Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a protective shield or equipment, designed to protect wearer's body from injuries and viral or bacterial infections, includes, helmets, goggles. PPE's are designed for those who need to work on hazard areas such as fire, flood, natural disaster, virus transmission, electrical, chemical, or airborne transmission subtle particles. Protective equipment may be necessary for job-related safety or health purposes and sports or other entertainment activities.
Health Workers with Personal protective equipment (PPE Kit)
What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Kits and How to Use it?
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
These "Protective clothing" can be used in conjunction with normal clothing, if necessary, supplements such as pads, guards, shields, or masks, and others are also used with it. PPE suites are similar to a cleanroom suit. Personal protective equipment is used to reduce employee exposure to hazards, where engineering defenses or other administrative means do not work or cut-down these risks into a manageable level by the human body. Wherever there are hazards, the PPE kit is required.
There is a serious limitation for PPE kits, it does not eliminate the hazard at the source. In addition, the failure of the equipment could result in the accident of the employee. Each part of the Personal protective equipment is only made to keep the wearer separate from the working environment, like a protective shield. This can cause additional difficulties or physical strains for the wearer, to carry, discomfort to work smoothly.
However, being reluctant to wear or not wearing them properly, may place them at risk of high exposure, injury, or can lead to death under extreme circumstances. Correct use of PPE kits can help to reduce these limitations and helps the wearer to work on a healthy and safe condition.
How to use PPE (Personal protective equipment)
For the proper use of PPE kits, The World Health Organization has defined 10 steps, they are as follows:
- Always put on essential required PPE when handling either a suspected, probable or confirmed case of viral hemorrhagic fever.
- The dressing and undressing of PPE should be supervised by another trained member of the team.
- Gather all the necessary items of PPE beforehand. Put on the scrub suit in the changing room.
- Put on rubber boots. If not available, make sure you have closed, puncture, and fluid resistant shoes and put on overshoes.
- Place the impermeable gown over the scrubs.
- Put on face protection:
(6a) Put on a medical mask
(6b) Put on goggles or a face shield. - If available, put a headcover on at this time.
- Perform hand hygiene.
- Put on gloves* (over cuff).
- If an impermeable gown is not available, place waterproof apron over gown.
While wearing PPE:
- Avoid touching or adjusting PPE
- Remove gloves if they become torn or damaged
- Change gloves between patients
- Perform hand hygiene before putting on new gloves
In addition, Use double gloves if any strenuous activity (e.g. carrying a patient or handling a dead body) or tasks in which contact with blood and body fluids are anticipated. Use heavy-duty/rubber gloves for environmental cleaning and waste management.
