Every person will have this question in mind that when should i wear PPE. PPE should be wear based on the risk of exposure. In the latter paragraph you will have answer of this question- When should I wear PPE.
Personal Protective Equipments or PPE Kit are protective gears designed to safeguard the health by minimizing the exposure to a biological agent, various contagious viruses, bacteria’s, or infections.
What is PPE kit?
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, face masks, face shied or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer’s body from infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter.
Infection prevention and control measures include, among other measures: hand hygiene, personal protective equipment and waste management materials. The Protective equipment PPE Kit consists of garments placed to protect the health care workers or any other persons to get infected.
What does a PPE kit contains?
PPE kit usually consist of standard precautions: gloves, mask, gown. If it is blood or airborne high infections, will include: goggles, face-shield, mask, gloves, coverall /gowns (with or without aprons), head cover and shoe cover. Each component and rationale for its use is given in the following
PPE Face shield and goggles: When should I wear PPE
Contamination of mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth is likely in a scenario of droplets generated by cough, sneeze of an infected person or during aerosol generating procedures carried out in a clinical setting. Inadvertently touching the eyes/nose/mouth with a contaminated hand is another likely scenario.
The flexible frame of goggles should provide good seal with the skin of the face, covering the eyes and the surrounding areas and even accommodating for prescription glasses.
PPE Face Masks: When should I wear PPE
Respiratory viruses that includes Coronaviruses target mainly the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Hence protecting the airway from the particulate matter generated by droplets / aerosols prevents human infection. Contamination of mucous membranes of the mouth and nose by infective droplets or through a contaminated hand also allows the virus to enter the host.
Hence the droplet precautions/airborne precautions using face masks are crucial while dealing with a suspect or confirmed
case of COVID-19/performing aerosol generating procedures.
Types of PPE face Masks
The type of mask to be used is related to particular risk profile of the category of personnel and his/her work. There are two types of masks which are recommended for various categories of personnel working in hospital or community settings, depending upon the work environment:
Triple layer medical mask:
A triple layer medical mask is a disposable mask, fluid-resistant, provide protection to the wearer from droplets of infectious material emitted during coughing/sneezing/talking.
N-95 Respirator mask: When should I wear PPE
An N-95 respirator mask is a respiratory protective device with high filtration efficiency to airborne particles. To provide the requisite air seal to the wearer, such masks are designed to achieve a very close facial fit
PPE hand Gloves
Nitrile gloves are preferred over latex gloves because they resist chemicals, including certain disinfectants such as chlorine. There is a high rate of allergies to latex and contact allergic dermatitis among health workers. However, if nitrile gloves are not available, latex gloves can be used. Nonpowdered gloves are preferred to powdered gloves.
PPE Coverall/Gowns: When should I wear PPE
Coverall/gowns are designed to protect torso of healthcare providers from exposure to virus. Although coveralls typically provide 360-degree protection because they are designed to cover the whole body, including back and lower legs and sometimes head and feet as well, the design of medical/ isolation gowns do not provide continuous whole-body protection (e.g., possible openings in the back, coverage to the mid-calf only).
PPE Shoe covers
Shoe covers should be made up of impermeable fabric to be used over shoes to facilitate personal protection and decontamination.
Head covers
Coveralls usually cover the head. Those using gowns, should use a head cover that covers the head and neck while providing clinical care for patients. Hair and hair extensions should fit inside the head cover.
Are PPE kit made of plastic?
Yes but it is Single-use plastic (SUP), which is considered an environmental hazard, is now redeeming itself in an uncanny way by protecting doctors and other health workers from the deadly virus.
PPE kit including goggles, face shields, masks, gloves, coveralls or gowns, head covers and shoe covers, are all made of this plastic and reduce the risk of the person using them from contracting an infection.
Polypropylene, a non-woven material that can be used only once, is largely used in making PPE.
Types of corona virus PPE kit?
Selecting the right PPE to sufficiently reduce exposure to hazards is essential to laboratory safety. The purpose of this section is to provide resources allowing researchers to identify and classify various types of PPE so the appropriate safety precautions are taken when conducting research.
The different types of PPE include:
- Head and scalp protection
- Respiratory protection
- Eye protection
- Hearing protection
- Hand and arm protection
- Foot and leg protection
- Body protection
- Height and access protection.
Is PPE kits effective in preventing Covid-19?
Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, gloves, goggles, and face shields, is effective in preventing Covid-19 infection in frontline healthcare professionals who work in highly exposed environments, according to a study.
The team, including researchers from the University of Birmingham, UK, set out to examine the protective effects of appropriate PPE for frontline healthcare professionals who provided care for patients with Covid-19.
Their findings are based on 420 healthcare professionals — 116 doctors and 304 nurses — with an average age of 36 years, who were deployed to Wuhan for 6-8 weeks from 24 January to April 7, 2020 to care for patients with Covid-19.
