4303 Personal Protective Equipment

Responsible Office: Environmental Health and Safety (“EHS”)
Responsible Official: Executive Director, EHS
Effective Date: February 04, 2026
Revision Date: February 04, 2026

Policy Sections

4303.1 Background
4303.2 Evaluating Hazards and PPE Needs
4303.3 Training Requirements
4303.4 Medical Surveillance Requirements
4303.5 Care and Use of PPE
4303.6 Compliance

Scope

This Policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, affiliates, and visitors, where Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) is required, based on their job duties, other activities, potential exposures, or work environment. This Policy does not preclude the addition of more stringent PPE requirements for specific activities or work environments.

Policy Statement

Yale University (University) is committed to providing a safe and healthy place of employment, education, and research. During University activities, individuals may encounter potentially Hazardous Materials, Hazardous Conditions, or Hazardous Processes. Whenever feasible, identified hazards should be eliminated or replaced with less Hazardous Materials or Hazardous Processes (substitution). Additionally, if Engineering Controls and/or Administrative Controls (e.g., work practices) are insufficient to fully protect an individual from a hazard, PPE may be necessary. The University provides and makes readily available all required PPE. The safety requirements of some work environments also limit Personal Attire.

Reason for the Policy

The purpose of this Policy is to set forth requirements, consistent with federal and state regulations and University policies, for the use of PPE during University activities. In addition to the requirements of this Policy, there are situations where PPE is addressed by other University safety policies, procedures, and/or programs (see Related Resources, below).

Definitions

Administrative Control

A change in the way an activity is conducted or a procedure is performed that reduces the likelihood of exposure to a Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition, or Hazardous Process. Examples include written safety policies, procedures, rules, schedules, and training, which reduce the duration, frequency, and/or severity of exposure to a Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition, or Hazardous Process.

Affected Individual

Any faculty, staff, student, affiliate, or visitor who may be exposed to Hazardous Materials, Hazardous Conditions, or Hazardous Processes and is required to use PPE.

Donning

The act of putting on PPE prior to entering a hazardous environment or beginning an activity requiring protection.

Doffing

The act of removing PPE after leaving a hazardous environment or completing an activity requiring protection.

Engineering Control

The redesign, replacement, or application of equipment to an activity or work environment to reduce or eliminate exposure to a Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition, or Hazardous Process.

Hazardous Condition

Any environmental or operational circumstance that increases the risk of injury, illness, or exposure to Hazardous Materials.

Hazardous Material

Any substance (chemical, biological, physical, radiological, or otherwise) that poses a risk to health, safety, or property.

Hazardous Process

Any procedure, operation, or activity that involves Hazardous Materials or Hazardous Conditions and may require the use of PPE.

Medical Surveillance

The evaluation of an individual’s health in the work environment in relation to their potential exposures to Hazardous Materials, Hazardous Conditions, or Hazardous Processes. Medical Surveillance also includes an evaluation of the individual’s ability to wear the required PPE.

Personal Attire

Clothing and accessories worn by individuals in the workplace, which may be subject to specific requirements to ensure safety and compatibility with PPE.

Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”)

Equipment worn to minimize exposure to a Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition, or Hazardous Process. Examples of PPE include lab coats, hard-hats, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, goggles, hearing protectors, respirators, fall and electrical protection devices, and other such devices meant to protect an individual from exposure to a Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition, or Hazardous Process.

PPE Hazard Assessment

The evaluation of the PPE requirements for a specific activity or work environment, so that an individual is protected from exposure to a Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition, or Hazardous Process.

Policy Sections

4303.1 Background

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has established a specific set of PPE standards in Parts 1910 (General Industry) and 1926 (Construction) of Title 29 (Labor) of the U.S. Department of Labor Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”). These standards address PPE selection, inspection, Donning, and maintenance. Additional standards that address PPE include the National Electrical Code.(e.g., the National Fire Protection Association (“NFPA”) Issuance 70E), the Center for Disease Control (“CDC”)/National Institutes for Health (“NIH”) Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, standards of the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Standards for Protection Against Radiation (10 CFR Part 20). The University requires all faculty, staff, students, affiliates, and visitors to adhere to these standards.

