What Is The Required PPE?

PPE Definition: clothing and protective equipment such as goggles, a face shield and ear plugs, worn as protection against safety and health hazards. PPE is the acronym for Personal Protective Equipment. PPE is used to reduce exposure to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective in reducing these exposures to acceptable levels.

What type of PPE is required? That depends on the hazard. It is important to use PPE that is appropriate for the hazard. Insufficient or incorrect PPE can result in injury or death. Excessive PPE makes it difficult to work and may lead to noncompliance with PPE requirements.

An important use of labels and signs is to inform people about the required PPE. For example, signs are used to inform people that hearing protection is required. Labels inform people about arc flash hazards and the required PPE. Providing needed information about PPE, at the point where it is needed, is an important function of safety labels and signs.

How do you know what PPE is required? There is a Guide To Required PPE that can help. It shows the 12 major hazard categories and the PPE that is required for each. It serves as a good starting point for determining what PPE is required. The Guide To Required PPE is available free. Use the above link to order your copy.

Labels - Read Them Heed Them

I visited a paper mill today to see how they were using labels. It had been about 18 years since I had last been in this mill. Most things had not changed... the refiners, storage tanks, the paper machines. Although the package boilers I had inspected 18 years ago were now worn out and in the process of being replaced. One thing had changed, however. There were labels and signs everywhere!

I love the banner I saw in the maintenance shop. "Labels, Read Them, Heed Them." It's the only banner I saw in the entire paper mill, and it probably was there because it had a critical message.

As I walked through the mill there were labels and signs, made by DuraLabel printers, everywhere. No matter were we were, there were labels and signs. It's a very noisy in some places, making conversation with my guide impossible. Yet everything around us was always identified and hazard information, as well as process information, was clearly communicated.

This is a mill that got it right. Labels and signs are important, read them, pay attention to what you read. Heed the message.

OSHA Safety Signs

There is a new blog site that focuses on OSHA Safety Signs and topics related to making signs. It is located at: http://www.osha-safety-signs.com/

It discusses topics such as OSHA and ANSI sign making regulations, materials for making signs, codes that effect sign design, equipment and supplies for making signs, and how signs are used in various applications. You are welcome to leave your comments about any of the topics being discussed, or even about your experiences related to sign making.

What Is 5S?

In these hard economic times that's a good question to ask: what is 5s?

5S is a lean manufacturing method that organizes a work area, building and entire facility. The object is to have a place for everything, and have everything in its place. Sound simplistic? Yes it is a simple concept, but no it is not simplistic.

The way to learn more about 5S is by getting a free booklet put out by Graphic Products. It explains what 5S is, how it works, and the benefits of using 5S. You'll see how, with very little investment, you can get big results from 5S. Your competitors may be using lean techniques such as 5S, so now is the time to learn how to get lean.

What does this have to do with labeling. A fundamental component of 5S is visual communication. 5S involves signs and labels to identify work areas, storage locations, and to identify tools and equipment. Signs and labels deliver the needed information right at the point where it is needed. That eliminates confusion and saves time... two of the benefits of implementing 5S.