Technician PPE Guide

Technician PPE Guide 

In the hierarchy of risk control, PPE is considered to rank lowest and represent the option of last resort. It is only appropriate where the hazard in question cannot be totally removed or controlled in such a way that harm is unlikely (for example by isolating the hazard or reducing the risk at source to an acceptable level).

Technicians encounter multiple hazards when running wires and installing security devices. Wearing personal protective equipment, or PPE, helps protect against these hazards and mitigate the chance and severity of injuries. Enforcing a strict PPE policy helps lessen worker's compensation liability for employers and limits time lost to on-the-job injuries. In this guide, we find PPE devices usage, including

· Codes and standards
· Eye protection
· Hearing protection
· Head protection
· Breathing protection
· Boots / Safety footwear
· Gloves
· PPE policies

 

Codes and Standards:

Most countries have codes and standards that regulate workplace safety. Local regulations should be treated as a minimum standard to be achieved. In the absence of guidance from government standards, common sense and caution should be your guide.

For example, in the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) governs all aspects of workplace safety, including the use of PPE. In India there are two acts containing the main provisions for legal measures for the protection of health and safety of workers; they are the Factories Act (1948) and the Mines Act (1952). All codes are available online to facilitate compliance. Many national and local governments have similar agencies. Employers should always ensure that they adhere to local regulations at a minimum in order to avoid downtime due to workplace injuries, fines, and lawsuits.

In the US, the code source governing workplace safety is 29 CFR 1910. The part of the code mandating and defining PPE standards for the construction industry, including security technicians working on construction sites, is 1910:12.

Eye Protection:

Eye protection protects against impacts, debris, UV radiation, and glare. Ordinary sunglasses can help protect against glare and UV radiation, while prescription eyeglasses protect against impact, but safety glasses are designed to protect against all hazards. In the US, eye protection must meet or exceed ANSI Z87.1 standards. The European standard DIN EN 166 describes all personal eye protection requirements. BS 7028 (Guide to Selection of Eye Protection for Industrial and Other Uses) and BS EN 166 (Specification for Eye Protectors). Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) IS 1179 for all personal eye protection requirements. Safety glasses that are compliant with this standard are marked with Z87 or Z87+, along with the letter U followed by a number to  indicate the level of UV protection. Glasses that are not marked as being Z87.1 compliant may not be any safer or protective than ordinary sunglasses. 

Safety glasses for security technicians should always be scratch-resistant, as the most common eye hazard they encounter is flying debris. Scratches from flying debris caused by drilling will lower the optical quality of the glasses, making it difficult to see clearly. Many technicians prefer safety glasses with anti-fog coating, as they tend to fog up in warm weather.

In order to be protected from flying debris, safety glasses with side protection are recommended. Flexible temples allow the glasses to fit close to the face without being tight or uncomfortable. 

Safety glass lenses come in a variety of colors and tints. However, it should be noted some job sites or companies may prohibit tinted lenses, although they may otherwise be rated for safe use.

Common lens color options include:

·        Yellow/amber lenses improve brightness and depth perception, and are good for environments with poor lighting such as basements and crawlspaces.

·     Grey lenses prevent light from entering and are good for bright environments

·        Brown and rose lenses filter almost as much light as grey lenses, but enhance contrast, so the user does not have to change glasses when switching from indoor to outdoor work. 

·        Clear lenses allow the user to perceive colors accurately and are good for telecom workers who need to differentiate between wire-pair colors.

Technicians who wear prescription glasses can wear OTG (over the glasses) style safety glasses. These resemble goggles, and fit over ordinary vision correction glasses, which do not offer debris protection. Custom made prescription safety glasses are also available, which allows technicians to switch from their ordinary glasses to glasses that allow them to see while still offering all the features of standard safety glasses. Many technicians prefer these for all-day use, while supervisors and others who require occasional eye protection prefer OTG glasses.

