Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Communicable Disease

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is specialized clothing or equipment used to prevent contact with hazardous substances. Its use is an integral part of infection control and prevention measures that protect workers from exposure to blood, body fluids, and other potentially infectious materials.  PPE such as gowns, gloves, masks, and goggles provide physical barriers that prevent the hands, skin, clothing, eyes, nose, and mouth from coming in contact with infectious agents.   PPE is used to reduce transmission of communicable diseases when other measures, such as engineering controls and work practices, cannot completely eliminate exposure. 

Employers are required by OSHA standard 29 CFR Part 1910.132 to assess the workplace for hazards that necessitate the use of PPE and document that such a Hazard Assessment (Word, 121 KB) has been done.  Employers must also develop a PPE Program, provide appropriate PPE in the workplace, store and maintain PPE in good working order, train employees on proper use of PPE, and ensure that employees use PPE appropriately.

Local Public Health Agencies (LPHA), including Local Health Departments and Tribes, must have PPE readily available at all times for use by employees with exposure to communicable diseases.  Items such as uniforms, pants, blouses, and eye wear not intended to protect against communicable diseases are not considered PPE.

More information is available on the Division of Public Health Communicable Diseases web site at http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/ under Infection Control which will address:

• Standard Precautions for Local Public Health Agencies  

• Hand Hygiene, PPE, Cleaning and Disinfection, Respiratory Hygiene, Cough Etiquette, Waste Disposal, Safe Infection Control Practices

• Transmission Based Precautions - Contact Precautions, Droplet Precautions, Airborne Precautions, Eye Protection,

• Infection Control Practices for Selected Diseases

• Infection Control Practices for Syndromes 

• Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control for Local Public Health Agencies

• List of Other Potentially Infectious Materials (Word, 23 KB)

• Employee Protection Measures, Surgical Masks and Respirators

• Classifying Employee Exposure to Pandemic Influenza At Work as Very High Exposure Risk Occupations, High Exposure Risk Occupations, Medium Exposure Risk Occupations, and Lower Exposure Risk Occupations 

• Prevention of Transmission of Tuberculosis in Local Public Health Agencies

• Basic Measures to Prevent Transmission of Tuberculosis in LPHA

• PPE for Communicable Disease Exposure 

• Includes descriptions and photographs of Gloves, Gowns, Surgical masks, Procedure Masks, Eye Protection, Respiratory Protection

• PPE Ordering Information 

• Education Tools for LPHA Infection Control Programs 

• Bloodborne Pathogens Training, Infection Control Principles and Practices for LPHA, PPE Training, Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette 

• Frequently Asked Questions on Infection Control Principles and Practices for LPHA 

• Includes questions and answers on PPE for Communicable Disease Exposure

References:

OSHA General PPE Requirements Standard  29CFR1910 Subpart I  (exit DHS)

If you have any questions, e-mail Gwen Borlaug at gwen.borlaug@wisconsin.gov 

Last Revised: February 14, 2013