Page 68 - OHS, July/August 2020

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
How and When to Clean Your Safety Equipment
By now we all know to wash our hands, but what should be done with shared PPE, such as full body harnesses and fall protection lanyards? BY DAVID IVEY
As the construction industry ramps back up this summer, there is a focus on cleanli- ness and safety in shared workspaces, par- ticularly around how to keep shared equip- ment clean. The health crisis has forced many of us to rethink how we clean and maintain our facilities and our gear. By now we all know to wash our hands, but what should be done with shared PPE, such as full body harnesses and fall protection lanyards?
Unfortunately, the sanitizers used to wipe down our hands are not safe to use on many pieces of equip- ment, and neither are bleach and other harsh clean- ing products. Fall protection equipment in particular
relies on the integrity of the material in order to func- tion, so any harsh cleaners or chemicals can’t be used to sanitize these items.
So how can you clean shared safety equipment effectively?
How to Clean Personal Safety Equipment
As a general rule, start by checking the manufacturer’s product instructions for care and maintenance of any safety equipment. For personal fall protection equip- ment, material integrity is vital to its function and there are some general guidelines you can follow to disinfect without compromising the material. The same general rules can be used to clean other PPE such as gloves, safety glasses, hard hats and visors. Thankfully, cleaning these types of equipment doesn’t require any special products—just clean tap water and mild soap such as liquid dish detergent.
This combination is effective in killing the CO- VID-19 virus, inexpensive and safe for the integrity of the equipment. Cold or warm water will work equally well, but avoid hot water above 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 degrees Celsius) that can damage some equipment.
All it takes to sanitize the gear is to wipe it down with soapy water using a damp cloth or sponge, and then rinse it with clean water to remove any soap resi- due. There is no need to soak or submerge the gear. After it’s clean, allow it to hang-dry in an open, well- ventilated area to prevent mold, but do not machine dry PPE, as this can damage it.
Chemicals and cleaning products such as sani- tizers, rubbing alcohol, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, naphtha, turpentine, acetone or other industrial cleaning supplies are unnecessary, and are not recom- mended for cleaning personal fall protection equip- ment of any kind, as these chemicals can damage the integrity of the material you rely on to keep you safe in the event of a fall.
How Often to Clean Equipment
It is always a good practice to keep your equipment clean, but it’s especially important in this time of heightened risk from a potentially dangerous virus. As long as the contagion is making the rounds, it is safest to clean all the previously used equipment in between each use. Consider making regular cleaning of your gear part of your process by adding it to your inspection forms or checklists. Because of the need to let equipment dry, it may make the most sense to
62 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY/AUGUST 2020
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