Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Explosive Handling and Blasting Operations

The following outlines the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for safe explosive handling and blasting operations. This guidance is based on a combination of industry best practices, regulatory requirements, and hazard assessments to ensure the safety and well-being of personnel involved in these activities.

General Requirements

• Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact. ["1910.132(a) Application.", 1]
• Defective or damaged personal protective equipment shall not be used. ["1910.132(e) Defective and damaged equipment.", 1]
• All personal protective equipment shall be of safe design and construction for the work to be performed. ["1910.132(c) Design.", 1]

Head Protection

• A hard hat meeting ANSI standards is required to protect against head injuries from falling objects or debris. The hard hat should be inspected before each use for any signs of damage or wear.
• Ensure the hard hat is properly fitted and adjusted to the wearer's head size.

Eye and Face Protection

• Eye protection is crucial to prevent injuries from flying particles, dust, and chemical splashes. ["Wear approved eye protection (properly fitted dust- or splash-proof chemical safety goggles) and face protection (face shield).", 4, 9, 11, 13, 18, 19]
• Chemical safety goggles and a face shield are required. ["Eye and Face Protection: Chemical safety goggles and face shield.", 11, 13, 18, 19]
• The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation. ["1910.133(a) General requirements.", 12]
• The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses eye protection that provides side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects. ["1910.133(a)(2) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses eye protection that provides side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects.", 12]
• If prescription lenses are required, ensure that the eye protection incorporates the prescription or can be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing their proper position. ["1910.133(a)(3) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee who wears prescription lenses while engaged in operations that involve eye hazards wears eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or wears eye protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses.", 12]

Hand Protection

• Wear suitable waterproof gloves. ["Wear suitable waterproof gloves", 4, 9, 18, 19]
• Chemical-resistant, impervious gloves complying with an approved standard should be worn at all times when handling chemical products if a risk assessment indicates this is necessary. ["Hand protection : Chemical-resistant, impervious gloves complying with an approved standard should be worn at all times when handling chemical products if a risk assessment indicates this is necessary.", 2]
• Considering the parameters specified by the glove manufacturer, check during use that the gloves are still retaining their protective properties. ["Considering the parameters specified by the glove manufacturer, check during use that the gloves are still retaining their protective properties.", 2]
• It should be noted that the time to breakthrough for any glove material may be different for different glove manufacturers. ["It should be noted that the time to breakthrough for any glove material may be different for different glove manufacturers.", 2]
• In the case of mixtures, consisting of several substances, the protection time of the gloves cannot be accurately estimated. ["In the case of mixtures, consisting of several substances, the protection time of the gloves cannot be accurately estimated.", 2]

Body Protection

• Wear suitable waterproof protective clothing ["Wear suitable waterproof protective clothing", 4, 9, 11, 13, 18, 19]
• Personal protective equipment for the body should be selected based on the task being performed and the risks involved and should be approved by a specialist before handling this product. ["Body protection : Personal protective equipment for the body should be selected based on the task being performed and the risks involved and should be approved by a specialist before handling this product.", 2]
• When there is a risk of ignition from static electricity, wear anti-static protective clothing. ["When there is a risk of ignition from static electricity, wear anti- static protective clothing.", 2]
• For the greatest protection from static discharges, clothing should include anti-static overalls, boots and gloves. ["For the greatest protection from static discharges, clothing should include anti-static overalls, boots and gloves.", 2]

Foot Protection

• Appropriate footwear and any additional skin protection measures should be selected based on the task being performed and the risks involved and should be approved by a specialist before handling this product. ["Other skin protection : Appropriate footwear and any additional skin protection measures should be selected based on the task being performed and the risks involved and should be approved by a specialist before handling this product.", 2]

