The NFPA has written safety standards for a wide range of different hazards. Part of these standards is ensuring employees have access to the right personal protection equipment for a given situation. There are many different types of PPE available today so employees can get significant protection from almost any type of danger. Facilities that want to comply with the standards put out by the NFPA need to require employees to always wear proper gear for the situation.
Physical Safety PPE
There are many hazards to the physical body. These will often fall under the blue diamond in the NFPA diamond labeling standards. This could include things like hard hats, gloves, leg coverings, and more. This category can also include respirators and other breathing aids that will protect people from hazardous chemicals or materials in the air that could cause health problems.
Fire Safety PPE
Fire safety is extremely important for any facility. In areas of a facility where a fire risk is present, it may make sense to have employees wearing this type of equipment. Personal protection equipment that can provide protection from heat and smoke will allow employees to either put the fire out or escape the area before it spreads.
Electrical Safety PPE
When following the standards of NFPA 70e it will be necessary to have access to good electrical safety personal protection equipment. While the NFPA focuses heavily on prevention when it comes to electrical safety, PPE also plays a key role. When dealing with arc flash risks, employees should be wearing the highest level of personal protection equipment that covers them from head to toe. This can help to not only protect them from electrocution should an arc flash occur but can also reduce the risk of one happening at all.
Other PPE
The NFPA is constantly creating new safety standards and updating existing ones. Having the right PPE on site and requiring employees to wear it whenever in a hazardous area is very important. For many of the NFPA safety codes, the PPE will also be required due to regulations from OSHA and other regulatory agencies.
