be used by a single wearer. Respirators must be stored correctly when not in use to prevent them from losing their effectiveness. For example, active charcoal left in contact with air continues to be used up.

Technical protective equipment

All volatile chemicals must be handled in a way that minimises emissions to air. There are various types of protective ventilation. Common types include fume hoods, fume benches and spot extractors. The different types work in different ways, and their function should be taken into account when choosing protective equipment according to the laboratory method used, to ensure that pollutants are vented away effectively. Alarms may be needed to indicate inadequate protective ventilation in premises where harmful levels of contamination could occur. Using a fume hood is the most common way to protect against air pollution in laboratories. Work calmly without causing excessive air turbulence. When air turbulence is created around objects in the fume hood, pollutants can be drawn into the circulating air and transported out of the fume hood. For this reason, the fume hood should not be crowded with unnecessary apparatus or chemicals. Do not open the fume hood above the specified safety height (normally 30 cm). The door must be kept in the lowered position when the fume hood is not in use, to minimise energy use.