Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is used by individuals to protect themselves from infectious diseases and viruses. PPE is used daily by many people depending on their profession, like medical personnel and emergency responders. The types of PPE they wear depends on the purpose and environment in which they may be exposed.
There are different types of personal protective equipment to protect you from head to toe. Types of PPE to protect your face include goggles, face shields, face masks, surgical masks, and respirators. These PPE items act as a barrier between viruses or bacterial contaminants and your skin. These barriers can help protect you against the transmission of contaminants found in blood, bodily fluids, and even secretions from respiratory infections.
Personal protective equipment which is used to protect the body includes items such as lab coats, jackets, aprons, surgical gowns, and hazardous materials (HAZMAT) suits. Medical staff and nurses wear PPE to protect them while they are in medical environments. These protective items allow them to perform their critical jobs safely without exposing themselves to harmful bacteria, virus, or bloodborne pathogens (BBP).
Shoe coverings and boots are special PPE that offers protection from stepping into a contaminated area. Gloves can be used to help protect the hands from touching bacterial and viral diseases. When removing disposable gloves, be sure to peel them off starting at the wrist and pulling down so the glove will be inside out when off. This allows any contaminated materials, germs, or bacteria to stay wrapped inside the glove instead of exposed on the surface where someone else might come into contact with it.
PPE is not difficult to find and can be ordered online and found at many pharmacies or medical supply stores across the nation. If you have a specific question, contact a pharmacy or medical supply store for extra help. Not only can personal protective equipment be purchased at many pharmacy and medical supply stores, the employees there can also teach you how to use it properly. Personal protective equipment doesn’t provide you with any benefits if you don’t use it correctly.
With the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) health threat, most individuals are using face masks for protection since they are easy to use and inexpensive.
Learn more today about the proper use of PPE by taking MyCPR NOW’s online BBP certification, get started today by clicking below.
