My Big Company PPE Policy

Personal Protective Equipment

I. General

Protective clothing and equipment (PPE) is intended to shield or isolate personnel from
chemical and physical hazards. Engineering controls, such as use of closed systems,
ventilation, and proper equipment isolation shall be implemented where possible before
PPE is used. Operating supervisors are responsible for implementing and enforcing this
program.

II. Hazard Assessment

A. A hazard assessment of the workplace must be performed to determine if hazards are

or may be present that necessitate the use of PPE. Refer to 29 CFR 1910, Subpart I,
Appendix B, to determine the proper method of conducting an assessment. Hazard
assessments must be reviewed to determine proper PPE selection.

B. A written certification must be prepared that contains the following information:

 The location or workplace evaluated

 The name of the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed
 The date(s) of the hazard assessment
 A statement that identifies the document as a hazard assessment certification

III. Inspection and Use

Personal protective equipment must be sized to fit the employee. It shall be visually
inspected before each use to assure that defective PPE is not used.

IV. Training

A. Each employee required to use PPE shall be initially trained to know the following:

1. When PPE is necessary

2. What PPE is required

3. How to properly put on, remove, adjust, and wear the PPE

4. The limitations of the PPE

 5. The proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of the selected PPE

B. The employee must demonstrate an understanding of the training and the ability to
use PPE properly before being allowed to perform work requiring the use of PPE.
Retraining must be performed when one of the following conditions exists:

1. There are changes in the workplace which makes previous training obsolete

2. There are changes in the types of PPE to be used

3. There are inadequacies in the employee’s knowledge of or use of the chosen

PPE

4. The hazard assessment is changed

C. Employee training and understanding shall be certified in a written document

containing the name of the employee trained, the date(s) of training, and
identification of the subject of training.

V. Requirements

A. Foot Protection

Foot protection will be selected based upon each location’s individual PPE hazard
assessment and will meet the requirements of ANSI Z41.1.

B. Clothing

Rings, wrist watches, loose clothing, unsecured long hair and other loose accessories
should not to be worn within arm’s reach of operating machinery, tools, electrical
switch gear or locations where these present a hazard.

All employees must wear a sleeved shirt (tank tops are prohibited) and full-length
trousers while in operational areas. The preferred cloth is cotton or wool. Synthetic
clothing will melt and severely burn the skin when exposed to heat such as a flash
fire. Additionally, flame retardant clothing is required when performing certain jobs
as identified on the hazard assessment and addressed in FRC section of this chapter.

C. Hand Protection

1. As determined by the hazard assessment, employees shall use hand protection

when performing jobs that expose the hands to absorption of harmful
substances, severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, punctures, chemical
burns, thermal burns and harmful temperature extremes.
 2. Selection of hand protection shall be based on evaluation of the task being
performed, conditions present, duration of exposure, potential hazards
identified, and performance characteristics of glove material. Refer to the
location’s PPE hazard assessment.

D. Head Protection

Employees must wear a company provided hard hat at all field, plant, and platform
locations per the local hazard assessment. The company will provide hard hats that
meet or exceed all requirements of ANSI Z89.1 - 1986 (impact protection) and ANSI
Z89.2 - 1971 (electrical protection). If a hard hat becomes brittle, cracks, or is
otherwise damaged, it shall be replaced immediately. Suspensions must be replaced
annually. Shells must be replaced at least every 5 years.

E. Eye Protection

Approved safety glasses with sideshields or goggles meeting ANSI Z87.1 standards
are mandatory in all operation areas except as designated in the local hazard
assessment. Prescription safety glasses will be purchased for employees when an
employee wears corrective lens and performs tasks where eye protection is
necessary. Contact lenses are permitted but require the use of eye protection.
Operations which require additional eye shall be assessed on an individual basis.
Chemical handling may require the use of specific safety glasses/goggles per the
MSDS.

F. Face Protection

During all operations involving grinding, chipping, and buffing, or where material
could separate and become a projectile, a face shield shall be worn in conjuntion
with safety glasses/goggles per the local hazard assessment. Chemical handling may
require the use of specific face shields per the MSDS.

G. Hearing Protection

The hazard assessment shall identify areas where hearing protection is necessary.
Signs shall be posted at or before each location where continuous noise levels are at
85 dBA or greater. Various forms of hearing protection are available and must be
worn in posted areas. Hearing protection must also be worn during operations that
generate noise in excess of 85 dBA, such as blowing down lines or certain workover
or drilling activities.