Anti-fog, scratch resistant safety glasses common brands include 3M, Bollé, Jackson Safety, Dewalt, Radians, Uvex, and SAS Safety Corp.

OTG safety glasses with anti-scratch coating common brands include 3M, Uvex, Jackson Safety, and Honeywell.

Prescription safety glasses with anti-scratch and anti-fog coating are often ~$250 and can be custom ordered from websites such as RXSafety and SafeVision.

 

Hearing Protection:

OSHA recommends less than 85dB to avoid hearing damage. If a person must shout to be heard from 2-3 feet away, the background noise level is over 85dB. A typical metal cutting wheel, for example, is 95+dB.

The relevant standard for the ear protectors is BS EN 352 Part 1. Because many technicians only require hearing protection temporarily, while running power tools, they often prefer disposable ear plugs. These are compressed and then inserted into the ear. They then expand to fill the entire ear canal. These can be uncomfortable when worn for an entire day, but many technicians only wear ear protection when necessary. Comfortable ear protection, such as earmuff style protectors that either go over the head or clip onto a hard hat, should be offered when the technician will be exposed to noise over 85dB for an entire 8 hour shift. 

Hearing protection filters out safety instructions and warnings from coworkers as well as unwanted ambient noise. Therefore, while using hearing protection, users must remain alert and conscious of any hazards around them. Some technicians use a buddy system, with one technician cutting metal or drilling a hole, and a helper looking out for danger, ready to warn the first technician by laying a hand on their shoulder or back. 

Disposable earplugs common brands include 3M, Magid, Honeywell, Howard Leight, and Radian. Overhead style earmuffs common brands include 3M, Howard Leight, Honeywell, and Peltor.

 

Head Protection:

Helmets, also known as hard hats, offer voltage, impact, and penetration protection. Hard hats should be worn any time there is a risk of falling objects. They should be used on any job site where there is a risk of a technician bumping their heads into a low ceiling, such as cellars, mines, trenches, or crawlspaces. Some commercial and industrial sites mandate all visitors, vendors, and employees wear head protection. Technicians should also wear head protection when using an aerial work platform.

IS CODE 2745: 1983 – Specification for non-metal helmet for firemen and civil defence personnel. IS CODE 2925: 1984 – Specification Industrial safety helmet. IS CODE 4151: 1993 – Specification for protective helmets for scooter and motorcycle riders.

In the US, Z89.1 governs hard hat standards. Security technicians working on job sites that require hard hats should choose one that is rated at Class G (for general), at minimum. Some job sites with high voltage hazards present mandate that Class E (electrical) should be worn.

Standard hard hats can come with or without vents, which keep the user cooler during the summer. Some hard hats include slots that allow users to mount lights or other accessories. Full brim style hard hats protect the user's ears and neck from the sun and are popular for technicians that mainly work outdoors. Full brim hard hats do not come with slots. The particular style worn is mainly dependent on the personal taste of the user.

Common brands include Jackson Safety, Occunomix, and MSA.

 

Breathing Protection:

Dust masks, sometimes called nuisance masks, are intended to filter nontoxic particulates such as dust, smoke, pollen, mold, and dander. These masks are typically made of paper and are disposable, intended to be worn for short periods of time. They have a single strap and fit loosely around the face. These are good for performing a single task that can raise dust, such as drilling holes, cutting a lock, or pulling wires in a dusty space.

N95 respirators resemble dust masks, but have two straps instead of one. They create a tight seal around the face and filter 95% of particles. They are good for working in a dusty environment for an extended period of time, such as pulling wires through an unfinished attic.

N95 respirator masks are also available with valves, which expel respired air. This prevents fogging and overheating. Valved respirators are much more comfortable to use on hot days.

Dust masks are just as effective as N95 respirators at filtering out the hazards most technicians will encounter on an average installation, and are significantly cheaper. However, N95 masks are significantly more comfortable than dust masks, making technicians more likely to use them. The most effective protection equipment is the one that gets used regularly. Therefore, many installers prefer to spend the extra money on N95 masks, with or without valves.

