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What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
 

PPE refers to physical barriers which are used alone or in combination to protect an individual's mucous membranes, airways, skin and clothing from contact with infectious agents, hazardous material, conditions or processes.

Components of PPE

  • Protective clothing: Surgical gowns and laboratory (lab) coats​
  • Respiratory devices: N95 respirators​
  • Hand protection: Gloves ​
  • Head protection: Headgear/ hair covers/ caps​
  • Foot protection: Shoe cover, safety shoes/ closed-toe shoes​
  • Eye protection: Safety glasses/ goggles, shields​​

PPE Hazard Assessment

  • Evaluation of the PPE requirements for a specific activity or work environment is carried out by the lab director.
  • For TB labs it is based on the risk assessment. PPE requirements will thus differ according to whether activities are classified as low risk, medium risk or high risk.

PPE Usage in Different Sections of the TB Laboratory

The table below lists the different PPE requirements for different sections of the TB lab.

 

Table: PPE usage in different sections of TB labs
Section/ Room​
PPE used/ preferred​
Sample collection/ reception room​
Lab coat, gloves ​
Smear microscopy section/ room​/ Designated Microscopy Centre (DMC)
Lab coat, gloves
Cartridge-based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CBNAAT) sample processing section​
Lab coat, gloves, Surgical mask
Sample opening area​(in a higher laboratory) Surgical gown, gloves and N95 respirator​
Media preparation room​ Designated lab coat, gloves, hair cover, shoe covers/ closed-toe shoes​
Culture reading room​
Lab coat, gloves, N95 respirator​
Line Probe Assay (LPA) clean rooms​
Designated lab coat, gloves, hair cover, shoe covers/ closed-toe shoes​
Walk-in cold room​
Lab coat, insulating gloves, shoe covers/ closed-toe shoes​
Walk-in incubator​
Lab coat, respirator and gloves, shoe covers/ closed-toe shoes​
Corridor inside the lab​
Lab coat, shoe cover/ closed-toe shoes​
Deep freezers​
Lab coat, cryo gloves​
Disinfection, washing and sterilisation room
Lab coat, gloves (heavy duty), insulating gloves, closed-toe shoes​

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