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8.0 Personal Protective Equipment

áTable Of Contents

8-1: Personal Protective Equipment Defined

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes all clothing and work accessories designed to
protect employees from workplace hazards. Protective equipment should not replace
engineering, administrative, or procedural controls for safety — it should be used in
conjunction with these controls. Employees must wear protective equipment as required and when instructed by a supervisor.

Remember, use of PPE is the last resort. Before deciding that PPE is required, the following controls must first be explored:

1. Engineering
   • The preferred method for controlling ergonomics hazards is through engineering techniques.
   • When the design of the workplace reduces the magnitude of risk factors, the likelihood of injury/illness is lessened.
   • Engineering controls might include changing the weight of objects, equipment design changes/modifications, changing work surface heights, or purchasing lifting aids.
2. Administrative
   • Administrative controls are workplace policy, procedures, and practices that minimize the exposure of workers to risk conditions.
   • They are considered less effective than engineering controls in that they do not usually eliminate the hazard.
     • Rather, they lessen the duration and frequency of exposure to the risk condition.
   • Administrative controls are applied when the cost or practicalities of engineering controls are prohibitive.
   • Example administrative controls include rest breaks, additional employees performing a lifting task, and housekeeping for tools and work areas.
3. Procedural
   • Procedural controls include work rules, general work practices, written safe work procedures, etc.
   • Questions to ask include:
     • can the procedure be altered to avoid or reduce the risk?
     • Can the individual be removed / distanced from the risk?
     • Can the activity be carried out at a time that would have a lesser impact on others?

The least effective controls are PPE as the worker is still exposed to the risk factor. Some examples might include providing knee pads, respirators, or fall-restraint systems. If all of the above fail to eliminate or reduce the hazard to an acceptable level, then it is time to determine which type of PPE should be used.

8-2: Arm and Hand Protection

Arms and hands are vulnerable to cuts, burns, bruises, electrical shock, chemical spills, and
amputation. The following are forms of hand protection that may need to be made available to employees depending on their job:

• Disposable gloves
• Rubber gloves
• Nitrile gloves
• Neoprene gloves
• Leather gloves
• Nonasbestos heat-resistant gloves
• Cotton gloves

Always wear the appropriate hand and arm protection. Double your hand protection by
wearing multiple gloves when necessary. If the gloves you need are not readily available, speak with your manager or the Safety Manager.

Follow these guidelines to ensure arm and hand safety:

• Inspect and test new gloves for defects.
• Always wash your hands before and after using gloves. Wash chemical-protective gloves with soap and water before removing them.
• Do not wear gloves near moving machinery; the gloves may become caught.
• Do not wear gloves with metal parts near electrical equipment.

IMPORTANT: Gloves can easily transmit hazardous material to anything you touch. Avoid touching any part of your body or clothing, or surfaces such as telephones, equipment areas, tables, etc. when wearing gloves.

See the Chemical Glove Guide for more information and to select the right gloves for various types of chemicals.

8-3: Body Protection

Hazards that threaten the torso tend to threaten the entire body. Protective clothing, such as rubber aprons or coveralls may be needed for specific work conditions.

• Rubber, neoprene, and plastic clothing may protect employees from most acids and chemical splashes.

Make sure you follow any customer policies concerning the appropriate type of protective equipment required. If you are unsure, immediately contact your manager or the Safety Manager.

8-4: Ear and Hearing Protection

If you work in a high noise area, wear hearing protection. Most hearing protection devices
have an assigned rating that indicates the amount of protection provided. Depending on your level of exposure, you may choose from the following devices:

• Disposable earplugs
• Reusable earplugs
• Headband plugs
• Sealed earmuffs

Earplugs may be better in hot, humid, or confined work areas. They may also be better for
employees who wear other PPE, such as safety glasses or hats. Earmuffs, on the other hand, may be better for employees who move in and out of noisy areas, because the muffs are easier to remove. Before resorting to hearing protection, attempt to control noise levels through engineering or operational changes.

To avoid contamination, follow these guidelines when using earplugs:

• Wash your hands before inserting earplugs.
• Replace disposable earplugs after each use.
• Clean reusable earplugs after each use.

Refer to the Hearing Conservation Program or contact the Safety Manager for more information.

8-5: Eye and Face Protection

Employees must wear protection if hazards exist that could cause eye or face injury. Eye and face protection should be used in conjunction with equipment guards, engineering controls, and safe practices.

NOTE:  Safety glasses are required in all customer manufacturing facilities. Even if the customer protocol does not require safety glasses, all Sokudo employees will wear safety glasses in all fabs, chase areas, sub-fabs, basements, and any other part of a customer's manufacturing facility.

Protective eye and face equipment is provided and required for Sokudo employees. Eye and face protection used must meet the requirements of ANSI Standard Z 87.1 - Eye and Face Protection. All employees are required to wear the prescribed eye and face protection to protect themselves from a hazardous environment.