H. Fall Protection

1. BP employees and contractors are required to use fall protection equipment or

systems when an assessment of the hazard indicates that a person could fall 6 or
 more feet. A pre-job risk assessment must be conducted on site prior to any
work at any elevation which could expose a worker to a fall hazard. This
analysis must address specific fall hazards, control measures, workover
operating machinery, open spaces, or hazardous protrusions which cannot be
guarded. Additional concerns to be addressed may be falls into open
excavations, trenches, or floor openings at the worksite. Provisions for the
rescue of an employee who has fallen and is incapable of self-rescue must be
addressed. Work planning, engineering controls and the use of primary fall
protection such as adequate guardrails and work platforms are the fundamental
processes that must be used when considering fall protection. Personal fall
protection and fall arrest systems are considered secondary protection and are
the action of last resort.

2. Drilling and well servicing companies working on BP sites shall have a

verifiable Fall Protection Program in place. Rig traveling blocks shall cease
operation until all personnel are in their workstations and secured to personal
fall-arrest systems. If it becomes necessary for individuals to move from their
normal workstation while attached to a PFAS, the blocks shall be secured from
movement by latching the brake handle until the worker returns to their normal
workstation.

3. Personal fall protection shall be an ANSI-approved, full body harness, shock

absorbing lanyard system. BP requires the use of double or Y-lanyards so that
when moving, one lanyard shall always be connected to an anchor point. This
will assure 100% Fall Protection at all times.

4. Fall Protection Training

a. Employees who might be exposed to fall hazards must be trained in fall

hazard recognition and the proper use of fall protection methods.
Retraining is required when:

 There is reason to believe that a previously trained employee does not

have the understanding or skill required.
 Changes in the work make previous training obsolete.
 Changes are made in fall protection systems or equipment.
 Inadequacies in the use of protective equipment are apparent.

b. Training will be conducted by a competent trainer.

c. Certification of training must be maintained.

I. Fire-Resistant Clothing (FRC)

 FRC will be required for all BP employees and contractors when conducting the
following operations:

1. Performing pipeline gathering system repairs involving hydrocarbon

atmospheres where hot work is being conducted (Initial absence of
hydrocarbon does not ensure that conditions will remain safe for the duration of
the job.)

2. Vessel draining and tank cleaning in conjunction with confined space entry with
an exposure to hydrocarbon atmospheres

3. Collecting samples or performing laboratory analysis of highly volatile liquids

(Highly volatile liquids are defined as those liquids having a vapor pressure of
40 psi or greater at 100° F)

4. Conducting flame arrestor tests

5. Conducting hot tapping operations on hydrocarbon lines

6. Situations where an employee and supervisor identify a site-specific job and/or

area with exposure to flashburn injuries

 FRC Material Selection

FRC garments selected by each Performance Unit shall meet the standards for:

1. Flame resistance: A single layer of protective fabric shall be tested for flame
resistance and shall have an average damaged length of not more than 3.9
inches (100 mm), and average afterflame of not more than 2.0 seconds and there
shall be no molten drips.

2. Thermal protection: If the protective garment is worn over another layer of

fabric, the protective fabric shall exhibit an average Thermal Protective
Performance (TPP) value of 4 (before and after washing). If the protective
garment is to be worn next to the skin, without another layer underneath, the
protective fabric shall exhibit an average TPP value of at least 6.

3. Heat resistance: The single layer of protective fabric and other textile materials
that may come in direct contact with the body shall not melt, separate or ignite
when individually tested.

4. Melting point: The single layer protective fabric and any lining/interface fabrics
used in the garment shall not melt below 500° F.

 Performance Unit Programs

 Each Performance Unit shall determine:

1. What garment types (e.g., coveralls) will be chosen

2. The number of garments to be issued or otherwise made available

3. The garment material chosen (e.g., Kermel, Nomex), providing it meets the
standard as described in Material Selection section of this program

 Site-Specific Program

1. Each operating location’s hazard assessment will address all the site-specific
details of FRC use.

2. Local policy shall also be developed and made available to all affected
personnel detailing site specific requirements for type of garments available and
laundering and repair procedures for FRC.

VI. References

A. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor; 29 CFR

1910, 95, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 138; and 1926.104, 105, 556, 605, 951, 959.

B. American National Standards Institute; ANSI 10.14; ANSI Z41.1, ANSI Z87.1,
1989.