Personal Protective Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), pronounced /ˈpɜːrsənəl prəˈtɛktɪv ˈiːkwɪpmənt/, is a category of devices and garments designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter.
Etymology
The term "Personal Protective Equipment" is derived from the English language. "Personal" comes from the Latin word "personalis", meaning "pertaining to a person", "Protective" is derived from the Latin word "protectus", the past participle of "protegere" which means "to protect", and "Equipment" comes from the Old French word "equipement", which means "to equip or outfit".
Types of Personal Protective Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment can be categorized into various types, each designed to protect a specific part of the body:
- Respiratory Protection: This includes devices like N95 respirators and surgical masks that protect the wearer from inhaling harmful airborne particles.
- Eye and Face Protection: This category includes safety glasses, goggles, and face shields that protect the wearer's eyes and face from injury.
- Hand Protection: This includes gloves made from various materials to protect the hands from cuts, burns, chemical exposure, and infectious diseases.
- Body Protection: This includes lab coats, coveralls, and gowns that protect the body from exposure to harmful substances.
- Foot Protection: This includes safety shoes and boots that protect the feet from injury.
Related Terms
- Occupational Safety and Health: The field of public health that studies trends in illnesses and injuries in the worker population and proposes and implements strategies and regulations to prevent them.
- Hazard Control: A rigorous system used in the workplace that involves procedures, techniques, and processes to control risks.
- Infection Control: The discipline concerned with preventing healthcare-associated infections; it is an essential part of healthcare infrastructure.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Personal Protective Equipment
- Wikipedia's article - Personal Protective Equipment
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