• Employees using PPE and CPC need to take special precautions if they have long hair, tend to grow facial hair, or wear prescription glasses.
• When working in a contaminated area, employees should monitor themselves and their buddies for signs of exposure or PPE/CPC damage.

When it comes to using personal protective equipment (PPE) and chemical protective clothing (CPC), there are individual factors that must be taken into consideration. Because people are all different sizes and shapes, protective equipment and clothing should be provided in many different sizes to accommodate all employees.

Those employees with long hair need to tie it back and wear a protective hair covering to prevent hair from interfering with vision or the seal of the respirator.

No facial hair is allowed when wearing respirators with a tight-fitting facepiece. Even a day or two of growth can break the seal between the face and the respirator, allowing contaminants inside. Employees wearing a respirator must be clean shaven where the facepiece seals to the skin.

For employees with prescription glasses, there are special considerations when wearing a respirator. Regular glasses interfere with the seal of a worn together. Any employee who has prescription glasses and will be wearing a respirator must either have the respirator facepiece equipped with prescription lenses or wear contact lenses.

Chewing gum or tobacco is never allowed in contaminated areas. Employees should never attempt to chew gum or tobacco when wearing a respirator. In addition to providing a route for ingestion, chewing movements can break the seal between the respirator and the employee’s face.

In-use monitoring

When employees are in a contaminated area performing work tasks, they should monitor both themselves and their buddies for:

• Degradation of PPE or CPC
• Unexpected odors
• Skin becoming itchy or irritated
• Unusual residue on equipment or clothing
• Pain or discomfort
• Breathing problems
• Fatigue
• Vision or communication problems
• Movement being restricted
• Any medical issues
• A restricted breathing air line (if using)