Personal protective equipment (ppe) is used to

Biological agents transfer from person to person by direct or indirect contact. Health workers maintain close contact with patients. Thus, they need PPE that protects them from potential transmission. Important transmission pathways to mitigate with PPE include:

  • Person to person contact
  • Droplet spread
  • Airborne transmission
  • Contaminated objects (fomites)

The use of (IPC) principles keep patients and health workers safe. IPC includes measures like: hand hygiene, PPE use and waste management materials. In addition, the WHO ensures the safety of the health workforce by providing guidance on the safe use of PPE. Depending on the biological agent and context different recommendations apply. For example, some PPE recommended for Ebola virus disease (EVD) might not be adequate for COVID-19.

Over the years, the WHO has provided technical information on the PPE for health care workers. In some countries, PPE is considered a medical device by regulation authorities. The latest publications by WHO describe PPE in the context of:

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Your workplace will  generally specify when you need to use PPE and what type of PPE is required for different tasks or individuals. If you require medical protective equipment or other types of PPE, Beaucare’s wide range of personal protective clothing, are cost effective solutions. Do not hesitate, to get in touch if you have any queries and we will be more than happy to assist.

Personal protective equipment is special equipment you wear to create a barrier between you and germs. This barrier reduces the chance of touching, being exposed to, and spreading germs.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) helps prevent the spread of germs in the hospital. This can protect people and health care workers from infections.

All hospital staff, patients, and visitors should use PPE when there will be contact with blood or other bodily fluids as well as when exposed to air-borne diseases such as COVID-19.

Types of PPE

Wearing gloves protects your hands from germs and helps reduce the spread of germs.

Masks cover your mouth and nose.

  • Some masks have a see-through plastic part that covers your eyes.
  • A surgical mask helps stop germs in your nose and mouth from spreading. It can also keep you from breathing in some germs.
  • A special respiratory mask (respirator) forms a tight seal around your nose and mouth. An N95 respirator is an example of this type of equipment. It may be needed so that you do not breathe in small germs like tuberculosis bacteria or measles or chickenpox viruses.

Eye protection includes face shields and goggles. These protect the mucous membranes in your eyes from blood and other bodily fluids. If these fluids make contact with the eyes, germs in the fluid can enter the body through the mucous membranes. These also may protect from infectious droplets carried through the air.

Clothing includes gowns, aprons, head covering, and shoe covers.

  • These are often used during surgery to protect you and the patient.
  • They are also used during surgery to protect you when you work with bodily fluids.
  • Visitors wear gowns if they are visiting a person who is in isolation due to an illness that can be easily spread.

You may need special PPE when handling some cancer drugs. This equipment is called cytotoxic PPE.

  • You may need to wear a gown with long sleeves and elastic cuffs. This gown should keep liquids from touching your skin.
  • You may also need to wear shoe covers, goggles, and special gloves.

Choose the Right PPE

You may need to use different types of PPE for different people. Your workplace has written instructions about when to wear PPE and what type to use. You need PPE when you care for people who are in isolation as well as other patients.

Ask your supervisor how you can learn more about protective equipment.

After You Use PPE

Remove and dispose of PPE safely to protect others from being exposed to germs. Before leaving your work area, remove all PPE and put it in the right place. This may include:

  • Special laundry containers that can be reused after cleaning
  • Special waste containers that are different from other waste containers
  • Specially marked bags for cytotoxic PPE

Alternative Names

PPE

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Personal protective equipment. www.cdc.gov/niosh/ppe. Updated August 2, 2021. Accessed January 18, 2022.

Palmore TN. Infection prevention and control in the health care setting. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 298.

Review Date 10/24/2021

Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What is the PPE used for?

PPE such as gowns, gloves, masks, and goggles provide physical barriers that prevent the hands, skin, clothing, eyes, nose, and mouth from coming in contact with infectious agents.

Is PPE Personal Protective Equipment?

Information on specific components of PPE. Including gloves, gowns, shoe covers, head covers, masks, respirators, eye protection, face shields, and goggles. Gloves help protect you when directly handling potentially infectious materials or contaminated surfaces.

When should PPE be used?

PPE should be used when all other measures are inadequate to control exposure. It protects only the wearer, while being worn. If it fails, PPE offers no protection at all.

What PPE equipment should be used and when?

PPE Use in Healthcare Settings Gloves, protect the hands, gowns or aprons protect the skin and/or clothing, masks and respirators protect the mouth and nose, goggles protect the eyes, and face shields protect the entire face.