Page 28 - Occupational Health & Safety, April 2019

FOOT PROTECTION
PPE the Automotive Industry Needs to Invest In
Training workers is vital in making sure the PPE is doing its job in protecting the users.
BY KEVAN ORVITZ
24 Occupational Health & Safety | APRIL 2019
www.ohsonline.com
The Occupational Safety and Health Admin- istration requires that companies protect their workers from general workplace haz- ards that can cause injury or illness. Identi- fying and controlling potential hazards at the source is the most beneficial way to ensure the workplace is as safe as possible. However, working in indus- tries where heavy lifting and dangerous machinery is present, OSHA also requires employers to provide personal protective equipment to keep any outlying hazards from hurting employees.
The OSHA general industry PPE standards that
outline employer obligations, which can be found on- line at www.osha.gov, are as follows:
■ Performing a hazard assessment of the work- place to identify and control physical and health hazards ■ Identifying and providing appropriate PPE for
employees
■ Training employees in the use and care of the PPE ■ Maintaining PPE, including replacing worn or
damaged PPE
■ Periodically reviewing, updating, and evaluat-
ing the effectiveness of the PPE program
While PPE is needed for all industries—construc-
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