Personal protective equipment is the first control that comes to mind when working with a hazardous material. In the hierarchy of controls, however, it stands last: it comes into play where the measures preceding it are not enough. This article looks at which risk equipment is chosen against in an environment where venom is handled, and what it cannot cover on its own.
Where does the risk come from?
The right equipment cannot be chosen before the exposure routes have been determined. In the safety data sheet published for our product, the material is classified as acutely toxic if swallowed, in contact with skin and if inhaled. Each of these three routes calls for a separate control; how the classification is read is explained in the article on hazard statements.
To these a mechanical risk is added. In areas where live animals are handled there is a possibility of a sting, while in areas where the material is processed the risks of sharp glass and splashes come to the fore. When working with the powder form, airborne particles are decisive; with the liquid form, droplet formation.
The moments at which exposure occurs most often are known as well. Opening containers, weighing, transferring, diluting and cleaning are the steps at which the material leaves the closed environment and comes closest to the person. Choosing equipment around these steps avoids setting up an unnecessarily heavy regime while leaving no risky moment uncovered.
The outcome of the risk assessment should be in writing. Which equipment is to be used in which operation is determined job by job; there is no single list that suits everyone and every operation.
The layers of equipment
| Layer | The risk it addresses | Point to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Gloves | Skin contact | Material suited to the substance, correct size, changed regularly |
| Eye and face protection | Splashes and dust | Goggles closed at the sides; a face shield where splashing is likely |
| Laboratory coat | Contamination of clothing and skin | Long-sleeved and closed; not taken out of the work area |
| Respiratory protection | Dust and aerosols | A filter of the right class, a seal check, monitoring of service life |
| Foot protection and closed clothing | Dropped containers, spillage | Closed shoes; clothing that leaves no exposed area |
Maintaining the equipment is as decisive as choosing it. A worn, punctured item, or one that has lost its elasticity, gives no protection; conversely, a glove with no visible damage is still replaced after a certain time. Service life is determined by the substance the material comes into contact with and by the duration of contact, and this information is passed on to the user in advance.
What the rows of the table have in common is that the right choice depends on the material. The presence of a glove gives no protection on its own; its material, thickness and wearing time have to suit the job. In the same way, the function of a respirator depends on its fitting the face properly. Which type is to be chosen is stated in the relevant section of the safety data sheet; the structure of the sheet is described in the article on safety data sheets.
Extra measures for the powder form
Lyophilized material is light and easily dispersed; when the container is opened, even the slightest air current can scatter the powder. Weighing and transfer are therefore carried out inside a cabinet that keeps the air under control. Opening containers only after they have come to room temperature reduces both condensation and sudden air movement. Surfaces are cleaned by a wet method after the operation; sweeping or dry wiping raises the dust into the air again.
Putting on, taking off and disposal
The moment at which equipment causes most contamination is when it is taken off. Touching the outer surface of a contaminated glove with a bare hand undoes every precaution taken up to that point. The sequence is therefore set in advance and everyone follows the same one.
- At the end of the work, the hands are cleaned within the area before anything else is touched.
- The gloves are removed by turning them inside out without touching the outer surface, and dropped into the waste container.
- Goggles or a face shield are removed by touching the part of the face that has stayed clean.
- The coat is taken off and folded with the contaminated surface inwards.
- The hands are washed again; only then is the area left.
The order for putting equipment on follows the same logic but runs the other way: first the items covering the body, then face and eye protection, and the gloves last. Leaving the gloves until last keeps the hands clean while the other items are put on. Tucking the cuffs inside the gloves is a way of leaving no exposed area.
Used equipment is not household waste. Single-use items go into a waste stream appropriate to the material's classification, while items to be reused are stored separately with a defined cleaning method. The declaration on waste management is also given in the safety data sheet.
Equipment comes last
Protective equipment does not remove the risk; it only places a barrier between the person and the material. Other controls have to stand behind that barrier: carrying out the operation in a closed system, ventilation and the use of a cabinet, separation of the work area, restricting the entry of unauthorized people and training the personnel. Relying on equipment before these are in place means tying protection to its most fragile link.
Emergency preparedness is part of this whole as well. An eyewash and shower point should be accessible, a spill kit kept available, and the emergency instruction and contact details displayed where they can be seen. In the event of any exposure or a scorpion sting, the only thing to do is to stay calm, keep the affected area still and call 112; the material's documents are kept ready to show to the medical team.
For receiving institutions, the use of protective equipment is not a recommendation but part of the supply conditions. The scope of this is summarized on the products page, and the obligations on the buyer's side are covered in a separate article.
