Before using PPE, how should you inspect it for safety?

Before using PPE, how should you inspect it for safety?

• A. Wash PPE with soap
• B. Check for cracks, tears, or deterioration
• C. Weigh PPE
• D. Calibrate PPE with a ruler

Answer: (B)

Before using PPE, you want to confirm it will actually protect you. Inspecting for safety means looking for any signs that the gear has been damaged or worn, such as cracks, tears, or deterioration. Damage can create gaps, reduce seal, or compromise strength, making the protection unreliable. Check each component: gloves for holes or thinning, goggles or face shields for cracks or scratched lenses, respirators for cracked hoses or loose straps, and lab coats for frayed seams or missing buttons. If you spot damage, replace the item rather than use it. Washing with soap, weighing the equipment, or calibrating with a ruler doesn’t reliably indicate safety or integrity and can even harm certain PPE materials, so they’re not appropriate inspection steps.

Before using PPE, you want to confirm it will actually protect you. Inspecting for safety means looking for any signs that the gear has been damaged or worn, such as cracks, tears, or deterioration. Damage can create gaps, reduce seal, or compromise strength, making the protection unreliable. Check each component: gloves for holes or thinning, goggles or face shields for cracks or scratched lenses, respirators for cracked hoses or loose straps, and lab coats for frayed seams or missing buttons. If you spot damage, replace the item rather than use it.

Washing with soap, weighing the equipment, or calibrating with a ruler doesn’t reliably indicate safety or integrity and can even harm certain PPE materials, so they’re not appropriate inspection steps.