Personal protective equipment Medical cannabis safety talk
Personal protective equipment (PPE) plays a crucial role in the medical cannabis industry as is the same for many others. Here we will look at PPE necessary for the industry.
Protective clothing:
- To reduce contact with plant buds including THC as well as any chemicals on the plants, proper protective clothing should be worn
- Plants can be sensitizers as well as contribute to allergy issues
- In addition to this type of exposure protective clothing can help in protection from UV lighting as well
- Clothing to consider for various tasks:
- Long sleeve shirts
- Pants
- Closed toed shoes
- Gloves
- Wide brim hats
Respiratory protection:
- Respiratory protection may differ for various steps of the process and in addition to this protection, proper gas monitoring should be in place where needed
- Respirators used may vary from an N95 disposable mask to PAPR (powered air purifying respirator)
- Air monitoring tests should be performed to determine when and what type of protection should be used
Eye and face protection:
- Eye and face protection should be worn any time there may be flying particles or chemicals in the work area including THC
- This may be covered if the employee is wearing a full-face respirator however should be considered if not
- Consideration of excessive UV rays should be determined and addressed as well
Assessing and deciding on protection for each of these areas is a critical step in ensuring employee safety. There may be additional areas of PPE that should be considered as well. Do an assessment of your work area and ensure that all necessary PPE is in place and used properly.
