UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES MANUAL

TITLE: HAZARD ASSESSMENT AND ASSIGNING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT PROCEDURES

PROCEDURE: 14-5

DEFINITIONS APPLICABLE TO THESE PROCEDURES

ANSI CERTIFICATION
American National Standards Institute certification for personal protective equipment to ensure equipment meets minimum safety specifications.

HAZARD ASSESSMENT SURVEY (HAS)
A walk through survey of work areas for the purpose of identifying sources of hazards to faculty, staff or students. Basic categories that should be considered include but are not limited to: impact from flying objects, moving machinery or falling objects; penetration from sharp objects that can pierce the feet or cut hands, compression (roll over of loads or heavy materials), exposure to harmful dust or chemicals, exposure to high heat or temperature extremes, exposure to light (optical) radiation from welding operations or work with lasers and electrical hazards.

Two choices for Hazard Assessments at UVA are available, the Hazard Assessment Survey and/or the Hazard Assessment Form. Both are available to provide guidance and documentation for this process and are available here.



PURPOSE
The purpose of the University of Virginia's Hazard Assessment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Procedures is to instruct departments on how to perform and document Hazard Assessments in their work areas in order to identify and control hazards that can be injurious to faculty, staff or student members; and to provide guidance on appropriate personal protective equipment selections when hazard control is not feasible or satisfactory. Assistance and instruction is available from Environmental Health & Safety to determine the need for a HAS, when conducting a HAS and determining the most appropriate PPE.

PROCEDURES (HAZARD IDENTIFICATION GUIDELINES)

EYE and FACE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS
Eye and face protection (safety glasses, impact or chemical resistant goggles and faceshields) must meet ANSI Z87.1-1989. Safety glasses must have side shields. Prescription lenses are encouraged to be incorporated into ANSI certified safety glasses for those who are exposed to eye hazards for an extended part of the workday. Otherwise, ADDITIONAL eye protection must be worn over the person's prescription glasses. Eye and face hazards include but are not limited to the following examples:

  1. Flying particles (e.g., fabrication work on stationary equipment, using power tools, sparks from welding, brazing and soldering operations)
  2. Molten Metal (e.g., metal castings)
  3. Liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids (e.g., lab experiments, housekeeping, battery servicing, boiler treatments, maintenance and repairs, spraypainting and pesticide applications)
  4. Chemical gases or vapors (e.g., lab experiments or work processes)
  5. Potentially injurious light radiation (e.g., welding, brazing or soldering operations)
  6. Lasers

HEAD PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS
Head protection must meet ANSI Z89.1-1986. In addition, personnel must be protected from the risk of electrical shock or burns when working near exposed conductors which could contact the head. Head protection must meet ANSI Z89.1-1986-non conductive Class A or B. Examples of head injury risks from falling objects are: construction and overhead material handling activities. Some work environments may have stationary objects that can injure someone when they walk into or raise up under such objects.

FOOT PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS
Foot protection must meet ANSI Z41.1991. Foot hazards can occur when the foot could be injured from falling or rolling objects, from objects that can pierce the sole or exposure to electrical hazards. Foot hazard examples include but are not limited to:

  1. Construction, renovation and maintenance activities
  2. Routine material handling, working around pallet jacks and forklifts
  3. Working around bulk loads and heavy pipes
  4. Working with power lawn mowers and chain saws
  5. Bulk chemical handling - No open toe shoes are allowed, appropriate chemical resistant footwear must be provided to avoid skin absorption in case of chemical spill.

HAND PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS
Hands need to be protected with gloves if there is potential for exposure to the following types of hazards:

  1. Harmful Substances - Provide appropriate chemical resistant gloves to prevent chemical contact and skin absorption.
  2. Cuts and Lacerations - Provide cut resistant gloves.
  3. Abrasions - Provide leather or heavy cotton knit gloves.
  4. Temperature Extremes - Provide insulated gloves.
  5. Electrical Shock - Provide rubber insulated gloves and leather glove protectors. Ensure gloves are properly rated for the voltage. Rubber insulated sleeves, mats and tools may be necessary to prevent electrical shock from contact with energized conductors. NOTE: Only in limited circumstances and when personnel are authorized, would work be performed on or near energized conductors. Please refer to UVA policy here.

ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Assistance is available from Environmental Health & Safety to departments in meeting the following responsibilities.

  1. Departments must fund and provide personal protective equipment to their faculty, staff or student members if required based on the results of the Hazard Assessment Survey.
  2. Departments must ensure personal protective equipment fits the person optimally to provide maximum protection.
  3. Departments must document and train personnel who are assigned personal protective equipment: when and how to use it, how to care for the equipment, equipment limitations and when to take it out of service. In addition, training must be provided for new personnel assigned to wear personal protective equipment or when personnel reassignments require personal protective equipment.
  4. Departments must repeat Hazard Assessment Surveys for new equipment and processes or changes in existing equipment or processes. Ongoing Hazard Assessments of work areas and personnel is encouraged. This will promote safety by identifying potential hazards, ensuring good housekeeping and motivating personnel to wear and care for their personal protective equipment.

ADDITIONAL HAZARDS
These procedures address hazards that may injure eyes, face, head, hands and feet. Please refer to the list of policies if additional safety hazards are identified during the Hazard Assessment Survey.

ISSUED BY: Director, Office Environmental Health & Safety

CURRENT REVISION DATE: 04/18/11