The Importance of PPE and Respiratory Protection in Agriculture

Jul 7
18:55

2021

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peter main

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It should be remembered that people working on construction sites have a duty of care to themselves, to other employees, to visitors and to the general public at large. If anyone is thought of as being at risk, then it is important that some level of personal protection is provided.

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Anyone working in any type of agricultural or industrial business or environment is likely to need different types of personal protective equipment,The Importance of PPE and Respiratory Protection in Agriculture Articles depending upon the work they are doing, and where that work is based.

One of the most important areas of PPE are masks. The use of masks has become very common in recent years, largely as a result of covid, but they have also frequently been used in many industries and workplaces as a way of protecting people's lungs.

People'srespiratory systems are highly susceptible to being damaged, and if placed in an environment where there is a significant amount of dust or fumes, or potential exposure to different types of chemicals, then it is very important that the correct type of masks is provided and used.

Like all types of personal protective equipment, there is an obligation both moral and legal, on the employer to do a risk assessment and to see who is at risk and what they are at risk from. It is then their duty to provide personal protective equipment to the employee to make sure they are able to carry out their work safely.

It is also a responsibility of the employee to make sure that they use the personal protective equipment properly, and make sure it is fitted and works in accord with the manufacturers instructions. If specific training is needed in order to properly take advantage of the personal protective equipment provided, then it is also a responsibility of the employer to provide whatever training may be needed.

This training may be done in person, online or through a written manual or workbook.

The protection ofpeople's respiratory systems refers really to their lungs, and the need to make sure that a mask is provided, and that it is the correct type of mask. Personal protective equipment masks are normally referred to as respirators, and are normally either air purifying or air supplying.

A respirator that is air purifying will act in the same way that an air purifier machine works in a business or a home. It will effectively filter out dust and fumes from the air in the environment, before it is breathed in by the person working there.

This type of spirit is different from a normal single strap dust mask, commonly seen worn during the covid pandemic, and which effectively offers little or no protection in terms of filtering out any harmful substances from the air that is being breathed in.

A respirator that is known as air supplying is the type usually seen being warned by firefighters, and is worn in conjunction with a significant amount of other personal protective equipment.

Where a respirator that is air purifying is used, it will commonly be referred to as a cartridge type mask, and the workplace environment should have signage placed around the building showing that this type of mask is needed.

It is also likely that in the event this type of respirator is advised, that additional protection for a person's eyes will also be needed, either by way of goggles or glasses.