STOP! A current look at personal protective equipment (PPE)

The STOP principle (also known as the STOP hierarchy, sequence, or ranking) describes the hierarchy in which hazards are minimized or eliminated when handling hazardous substances and biological agents. The acronym STOP stands for substitution, technical measures, organizational measures, and personal protective measures. Accordingly, personal protective equipment (PPE) , such as wearing gloves or respiratory protection, must always be used when hazards cannot be adequately reduced by protective measures of a higher priority. According to Annex 2 of the Genetic Engineering Safety Ordinance (GenTSV), the provision of suitable PPE is one of the safety measures in genetic engineering laboratories, production areas, and greenhouses from safety level 1 onwards. Specific PPE requirements are also specified in the Technical Rules for Biological Agents (TRBA 100) and the Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS 500). But what is "suitable" PPE, and where can I find helpful information? Support in the selection and use of suitable PPE as well as instruction is provided by the leaflet A 008 Personal Protective Equipment, which was extensively revised in October 2023.  of the Employers' Liability Insurance Association for the Raw Materials and Chemical Industry (BG RCI). This leaflet covers, among other things, protective clothing, respiratory protection, foot protection, eye and face protection, head protection, hearing protection, and hand and skin protection, and provides information on the design, protective effect, and use of personal protective equipment. Despite extensive information and illustrations on almost 200 pages, the leaflet focuses on the key points of individual regulations and rules and cannot cover all the measures required in individual cases. However, the comprehensive bibliography at the end of the leaflet provides a valuable starting point for more in-depth research on individual cases. It contains numerous references to laws, including relevant ordinances and technical rules, accident prevention regulations, and other documents from accident insurance providers, as well as various standards.