Eye and Face protection must be worn at all times while in any customer manufacturing facility, Service Chase areas, Sub-Fabs, Basements or any other location where hazardous materials are present. The Sokudo Eye and Face Protection policy supersedes any and all customer policies that may not have this requirement for any of the locations mentioned. 

Eye and Face protection is to be worn at all times when performing any tasks or duties on Sokudo equipment, including installations, performing maintenance, modification, or repair on any and all  DNS equipment. This includes, but is not limited to:

§         Customer Fab (including production area, chase, sub-fab and other hazardous areas)

§         Sokudo Demo Lab

§         Factories in Japan,

§         Sokudo Training Lab

§         Sokudo Used Tool Refurbishment Facility

Eye and face protection must meet the following requirements:

§         Provide adequate protection.

§         Reasonably comfortable.

§         Fit snugly and not unduly interfere with movements.

§         Durable.

§         Capable of being disinfected.

§         Easily cleanable.

§         Kept clean and in good repair.

Persons requiring corrective lenses shall wear:

§         Spectacles whose protective lenses provide the correction.

§         Goggles that can be properly worn over corrective spectacles.

§         Goggles that incorporate corrective lenses.

Every eye and face protector is to be distinctly marked to facilitate identification of the manufacturer and ANSI Z 87.1.

When protector limitations and precautions are provided by the manufacturer, they are to be transmitted to the users and compliance enforced.

IMPORTANT: Do not wear contact lenses in the fab or other areas where hazardous atmospheres may be present. Contact lenses do not provide eye protection and may reduce the effectiveness of an emergency eyewash.

• If you wear prescription glasses, wear goggles or other safety protection over the glasses.
• Safety glasses with side-shields provide primary protection to eyes and are four times as resistant as prescription glasses to impact injuries.
• Goggles protect against impacts, sparks, chemical splashes, and irritating mist. Wear full goggles, not just safety glasses, when working with chemicals.
• A face shield is designed to protect the face from some splashes or projectiles, but does not eliminate exposure to vapors. A face shield should be worn with goggles or safety glasses.

8-6: Eye Wash Stations

Eye wash stations provide emergency eye treatment for people exposed to hazardous
materials.

Learn the location of at least two eye wash stations that are near your area of work in the fab. Should more than one person need an eye wash, it will be important that you know where more than one eye wash station is located.

IMPORTANT: If the eyes are exposed to hazardous materials or irritating elements,
immediately flush the eyes with water for at least 15 minutes.

At a customer facility, comply with their policies, including contacting the ERT and/or visiting the facility nurse.

Any Sokudo employee that uses an eye wash station because of suspected chemical contact should see a physician. Your supervisor or manager may direct you to visit a clinic or hospital for examination.

8-7: Foot Protection

To protect feet and legs from falling objects, moving machinery, sharp objects, hot materials, chemicals, or slippery surfaces, employees should wear closed-toed shoes, boots, or safety shoes as appropriate. Safety shoes are designed to protect people from the most common causes of foot injuries — impact, compression, and puncture.

NOTE: Foot protection is particularly important in the fab or anywhere around DNS equipment.

IMPORTANT: Sandals or open-toed shoes are not authorized in the Fab, Applications Lab, Technical Training Center, or other potentially hazardous areas.

8-8: Head Protection

Accidents that cause head injuries are difficult to anticipate or control. If hazards exist that
could cause head injury, employees should try to eliminate the hazards, but they should also
wear head protection.

Safety hats protect the head from impact, penetration, and electrical shock. Head protection
is necessary if you work where there is a risk of injury from moving, falling, or flying objects
or if you work near high-voltage equipment.

      Hard hats should be water resistant, flame resistant, and adjustable. Wear one of the
      following hard hats as appropriate for your work situation:

• Class A - General service, limited voltage protection
• Class B - Utility service, high-voltage protection
• Class C - Special service, no voltage protection

      Follow these guidelines for head safety:

• Check the shell and suspension of your headware for damage before each use. Look for cracks, dents, gouges, chalky appearance, and torn or broken suspension threads. Discard damaged hats or replace broken parts with replacements from the original manufacturer.
• Discard any hat that has been struck or dropped from a great height, even if there is no apparent damage.
• Do not wear a hard hat backwards, unless this is necessary to accommodate other protective equipment (e.g., welders face shield).
• Do not paint the plastic shell of a hard hat or alter it in any way.

8-9 Respiratory Protection

This section provides an overview of respiratory protection. For details and specifics, refer to the Sokudo Respiratory Protection Program.

Sokudo uses engineering, administrative, and procedural controls to protect people from
dangerous atmospheres, including harmful mists, smoke, vapors, and oxygen-deficient
atmospheres. When these controls cannot provide adequate protection against harmful
atmospheres, respiratory protection is necessary.

