Employees should preferably be protected through technical installations at the workplace or by adapted work methods and processes. Personal protective equipment should be used if there is nevertheless a risk that employees may be exposed to hazardous influences. In this context, students are also considered employees.
UiA must ensure that protective equipment is available in the appropriate number, that it is easily accessible, and in a proper condition. Employees and students must use the required protective equipment and thus contribute to preventing accidents and health injuries.
Required use of personal protective equipment
The regulations on performing work require the use of protective equipment in connection with:
- work with chemicals
- work with isocyanates
- work with asbestos
- work with heat
- biological exposure
- work with risk of reproductive harm
- work with artificial optical radiation
- assembly and disassembly of scaffolding
- mining work with risk of gas in the air
The HSE manager is responsible for ensuring that protective equipment is used according to regulations.
Types of personal protective equipment
The employer must ensure that the personal protective equipment used in the workplace provides full and adequate protection. Examples of different types of protective equipment include:
- Helmets and other head protection
- Hearing protection
- Safety glasses/eye protection
- Face protection
- Protective gloves
- Respiratory protection
- Safety shoes
- Life jackets
- Protective clothing such as lab coats, infection gowns
- Fall protection equipment
Employer's responsibility
The employer must assess whether the work may pose a risk to employees' lives and health. The employer:
- must provide personal protective equipment
- must ensure information and training in necessary protective measures
- must ensure training in the correct use of personal protective equipment
- must ensure and monitor that protective equipment is in use
- must never allow the absence of protective equipment as long as there is a risk of injury, even if specific health conditions of the employee make it difficult to use protective equipment. In such cases, the employer must assess how they can facilitate other possible protective measures
- should assess and choose the type of personal protective equipment in consultation with the employee and possibly with the safety representative or the occupational health service
- must ensure that the personal protective equipment used in the workplace at all times provides full and adequate protection against the dangers to which employees are exposed
Requirements for personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment can consist of a device with multiple protective functions. It can also consist of several separate units that are used together or simultaneously, which protect against different hazardous conditions. If the employee has to use multiple types of protective equipment at the same time, the equipment must be able to be combined without compromising the protective effect of each part.
The personal protective equipment must have instructions in Norwegian, be CE-marked, and be accompanied by a declaration of conformity.
The leader of the work area must also ensure that the personal protective equipment:
- fits or can be adjusted to the worker
- is adapted to the specific work conditions
Storage, maintenance, and inspection
The employer must ensure that the organization has procedures for the storage, maintenance, repair, and replacement of personal protective equipment, and that the personal protective equipment is in good hygienic condition.
If the same personal protective equipment must be used by multiple individuals, the employer must ensure that such shared use does not result in health or hygiene-related consequences for the employees.
Training and information
Before personal protective equipment is used, the manager or the designated leader must:
- inform employees about the hazards that the personal protective equipment protects against
- ensure employees receive comprehensible information (in a language they understand) and necessary training in the use of the protective equipment
- inform employees about what to do if the personal protective equipment is damaged during use or otherwise has its protective effect reduced
The manufacturer's user information must be easily accessible to the employees. Where necessary, the workplace should be marked with signs that inform about the use of protective equipment.
- janne.ommundsen@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 48 15 68 12