Employers are required by OSHA’s General Industry Standards to assess their workplace to determine if hazards are present (or likely to be present) which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). If the workplace assessment indicates hazardous conditions, the employer must provide workers with the appropriate PPE that will protect them from the hazards identified in the assessment. Categories of protection that are common in many workplaces include eyes and face, feet, head, respiratory and fall protection.
PPE for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, hearing protection and protective shields and barriers, must be provided, used and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition whenever there is a hazard from processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants that may cause injury or illness to workers through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.
Eye and Face Protection a Key Part of OSHA’s General Industry PPE Requirements
Thousands of people are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection. OSHA requires employers to provide eye and face protection whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological or mechanical irritants and hazards. Personal protective equipment (PPE) for the eyes and face is designed to prevent or lessen the severity of injuries to workers when engineering or administrative controls are not feasible or effective in reducing these exposures to acceptable levels.