One of the many safety requirements as laid down by OSHA is mandatory protective clothing. This has been introduced with the view of reducing the hazards posed by the presence of chemical substances in a high risk environment.
The level of protective clothing is dependent on the amount of chemicals that employees are forced to encounter on the job. So, for instance, an employee working in a chemical plant will have to wear more protective clothing than an employee who works in an agricultural environment. Chemical protective clothing includes hard hats, hazmat suits, gloves and boots. There are certain jobs that require ear and eye protection and sometimes even respiratory equipments like an air purifying respirator.
The level of protective clothing is dependent on the amount of chemicals that employees are forced to encounter on the job. So, for instance, an employee working in a chemical plant will have to wear more protective clothing than an employee who works in an agricultural environment. Chemical protective clothing includes hard hats, hazmat suits, gloves and boots. There are certain jobs that require ear and eye protection and sometimes even respiratory equipments like an air purifying respirator.
Four levels of protective clothing have been standardized by the Environmental Protection Agency and OSHA.
- LEVEL A: includes the highest protection possible for the skin, respiratory organs and the eyes from the various chemicals present in a work place.
- LEVEL B: requires the same level of protection for the respiratory organs as LEVEL A but not much for the skin.
- LEVEL C: includes the same level of skin protection as LEVEL B but less in the case of respiratory organs. This level is used when the work place is free of chemical gases and fumes.
- LEVEL D: requires a little bit of skin protection and no respiratory protection at all.
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