Common brands include 3M, Honeywell, and Jackson Safety.

 

Boots / Safety footwear:

The relevant standard for safety footwear is BS EN ISO 20345. BS EN ISO 17249:2004 is the standard for chainsaw footwear. Raw Materials used for Upper, Lining, Insole, Toe Cap, Sole etc shall be of suitable quality so that safety footwear shall conform to IS 15298 (Part-2):2011/ISO 20345:2004. Boots should be well fitting, provide ankle and heel support, and have rubber soles designed to provide traction and electrical insulation. In the US, ASTM F2413 governs minimum standards for boots, including drop protection, puncture resistance, and electrical protection. Boots and shoes that do not comply with this standard cannot guarantee to prevent injury to the wearer.

Back injuries and knee injuries are very common for technicians, and wearing the right boots can help prevent or mitigate these. Boots should be well fitting and comfortable for all-day wear. They should provide arch support and heel cushioning to prevent back injuries. Mold-able inserts are available, and should be changed frequently, whenever the heel cushion begins to wear down. 

Many technicians prefer steel toed boots, but these can be quite heavy.

Aluminum(Al) and carbon fiber toe protection is now available for boots, which make the entire boot much lighter. Lightweight boots help prevent and mitigate knee pain, but lightweight boots that offer good protection and ankle support can be expensive.

Prices for boots vary widely. Common brands include Red Wing, Timberlands, Caterpillar, and Doc Marten.

Gloves:

BS EN 14328 is the standard for gloves and armguards protecting against cuts by powered knives while BS EN 407 contains the specifications for gloves intended to protect against thermal risk such as heat and/or fire. BS EN 374 Part 1 covers gloves for protection against chemicals and microorganisms. BS EN 511 covers gloves for protection against the cold. BS EN 388 covers the specification of gloves against mechanical hazards.

Gloves are used to prevent cuts and blisters, improve grip strength, prevent tool slippage, and protect against cold. Because it can be difficult to splice wires or use hand tools while wearing gloves, many technicians choose to wear carpenter's gloves, which have the tips of the thumb and one or two fingers cut off. Gloves for security technicians should have padding on the palm and across the knuckles for full protection.

Current standards for gloves mainly address machine operators and chemical handlers, not construction workers or security technicians.

Common brands include Mechanix, Irwin, and Duluth.

 

PPE Policies:

All employees who are exposed to hazards should be made aware of what those hazards are and how to mitigate them. It is the responsibility of management to ensure that every employee knows and understands the hazards of installing security technology products. IS: 17423 2020 for "Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Coveralls for COVID-19.

New hires and apprentices especially should be taught how to dress for the job and how to act safely on a job-site, as they may not be aware of the dangers involved. Supervisors and managers should correct any unsafe behavior they observe, even from long term employees. All employees should be reminded of workplace safety periodically.

Best practice is to have a written PPE policy. Such a policy together with documented workplace safety training can help installation companies avoid liability for workplace injuries and worker's compensation claims. Many private companies exist to help installers create a workplace safety program, and insurers often have resources available as well.

PPE does not include:

·        Ordinary working clothes or uniforms not designed to provide for the health or safety of workers;

·        Clothing provided for food hygiene purposes;

·        Equipment used for protection while travelling on a public road (ie motorcycle or bicycle helmets);

·        Equipment used during competitive sport competitions (but other protective equipment used by sports instructors would be included eg life jacket worn by canoe instructor);

·        An offensive weapon used as self-defence or as deterrent equipment. For example, truncheons or CS gas canisters as used by the police or military (but helmets, body armour and other PPE used to protect staff from physical violence, is included);

·        Portable devices for detecting and signalling risks and nuisances, such as badges for detecting radiation, or personal gas detectors.

 

Ref:
IPVM.com
bis.gov.in
osha.gov