Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is any clothing or equipment which protects the wearer from any risk while working with some kind of infectious material or harmful material. PPE is an important line of safety from the risk due to asbestos when maintaining distance is not possible. In late 20th century it was proved that asbestos is hazardous to health and was outlawed by courts and legislatures of many countries from being used as fire resistance, cement, adhesive etc.
It is advised to the persons who work in any way with asbestos that they follow the standard safety procedure as described in the workers manual. Certain asbestos protective equipments are used while working with asbestos to avoid any health hazard.
- Coveralls
Disposable coveralls are used to prevent your clothing and footwear from contaminating by asbestos. All the information written on the product will help you in making sure that whether the product is suitable for working with asbestos or not. The coveralls being used while working with asbestos should not let any asbestos fiber through the surface.
- Footwear
Safety footwear should be used to avoid contact with asbestos dust. Though footwear with laces should be avoided as the laces are easily contaminated and are also hard to clean. The used footwear must be decontaminated after being used or should be disposed.
- Gloves
Single use gloves should be used in working with asbestos. The gloves should be disposed after being used, and the fingernails and hands should be cleaned thoroughly while leaving the asbestos area.
- Respiratory protection equipments
Simple ordinary mask are not good enough to stop the asbestos dust from harming so specially designed filter respirators are used while working with asbestos. Some different types of respiratory protective equipments are half-face respirator, full-face respirator, full-face powered respirator etc. Also a respirator fit testing should be done before going into asbestos area.
- Tools
Tools and equipments that create dust should not be used on asbestos contaminated material. Such not to use tools and equipments are brooms and sprays, high pressure water sprays, high speed power tools such as grinders, sanders, saws, high speed drills etc.