Usage Requirements

People who use respiratory protection must be physically capable of using and wearing the
equipment. In all cases, a physician must determine if an employee is healthy enough to use a respirator. In addition, all people required to wear respirators must be formally trained and instructed in proper equipment usage. This training must include instruction on common respiratory hazards and symptoms of exposure. See the Sokudo Respiratory Protection Program for more information on how to obtain training.

Types of Respirators

It is important to select the right respirator for the job. There are many types of respirators and each type protects against different hazards. Before selecting a respirator, an evaluation of the work environment must be conducted by a professional industrial hygienist. Refer to the Sokudo Respiratory Protection Program for details and instructions.

Respirators are classified according to these factors:

• Air source: supplied air or ambient air
• Pressure: positive or negative
• Mask configuration

The following lists information on various respirators:

Supply Air Respirators:

• Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBAs) use supplied air from a cylinder carried by the user.
• Airline respirators require a compressor or cylinder(s) and an airline hose to the user.
• Supply air respirators are necessary in oxygen deficient atmospheres.
• When using a supply air respirator, have a back-up person with a SCBA standing
  nearby.

Air-Purifying Respirators:

• Air purifying respirators use ambient air and cannot be used in oxygen deficient
  atmospheres, IDLH atmospheres, or areas where the identity or concentration of a
  contaminant is unknown.
• Ambient air is purified by a chemical cartridge, canister, or particulate filter.
  • Users must select the proper cartridge/canister/filter.
  • Cartridges and canisters must be replaced if the user notices an odor, taste, or throat irritation. Wet, damaged, and grossly contaminated cartridges/canisters must also be replaced
• Powered air- purifying respirators use filtered ambient air in a positive-pressure continuous flow mode.
• Disposable or single-use respirators are made of cloth or paper and are primarily used for nuisance dusts
• All filters (HEPA, dust pads, and disposable respirators) must be replaced if any of the following conditions occur:
  • Breathing becomes difficult.
  • Filter or dust respirator becomes damaged, visibly dirty, wet, or contaminated on the inside.
                     

Mask Types:

• Fullface mask covers the face from the hairline to below the chin. This type of mask] provides eye protection.
• Half-face mask covers the face from above the nose to below the chin.

The following table highlights various respirators and their ability to protect against different hazards:
 

NOTE: Only use respirators that are approved by NIOSH/MSHA.

Selecting a Respirator

When selecting a respirator, consider the following factors:

• Type of hazards
• Identity and concentration of the contaminant
• Time constraints
• Activity of the person wearing the respirator
• Degree of protection provided by each type of respirator

Follow these guidelines for selecting the correct respirator:

• Use a HEPA filtered respirator:
  • If the contaminant is a biological hazard
• Use a supply air respirator:
  • If the identity and/or concentration of the contaminant is not known
  • If an oxygen deficient atmosphere is known or suspected
  • If an IDLH condition exists
• Use a SCBA instead of an airline respirator:
  • If an airline respirator could be damaged by work or conditions within the area

IMPORTANT: Respirators are available in different sizes. Always fit test a respirator to select the correct size. 

Remember, before selecting a respirator an evaluation of the work environment must be conducted by a professional industrial hygienist. Refer to the Sokudo Respiratory Protection Program for details and instructions.

Using Respirators Safely

Follow these guidelines to ensure safe respirator usage:

• Make sure you have the correct respirator for the job.
• Inspect respirators before each use.
• Shave facial hair and put in dentures (if applicable) to ensure a good seal with the facemask.
• If you are working in a dangerous area, have another person present.
• Remember that contaminants can harm the body as well as the respiratory tract; wear protective clothing as appropriate.
• Return to fresh air and remove the respirator in the following conditions:
  • You feel nauseous, dizzy, or ill.
  • You have difficulty breathing.
  • The canister, cartridge, or filter needs to be replaced.
• Properly clean and store all reusable respirators.

In addition to the guidelines above, follow these instructions for respirator usage:

• Do not use a respirator unless you have been formally trained and have fit tested the respirator you plan on using.
• Do not mistakenly use a filter respirator for protection against gases or vapors.
• Never remove a respirator in a contaminated atmosphere.
• Do not talk unnecessarily or chew gum while wearing a respirator.
• Do not wear contact lenses while wearing a respirator.
• Do not allow your hair or eyeglass frames to interfere with the face mask seal.

Remember, before selecting a respirator an evaluation of the work environment must be conducted by a professional industrial hygienist. Refer to the Sokudo Respiratory Protection Program for details and instructions.

8-10: Showers

Emergency safety showers provide emergency treatment for people exposed to harmful
materials. If a person is contaminated with harmful chemicals, the emergency shower provides an instant deluge to protect the person from further exposure.

IMPORTANT: Emergency showers are for emergencies only. If a chemical spill occurs involving personal exposure, start the shower and remove affected clothing immediately. Stay in the shower for at least 15 minutes.

Learn the location of at least emergency showers that are near your area of work in the fab. Should more than one person need an emergency shower, it will be important that you know where more than one emergency shower is located.

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