Department of the
Interior
Departmental Manual
Effective Date: 4/2/04
Series: Safety Management
Part 485:
Safety and Occupational Health Program
Chapter 20:
Personal Protective Equipment
Originating Office:
Office of Managing Risk and Public Safety
485 DM 20
20.1 Purpose. The policy in this chapter specifies the
minimum Safety and Occupational Health Program (Program) requirements for the
selection, issuance, use, maintenance, and storage of personal protective
equipment (PPE).
20.2 Authorities.
A. 29
CFR 1910, Subpart I.
B. 29
CFR 1926, Subpart E.
20.3 Requirements.
A. Each
bureau and office will establish a written PPE program that includes, at a
minimum, provisions covering the following:
(1) Assessment
of hazards, selection of the necessary PPE to protect employees, and
requirements for employee use of the equipment.
(2) Identification
of items of PPE that the bureau or office will provide and maintain at its
expense, and how it will make that equipment available to employees. (For certain specific types of work, OSHA
safety and health regulations require that employers, i.e., bureaus and
offices, provide certain types of PPE at no cost to employees.) In situations where the regulations do not require
that PPE be provided at no cost to the employees, the bureau or office has
discretion to provide it at bureau or office expense or to require the
employees to provide the equipment at their own expense.
(3) Identification
of items of PPE that employees will provide and maintain at their own expense
(4) Training
of employees to know when and what PPE is necessary; how to properly don, doff,
adjust, and wear PPE; the limitations of the PPE, and how to inspect, use,
maintain, store, and dispose of the equipment.
Employees will demonstrate an understanding of the training and the
ability to use PPE property, before being allowed to perform work requiring the
use of PPE.
(5) Proper
fitting of the PPE to be worn by employees.
Examples are hearing protectors and respirators.
(6) Accountability
of managers, supervisors and employees for effectively implementing the
program.
(7) Accountability
of the bureau=s or office=s safety and health offices for
monitoring the program and recommending changes to the program as appropriate.
(8) Medical
evaluations for employees required to wear respirators.
B. The
PPE program will be implemented as follows:
(1) Employees
will use the required PPE.
(2) The
bureau or office will ensure that employees use PPE when it is necessary.
(3) The
bureau or office will assure the adequacy of all PPE, including its proper
maintenance and sanitation.
(4) The
bureau or office will provide employees with PPE training.
(5) The
bureau or office will provide, when appropriate, fit testing of PPE and
employee medical evaluations.
(6) The
bureau or office will maintain the PPE that it has provided to employees.
(7) Employees
will maintain the PPE that they have provided at their expense.