Participants worked 4-6 hour shifts for an average of 5.4 days a week, and an average of 16.2 hours each week in intensive care units.
All participants were provided with appropriate PPE, including protective suits, masks, gloves, goggles, face shields, and gowns.
They also received training in the correct use of PPE and in reducing their exposure to infection when caring for patients, the researchers said.
During the deployment period in Wuhan, none of the study participants reported Covid-19 related symptoms, they said.
When the participants returned home, they all tested negative for Covid-19 infection or its antibodies, according to the researchers.
“However, this limitation does not affect our conclusion that appropriate PPE is effective in preventing infection in healthcare professionals who work in highly exposed environments,” the researchers said.
In general, most PPE is designed to be used only one time and by one person prior to disposal. There are a few exceptions, for example some types of elastomeric respirator masks and protective eyewear such as goggles may be reused if the user follows decontamination methods in the product labeling.
Can I wash disposable PPE?
No. Disposable PPE is designed to be used only one time and by one person; it cannot be washed. Washing PPE changes its protective or barrier capabilities, and it may no longer be effective.
Where can I buy PPE kit?
Most types of PPE are available without a prescription. Pharmacies, medical supply stores, and Internet medical supply retailers sell PPE.
Are PPE kits allowed in flight?
It only depends on the decision made by your government. In India some states has allowed this. However We will sweat out within 30 minutes while wearing the PPE kits. It is very difficult to handle it inside air conditioned places. If you are wearing PPE kits, you won’t be able to have food or go to the toilet. It will be really difficult to sit for hours wearing it. Though the airport offers the facility to wear PPE kits, passengers will face many health problems while travelling.
What is the cost of PPE Kits in india?
Price of PPE kits in India starts from 300 INR. However cost may vary depending on the manufacturing company, regions, taxes etc.
What is the correct order to wear and Remove PPE kit properly? |step by step | Donning and Doffing of PPE kit
To wear and remove ppe kit is called donning and doffing of ppe. PPE kit must be wear and remove in the correct order. Here in the below video you will see the step by step correct order to wear and remove ppe that is nothing but donning and doffing of ppe in correct order.
PPE is not recyclable or biodegradable, and it needs to be treated as waste. Some experts say PPE is ending up at recycling plants. That may be due to misinformation about how to dispose of masks, gloves, and wipes.
“Even if they are plastic, they are not treated as curbside recycling,” David Biderman, executive director and CEO of the Solid Waste Association of North America, said in a CNN article. “They should be placed in a securely tight garbage bag and be put out with the regular trash for collection.”
So, what can we do about the PPE kit waste issue? Gloves, masks, and wipes are playing a vital role in our lives right now as a way to protect people from contracting and spreading the coronavirus. Still, harming our environment and possibly polluting the ocean should not be a necessary consequence.
If you have any suggestions regarding the PPE kit waste issue then please comment in the comment box provided below.
When should I wear PPE ? The Complete Scenario
PPE should be used based on the risk of exposure (e.g. type of activity) and the transmission dynamics of the pathogen (e.g. contact, droplet or aerosol). The overuse of PPE will have a further impact on supply shortages. Observing the following recommendations will ensure rational use of PPE.
- The type of PPE kit used when caring for COVID-19
patients will vary according to the setting and type
of personnel and activity. - Health care workers involved in the direct care of patients should use the following PPE: gowns, gloves, medical mask, and eye protection (goggles or face shield).
- Respirators (e.g. N95, FFP2 or equivalent standard) have been used for an extended time during previous public health emergencies involving acute respiratory illness when PPE was in short supply. This refers to wearing the same respirator while caring for multiple patients who have the same diagnosis without removing it, and evidence indicates that respirators maintain their protection when used for extended periods. However, using one respirator for longer than 4 hours can lead to discomfort and should be avoided.
- Among the general public, persons with respiratory
symptoms or those caring for COVID-19 patients at
home should receive medical masks. For additional
information, see Home care for patients with COVID-19 presenting with mild symptoms and management of their contacts. - For persons without symptoms, wearing a mask of any type is not recommended. Wearing medical masks when they are not indicated may cause unnecessary cost and a procurement burden and create a false sense of security that can lead to the neglect of other essential preventive measures. For additional information, see Advice on the use of masks in the community, during home care, and in health care settings in the context of COVID-19.
We hope that you have found the answer of this question- when should i wear PPE. Along with this now you would have the answer to the other questions regarding PPE kit, n95 face mask, gloves, corona virus body gown etc.
Desclaimer: These information have been collected from various sources by our team. we did our best to collect information regarding ppe kit. But if you find anything wrong information then contact us or verify by your own side. we would not be responsible for that.