33.1 GENERAL APPLICATION.

a. The University departments purchases and issues, to permanent staff, safety equipment required under the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1972. The equipment is ordered by means of special requisition.

b. Certain personnel, such as part-time temporary, who are required to use personal protective equipment (PPE) are issued toe caps, goggles, and ear protection, and are required to use such protective equipment PPE as a condition of employment.

c. The term "Safety Professional" refers to the safety engineer, occupational safety specialist, or industrial hygienist on staff in the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Office or other representative of EHS designated by the director of the office.
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33.2 DUTIES OF THE SAFETY PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY GUIDANCE ON PPE USE.

a. The Safety Professional assists the Director of the Environmental Health & Safety Office in advising on specific need and general policy for personal protective equipment.

a. The Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) director, with advice from EHS staff, provides guidance regarding general policy for the use of PPE.

b. The Safety Professional EHS staff members provides guidance and assistance to central Human Resources and departments on campus by identifying individuals in various work tasks to be protected by safety glasses, safety footwear, body protection apparel, gloves, respirators, etc. The Safety Professional will EHS staff members also provide guidance to departments that are required to meet the various aspects of the IOSH (Iowa Occupational Safety and Health) Personal Protective Standard.

EHS staff members assis departments in determining which staff require the use of PPE in the performance of their duties.

The Safety Professional, in determining which staff should be protected, may request assistance from others, including division administrators, departmental executive officers, managers, and supervisors.

The Safety Professional considers special requests from staff for personal protective equipment. Those requests are submitted through appropriate administrative channels. The Safety Professional evaluates the request, determines whether or not protection is necessary and reports the findings to the department involved.

c. The Safety Professional assists the Purchasing Department and General Stores when making arrangements with one or more vendors for the purchase and distribution of safety glasses and shoes.
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33.3 DUTIES OF DEPARTMENTAL EXECUTIVES.

a. Departments supply personal protective equipment PPE to staff members identified as needing protection.

b. Departments inform personnel staff that the use of protective equipment PPE, once issued, is required whenever the individual's supervisor so indicates. If the required protective equipment PPE is not being worn due to damage or inadvertence, the individual will be issued appropriate temporary equipment.

c. Departments are responsible for the recovery of all items of personal protective equipment PPE, except shoes and prescription glasses, from staff members who resign or transfer to a job which does not require such protective equipment.

d. Enforcement of rules requiring the wearing of personal protective equipment PPE is the responsibility of the department.
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33.4 DUTIES OF GENERAL STORES.

a. General Stores coordinates the shoe and safety glass program, which includes verifying and authorizing payments to suppliers, distributing costs to departments from approved requisitions, and maintaining a central record.

b. General Stores provides periodic reports, on an annual or more frequent basis if necessary, to departments. The report lists staff members involved and the items of protective equipment issued.
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33.5 33.4 SAFETY PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SPECIFICS.
(President 3/8/76)

a. Shoes -- Safety shoes, as authorized by the University employing department, will be provided as needed to staff members required to wear them. Individuals selecting shoe styles not authorized by the University but purchased through General Stores will be billed for the additional cost. Each department is responsible for determining the style of shoe that is to be worn by its employees. Staff members are responsible for maintaining shoes, including the cost of minor repairs.

If University selections are inadequate to properly fit an individual, an allowance of not more than a given current rate may be granted for purchases outside the University in accordance with procedures established by the Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations.

The University reserves the right, within the guidelines stated above, to disallow purchase of shoe models inappropriate for the specific work location.

In the event the University department determines that special shoe protection is necessary or special shoes are required to meet operational demands, said equipment will be furnished by the University department at no cost to the staff member. Each department is responsible for procuring safety shoes from outside vendors for staff members required to wear safety shoes. Shoes maybe purchased with a departmental procurement card or purchase order, or the department may reimburse the staff member for shoes purchased directly.

b. Safety Glasses -- One pair of safety glasses is provided at University the department's expense to those staff members needing them. The University replaces safety glasses on a minimum two-year basis. If breakage or damage occurs to the glasses and the damage is an on-the-job incident, the University department covers the cost of repair. Cost to repair damage to glasses unrelated to employment is the responsibility of the individual. Safety glasses are purchased through UI Optical with an interdepartmental requisition.

Cost of eye examinations for those needing prescription safety glasses is the responsibility of the staff member. Those who have had a recent examination should obtain a copy of the prescription which will be used for providing safety glasses. Those whose most recent prescription is twelve months old or older are encouraged to update the prescription prior to receiving safety glasses.

The University department pays for replacement of safety lenses due to prescription change.

c. All other items of safety equipment issued except shoes and prescription glasses are University the department's property and are replaced on an as-needed basis. Staff members are responsible for those items. If any items are lost or damaged through individual neglect, the staff member is required to pay the cost of replacement.

d. Staff members interested in obtaining additional pairs of safety shoes, glasses, or other equipment items are permitted to buy them at their expense and staff members who are not required to wear safety equipment, but wish to obtain items, are permitted to buy them through the program. In those instances, the staff member obtains the equipment with the approval of the department involved and justifies the request with job-related need.

e. Departments inform staff members that the use of protective equipment PPE, once issued, is required whenever the individual's supervisor so indicates. If the required protective equipment PPE is not being worn due to damage or inadvertence, the staff member will be issued appropriate temporary equipment.

f. Staff members must use only PPE that is purchased through the University or the employing department, and that is approved by the department for a specific use.
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(See also https://research.uiowa.edu/ehs/files/documents/occsafety/ppeprogram.pdf.)