4303.2 Evaluating Hazards and PPE Needs

OSHA requires the University to identify and evaluate potentially Hazardous Materials, Hazardous Conditions, and Hazardous Processes that may require control measures, including the use of PPE. If an exposure to a Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition, or Hazardous Process exists that cannot be avoided or eliminated through Administrative or Engineering Controls, the applicable Principal Investigator (“PI”), manager, supervisor, or instructor must select, provide, and make available proper PPE to the exposed individuals. PPE purchased for use on campus must comply with the applicable American National Standards Institute (“ANSI”) standards for the specific type of PPE or the procedure associated with its use.

The following table gives examples of different types of PPE and the hazards for which they offer protection. The Related Resources section at the end of this policy provides links to PPE Requirements (see applicable “Yale University PPE Assessment Tables”) for Affected Individuals.

Additional Requirements Specific to Laboratories

PIs, lab managers, supervisors, and instructors must complete the online Laboratory PPE Hazard Assessment Tool (“the Tool”) for all activities that occur in their laboratory. (Note: User must connect to VPN to access the Tool.) The Tool aids in the identification of typical hazards found in a laboratory and specifies PPE necessary for protecting individuals from these hazards. The Tool must be renewed at least every 2 years and updated whenever a new Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition or Hazardous Process is introduced into the laboratory. Please contact your EHS Safety Advisor for assistance.

Exceptions and alternate PPE requirements may be proposed in the Tool. If less stringent PPE is desired than what the Tool specifies, any proposed exceptions to implement alternate PPE requirements must be approved by EHS before implementing. If not approved by EHS, the PI, lab managers, supervisors, or instructors may request further review by the Chemical and Laboratory Safety Committee, the Biological Safety Committee, the Radiation Safety Committee, or the University Safety Committee, as appropriate.

Body Part	Example of PPE	Examples of Hazard
Feet	Safety shoes	Crushing injury Puncture injury Slip injury Electric shock
Eyes	Safety glasses Goggles Welding helmet or face shield	Human blood Biological pathogens Particles Lacrimating vapors Chemical splash UV light from welding Light exposure from lasers
Face	Face shield	Impact from flying particulates (e.g., wood chips) Splash of blood, biological pathogen, or chemical to the eyes or mucous membranes
Ears	Ear plugs or muffs	Loud noise from equipment or other noise sources
Head	Hard-hat	Contact from falling object
Body (torso)	Lab coat Chemical resistant apron Leather apron	Chemical splash Blood or biological pathogen splash on broken skin Burn from molten metal work
Hands	Gloves (chemical-resistant/ cut resistant/insulated)	Contact with chemicals Cuts from sharps Contact with hot or cold objects Animal bites or scratches Electric shock
Respiratory system	Respirator	Particles (e.g., aerosolized or suspended pathogenic viruses, bacteria, fungi, nanomaterials, silica), vapors, gases, fumes or allergens

4303.3 Training Requirements

Individuals required to wear PPE must participate in training before performing any activities requiring PPE use. The training must include information on the following:

When/Why PPE is necessary: Understanding the specific hazards and situations where PPE is required.
How to properly use PPE: This includes Donning, Doffing, adjusting, and wearing PPE correctly.
Limitations of PPE: Recognizing the boundaries of PPE and when it cannot provide adequate protection.
Proper care, maintenance, and disposal: Ensuring that PPE is maintained properly, its lifespan is understood, and it is disposed of correctly when no longer usable.

An individual’s specific training requirements are based on their activities, work environment, and potential exposures to Hazardous Materials, Hazardous Conditions, and/or Hazardous Processes. This training is provided via several methods, including instructor-led sessions, computer-based training courses, written programs, or by local supervisors.

In many cases, an individual’s PPE training requirements are assigned via Workday Learning.

Depending on the job and location of an individual, PPE training may be provided as a separate standalone session or it may be included in another required EHS training, for such topical areas as Hazard Communication, Laboratory Safety, Biosafety, Bloodborne Pathogens, Noise & Hearing Conservation, and/or Respiratory Protection.

4303.4 Medical Surveillance Requirements

Prior to wearing certain types of PPE (e.g., respiratory protection), Medical Surveillance may be required. This may involve a health assessment to ensure that the individual can safely use the PPE without adverse effects. The Medical Surveillance program is managed by Yale University Employee Health. Further information can be found on the Yale Health website.

4303.5 Care and Use of PPE

Individuals who use PPE must properly fit, inspect, use, clean, maintain, and store their PPE. EHS can aid with all of these steps.

