ESSENTIAL 29: PPE – Personal Protective Equipment: Respiratory Protection

Key Takeaways:
– Appreciating the value of PPE for the respiratory system
– Understanding common workplace hazards regarding the respiratory system
– Recognizing the common characteristics of PPE for the respiratory system
– Acknowledging common types of PPE for the respiratory system
– Comprehending the proper fit for PPE for the respiratory system
– Learning how to care for PPE for the respiratory system
– Acknowledging employee and employer responsibilities regarding PPE for the respiratory system
– Understanding that breathing properly is important and essential to good health.

Course Description
It is common for workers to everyday perform duties that are not in the healthiest environments. Educating workers on the importance of respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE) is fundamental in protecting them against harmful inhaliants. Imagine not having the proper PPE in a hazardous environment and the gas starts to fill your lungs. It’s horrorfic to picture that happening to you or to your coworkers. There are so many common respiratory hazards which cause illnesses like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer. Although each illness has their own causes, common hazards for them include automobile exhaust, machine fumes, sawdust, chemical vapours, or smoke.

While every work environment is different, prolonged exposure to hazards endangers everyone in the workplace. Often, the effects of hazards are not immediately clear because many illnesses develop and worsen over years. However, it is because of this that these illnesses create significant lawsuits for a decreased quality of life.

Proper respiratory PPE can prevent all of this. It’s important to understand what PPE is needed in your workplace and when it is needed. OSHA standards require that respiratory PPE are supplied in specific work environments, and through this course you will learn how to evaluate if your work environment needs respiratory PPE.