Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal Protective Equipment, also referred to as PPE, is specialized equipment that improves personnel safety in situations or locations where the risk of infectious disease or other biological or physical hazards are present. Exposure to blood, saliva, or other bodily fluids or airborne pathogens that may carry infection are all hazards in a healthcare setting. Protective wear reduces risk of exposure by creating a physical barrier between the user and the potentially infectious material.

Common Personal Protective Equipment often includes:

• Bonnets - Contains the hair and reduces the risk of cross-contamination and loose hair which can snag on objects.
• Face Shields - Protects the face from potential splatter.
• Gloves - Protects the hands, often the most at-risk part of the body since it is the main tools we use to interact with things.
• Goggles - Protects the eyes from splatter or other potentially airborne infection.
• Gowns - Keeps clothing underneath clean and free from potential infectious material which could cause infection later on.
• Masks - Respirator masks can be appropriate in areas with a lot of particulate matter in the air, or danger of airborne infections. Surgical or face masks can reduce the risk of ingesting or inhaling infectious material through the mouth.
• Shoe Covers - Keeps the shoes clean and free of potentially infectious material, and reduces the risk of tracking contamination into other areas.