Respiratory Protection

• A NIOSH approved dust mask or filtering facepiece is recommended in poorly ventilated areas or when permissible exposure limits may be exceeded. ["A NIOSH approved dust mask or filtering facepiece is recommended in poorly ventilated areas or when permissible exposure limits may be exceeded.", 6, 10]
• Respirators should be selected by and used under the direction of a trained health and safety professional following requirements found in OSHA's respirator standard (29 CFR 1910.134) and ANSI's standard for respiratory protection (Z88.2). ["Respirators should be selected by and used under the direction of a trained health and safety professional following requirements found in OSHA's respirator standard (29 CFR 1910.134) and ANSI's standard for respiratory protection (Z88.2).", 6, 10]
• Respirator selection must be based on known or anticipated exposure levels, the hazards of the product and the safe working limits of the selected respirator. ["Respiratory protection : Respirator selection must be based on known or anticipated exposure levels, the hazards of the product and the safe working limits of the selected respirator.", 2]
• If workers are exposed to concentrations above the exposure limit, they must use appropriate, certified respirators. ["If workers are exposed to concentrations above the exposure limit, they must use appropriate, certified respirators.", 2]
• Use a properly fitted, air-purifying or air-fed respirator complying with an approved standard if a risk assessment indicates this is necessary. ["Use a properly fitted, air-purifying or air-fed respirator complying with an approved standard if a risk assessment indicates this is necessary.", 2]
• The respiratory protection shall be in accordance to 29 CFR 1910.134. ["The respiratory protection shall be in accordance to 29 CFR 1910.134.", 2]

Other Safety Considerations

• Ensure that eyewash stations and safety showers are close to the workstation location. ["Ensure that eyewash stations and safety showers are close to the workstation location.", 2, 9, 11, 13, 18, 19]
• Wash hands, forearms and face thoroughly after handling chemical products, before eating, smoking and using the lavatory and at the end of the working period. ["Wash hands, forearms and face thoroughly after handling chemical products, before eating, smoking and using the lavatory and at the end of the working period.", 2]
• Appropriate techniques should be used to remove potentially contaminated clothing. ["Appropriate techniques should be used to remove potentially contaminated clothing.", 2]
• Wash contaminated clothing before reusing. ["Wash contaminated clothing before reusing.", 2]

Training and Hazard Assessment

• The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). ["1910.132(d)(1) The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).", 1]
• If such hazards are present, or likely to be present, the employer shall select, and have each affected employee use, the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment. ["1910.132(d)(1)(i) Select, and have each affected employee use, the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment", 1]
• The employer shall communicate selection decisions to each affected employee. ["1910.132(d)(1)(ii) Communicate selection decisions to each affected employee", 1]
• The employer shall select PPE that properly fits each affected employee. ["1910.132(d)(1)(iii) Select PPE that properly fits each affected employee.", 1]
• The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification. ["1910.132(d)(2) The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated; the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed; the date(s) of the hazard assessment; and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment.", 1]
• The employer shall provide training to each employee who is required to use PPE. ["1910.132(f)(1) The employer shall provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use PPE.", 1]
• Each employee shall be trained to know when PPE is necessary, what PPE is necessary, how to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE, the limitations of the PPE, and the proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of the PPE. ["1910.132(f)(1)(i) When PPE is necessary; 1910.132(f)(1)(ii) What PPE is necessary; 1910.132(f)(1)(iii) How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE; 1910.132(f)(1)(iv) The limitations of the PPE; and, 1910.132(f)(1)(v) The proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of the PPE.", 1]
• Each affected employee shall demonstrate an understanding of the training and the ability to use PPE properly, before being allowed to perform work requiring the use of PPE. ["1910.132(f)(2) Each affected employee shall demonstrate an understanding of the training specified in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, and the ability to use PPE properly, before being allowed to perform work requiring the use of PPE.", 1]
• Retraining is required when changes in the workplace or types of PPE render previous training obsolete, or when inadequacies in an affected employee's knowledge or use of assigned PPE indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill. ["1910.132(f)(3) When the employer has reason to believe that any affected employee who has already been trained does not have the understanding and skill required by paragraph (f)(2) of this section, the employer shall retrain each such employee. Circumstances where retraining is required include, but are not limited to, situations where: 1910.132(f)(3)(i) Changes in the workplace render previous training obsolete; or 1910.132(f)(3)(ii) Changes in the types of PPE to be used render previous training obsolete; or 1910.132(f)(3)(iii) Inadequacies in an affected employee's knowledge or use of assigned PPE indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill.", 1]

Employer Responsibilities

• The protective equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), used to comply with safety regulations, shall be provided by the employer at no cost to employees. ["1910.132(h)(1) Except as provided by paragraphs (h)(2) through (h)(6) of this section, the protective equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), used to comply with this part, shall be provided by the employer at no cost to employees.", 16]
• The employer must pay for replacement PPE, except when the employee has lost or intentionally damaged the PPE. ["1910.132(h)(5) The employer must pay for replacement PPE, except when the employee has lost or intentionally damaged the PPE.", 16]

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