Protecting workers from contracting COVID-19
How to use protective masks and gloves the right way
Personal protective equipment (PPE) has always been important, but now it’s used by workers across every industry in order to work safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, PPE is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. PPE can include gloves, safety glasses, masks, earplugs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls. In the medical community, PPE generally extends to gowns/ aprons, respirators, face shields, and more.
But just having access to PPE isn’t enough. Gloves and masks, in particular, are often used incorrectly. If you’re wearing gloves and masks to protect yourself in the workplace, here are a few important guidelines for proper PPE use ...
GLOVES:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that gloves should fit the users’ hands comfortably. Gloves can only prevent the spread of pathogens if hand hygiene is performed before and after wear.
To remove gloves properly, pinch the outside of one glove at the wrist without touching bare skin. Peel the glove away from the body, pulling it inside out. Hold the glove just removed in the other gloved hand and dispose of it.
For the remaining glove, slide your fingers inside the glove at the top of the wrist, being careful not to touch the outside of the glove. Again, turn the second glove inside out while pulling it away from the body. Dispose of the glove properly.
MASKS:
Masks, sometimes referred to as respirators, also need to fit to be effective. Masks should be tight-fitting to the face. Clean hands and put on the mask, molding the mask over the bridge of the nose and sealing it around the face. One strap should be high on the head, the other low around the base of the neck.
To remove the mask, tilt your head forward and pull the bottom strap over the back of the head, followed by the top strap without touching the front of the mask, says the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Keep straps tight during the removal process. Don’t snap the straps or touch the front of the mask, as this can spread germs.
(Directions provided are for N95 respirators. Other mask designs should be removed according to manufacturer recommendations).