Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q1. Did you know that 60% of workers who suffered eye injuries were not wearing eye protection?Q2. Who is responsible to identify workplace hazards and provide appropriate PPE to employees?
Q3. If I find hazards that cannot be controlled or eliminated and I must provide PPE to my employees, what are my responsibilities?
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Q1. Did you know that 60% of workers who suffered eye injuries were not wearing eye protection? 
Answer -- 60% of workers who suffered eye injuries were not wearing any eye protection and only 1% of 770 workers suffering face injuries were wearing face protection. Hard hats were worn by only 16% of those workers sustaining head injuries. Statistics provided by Prevent Blindness America; Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Q2. Who is responsible to identify workplace hazards and provide appropriate PPE to employees? 
Answer -- The employer, UVA Managers and Supervisors.
Federal Law (OSHA) makes UVa Managers and Supervisors responsible to identify potential workplace hazards. Ideally we want to eliminate hazards or reduce the risk of injury by providing appropriate PPE to protect employees. Workplace hazard evaluations must be documented and dated by the person(s) performing the evaluation.
Identifying potential workplace hazards can be done with the assistance of EHS and the Hazard Assessment Survey.
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Q3. If I find hazards that cannot be controlled or eliminated and I must provide PPE to my employees, what are my responsibilities? 
Answer -- Follow the steps outlined below.
- In addition to performing a worksite Hazard Assessment Survey, employers must determine the need and appropriate selection of PPE. This would be required when hazards cannot be sufficiently controlled or eliminated altogether.
- Provide PPE that is ANSI (American National Standards Institute) certified and that will prevent or significantly reduce injuries. PPE must be correctly fitted to ensure protection.
- Employees must be trained to understand hazards that may require PPE including: how to wear, inspect, care for and store their assigned PPE.
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