Question

outline what the hospital should consider when checking the currency of personal protective equipment in the workplace

Answer 1

Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as “PPE”, is equipment worn to minimize exposure to a variety of hazards. Examples of PPE include such items as gloves, foot and eye protection, protective hearing devices (earplugs, muffs) hard hats, respirators and full body suits.

Proper care and maintenance is essential to ensure PPE continues to provide the necessary level of protection.

• Look for broken or damaged components before using PPE and repair or replace it as needed.
• Replace PPE that has expired or reached its usable lifespan.
• Clean reusable PPE after use and store in a clean area such as a cupboard, drawer or resealable container.
• Report broken, damaged or contaminated PPE.