Fitting: PPE is available in different sizes (or is adjustable) to accommodate different individuals and uses. Users must choose or adjust their PPE so that it is appropriately sized to provide maximum protection, and to facilitate their ability to safely perform the activity.
Inspection: Users must inspect PPE before and after each use, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Any PPE that is damaged, worn out, defective or otherwise no longer provides effective protection must be removed from service for repair or replacement.
Use: Users must use appropriate PPE whenever required. Any PPE found to be worn out, defective, cut or otherwise damaged must be immediately replaced. Immediately discontinue using contaminated PPE. Contaminated uniforms and lab coats must be decontaminated prior to laundering. If contaminated, other re-usable PPE must also be decontaminated prior to reuse. Information on how to decontaminate items is included in topical trainings. Disposable PPE must never be reused.
Maintenance and Storage: Users must keep their PPE clean and properly maintained. After each use, reusable PPE must be cleaned and maintained according to the manufacturers’ instructions and EHS topical training. . PPE should be stored in a cabinet, locker, or other location away from sources of potential contamination or sharp/heavy objects that could deform or otherwise cause damage.

4303.6 Compliance

When indicated by the work environment, a PPE Hazard Assessment, or other procedure, consistent use of appropriate PPE, is required. In many cases, wearing a uniform or specified Personal Attire is also required. No activity may be conducted if the required Personal Attire is not worn or the required PPE is not available and used. Failure to comply with these requirements can be grounds for disciplinary action, as can failure to enforce PPE and Personal Attire requirements. PIs, managers, and supervisors can contact their HR Generalist, Department Chair, Business Partner, or Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs, as appropriate, for help in addressing noncompliance. EHS has the authority to take necessary actions to enforce compliance with this Policy and to address unsafe conditions, including stopping an activity or shutting down a laboratory or other facility if necessary.

Roles & Responsibilities

Environmental Health and Safety (“EHS”)

Develop and update PPE policies, guidance, and PPE assessment tables;
Provide general safety training;
Require adherence to this Policy;
Identify activities, work environments, and potential exposures where a PPE Hazard Assessment is required;
Review and approve requirements and completed PPE Hazard Assessments as needed or upon request;
Address PPE exception requests; and
Provide guidance on the selection and use of PPE and training as necessary.

Principal Investigator (“PI”), Manager, Supervisor, and/or Instructor

Primarily responsible for the safety of the faculty, staff, students, affiliates, and visitors who perform activities under their direction. These responsibilities include:

Perform, document, and certify PPE Hazard Assessments for their staff, students, affiliates and visitors when they first enter a work environment, begin an activity, or are potentially exposed to a Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition, or Hazardous Process;
Review and update these assessments when a new Hazardous Material, Hazardous Condition, or Hazardous Process is introduced into the work environment or if there is a change to a process or the location where a process is conducted;
Ensure that staff, students, affiliates, and visitors are aware of Hazardous Materials, Hazardous Conditions, or Hazardous Processes in their work environment;
Ensure that staff, students, affiliates, and visitors receive applicable PPE information and training prior to exposure to those hazards;
Ensure that staff, students, affiliates, and visitors complete applicable medical requirements prior to entering the lab or using PPE;
Provide additional safety training that is specific to their activities and work environment;
Supply required PPE at no cost to affected staff and students;¹
Communicate, monitor, and enforce Personal Attire requirements and minimum PPE standards to all individuals who enter the work environment, as well as the use of PPE specified by the PPE Hazard Assessment, work environment, or activity performed; and
Notify EHS of materials, conditions, or processes that may require individuals to wear additional or different types of PPE.

Faculty, Staff, Students, Affiliates, and Visitors

Follow the Administrative Controls (e.g., safety procedures) outlined in this and other documents;
Participate in safety and PPE training sessions;
Work with applicable PI, manager, supervisor, or instructor to determine if changes to PPE are required;
Wear specified Personal Attire, as required;
Care for and use PPE as required; and
Notify applicable PI, manager, supervisor, or instructor of any contaminated, worn out, defective, cut or otherwise damaged PPE.
Complete any applicable medical requirements prior to entering the lab or using PPE.

Notes

[1]Exception: An undergraduate student enrolled in a laboratory course is required to purchase their own laboratory coat. Unless it becomes contaminated, they are responsible for the care and maintenance of the laboratory coat by following the manufacturer’s instructions.