Let's take a good look at some basics of personal protective equipment. Ear plugs or ear muffs can go a long way to avoid hearing loss. Adjust your muffs so they are comfortable and don't squeeze your ears. Disposable earplugs must be clean and fitted properly. Never insert dirty ear plugs or use dirty hands when putting the plugs in your ears. Of course, ear plugs connected to portable radios are not considered hearing protection. Safety glasses provide eye protection from flying chips, debris, and other eye hazards. Goggles protect your eyes from chemical splashes, and face shields are a safeguard when worn over other protective eye wear such as safety glasses. Handy dandy straps connected to safety glasses keep them from falling off your nose, or connected around your neck when safety glasses are not necessary. Gloves protect your hands from chemicals, and offer a wide range of skin protection. Keep in mind there are literally hundreds of different types of gloves, each designed for a specific purpose, so select the proper glove for the job. Respirators can protect you from a wide variety of dusts, fumes, gases, vapors, and many other health hazards. One of the most misused respirators in the industry is the dust mask. It is designed only for certain types of dust, but many people believe it's good for any type of hazard. A dust mask cannot be used for spray-painting or other types of vapors. Each specific hazard must have the proper respirator that provides protection for that hazard. Proper fitting of respiratory equipment, and the wearing of equipment as it was intended is equally important. The old stand by. Hard hats protect your head from low hanging or falling objects. Wear hard hats as they were intended to be worn, and never make modifications to your hat, such as drilling air holes in the sides. Each hat is engineered for impacts and if you modify the hat you could damage the hat to such a degree wear the hat will not afford the designed protection. Bump caps are made of lesser quality plastic and are not engineered for falling objects or impacts. Bump caps are used in areas where they are areas where there are bump hazards and not falling objects. Many food processing facilities use bump caps solely for the purpose of containing hair, and not for protection of impacts of falling objects. Boots and shoes are good personal protective equipment. Even if your job doesn't require steel-toed safety shoes, leathertop shoes can provide a degree of protection from chemical splashes, petroleum products, and small cuts, bruises, and abrasions. Your shoes should be in good condition, and the soles of your shoes should be slip-resistent. Keep your foot wear in good condition, and always clean off your shoes before climbing ladders or getting into vehicles. Grease or slippery shoes can create accidents. Chemical clothing and encapsulating suits are used when there are vapor, gas, or other airborne hazards. When you are engaged in this type of work more training is necessary to make sure you understand what protection is offered and how to specifically use, store, and handle the equipment. When we talk about personal protective equipment the basic equipment just described comes to mind. But in a work environment you must consider many other safety devices that can be lumped together with personal protective equipment. Machine guarding isn't just for one individual, but it could be considered personal protective equipment. Electrical safety devices, lock and tag out procedures, barriers, warning signs, labels, and hundreds of other safety devices should be considered.