[Che-student-staff-list] Updated Personal Protective Equipment Policy - please read

[Nagy, Gabriela]

Hello everyone,

REM recently updated the Purdue Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) policy, which will be enforced in FRNY starting Friday, March 1st, 2019. The Purdue PPE policy is included as Chapter 6 in the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) template posted on REM's website (https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/rem/documents/programs/chp2014.pdf).

The new wording for the minimum PPE requirements for laboratory employees (Chapter 6.4, page 63 in the CHP) is:
"While working in a CHP laboratory it is likely that at some point during the workday one will work with, be in the vicinity of, or directly adjacent to hazardous chemicals. Figure 6.1 illustrates the minimum PPE required when working with hazardous chemicals. When not working with hazardous chemicals, the minimum PPE required includes safety glasses, lab coat, as well as a garment and fully enclosed shoes covering all skin beneath the waist." Figure 6.1. is attached for your convenience.

Section 6.4.6 gives more information about suitable body protection, including lab coats. The first paragraph of section 6.4.6 (page 66-67 of CHP) states that: "Lab coats, coveralls, aprons, or protective suits are required to be worn while working on, in the vicinity of, or adjacent to, all procedures using hazardous chemicals (using means that the chemical bottle is open and the chemical is being poured, transferred, pipetted, etc.)"

Please also pay close attention to the last paragraph of section 6.4.6, which also spells out that: "Lab coats should not be worn outside of the lab unless the individual is traveling directly to an adjacent lab work area. Lab coats should not be worn in common areas such as break rooms, offices, or restrooms.".

To be fully aware of the Purdue new PPE policy, please read Chapter 6.4. (Minimum PPE Requirements for Laboratory Employees). The School is working on providing extra lab coats to accommodate this new change in PPE policy.  The policy also applies to researchers from other departments coming to do research, or characterization of samples in shared labs. It is recommended that the shared labs keep a few "user lab coats" at the entrance of the lab , to be used by these people.

Chapter 6.5 of the Purdue CHP addresses the minimum PPE requirements for support staff and visitors (e.g. custodians entering the lab, visitors on a lab tour, safety committee members on a safety inspection, etc): "To be present in the laboratory, the minimum PPE requirements include safety glasses as well as a garment and fully enclosed shoes covering all skin beneath the waist."

As a reminder, the new PPE policy will be enforced in our School starting March 1st, 2019. Please make the necessary arrangements in the next two weeks to ensure we comply with this new PPE policy.

Should you have any questions, please let me know.

Thank you,
Gabriela
On behalf of the ChE Safety Committee

__________________
Gabriela Nagy, PhD
Industrial Education Director
Davidson School of Chemical Engineering
Room FRNY G051
Purdue University
Tel: (765)-496-1710
E-mail: nagyg at purdue.edu<mailto:nagyg at purdue.edu>


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