The Ergonomics of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Choosing PPE To Reduce Physical Strain
Wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential in healthcare for any workers regularly exposed to radiation during procedures. However, a common concern is the weight of garments, such as lead aprons. Healthcare workers consistently wearing heavy aprons that hang from the shoulders can cause physical strain and discomfort. Therefore, it’s important to consider ergonomics when choosing PPE to balance both comfort and safety.
How do you choose the right PPE for ergonomic needs while still ensuring sufficient protection? Read on as we discuss the different options, safety considerations, and how overall lifecycle management, including inspections, cleaning, and lead garment recycling, contributes. One key factor is selecting appropriate safety equipment for the procedure context.
Why Do PPE Ergonomics Matter in Healthcare?
Radiation protection is essential, but research shows that it’s no longer the only factor to consider when selecting PPE. The weight, fit, and overall design of lead garments directly affect clinician health, contributing to musculoskeletal strain, fatigue, and long-term wear-and-tear on the body. In addition, properly designed protective gear can help mitigate ergonomic issues in workflow‑intensive tasks.
For example, an analysis published in the American Journal of Infection Control found that a significant number of healthcare workers report heat strain and high levels of fatigue from wearing heavy PPE that doesn’t provide enough breathability. The study suggested continued innovations in ergonomic PPE to make garments lighter and cooler, and recommended that healthcare facilities implement additional cooling interventions and consider protective clothing solutions for extended use.
The study suggested continued innovations in ergonomic PPE to make garments lighter and cooler, and recommended that healthcare facilities implement additional cooling interventions.
What Are the Health Risks of Poorly Designed Radiation Protection Equipment?
In addition to heat and fatigue, poorly designed PPE can pose health risks. A study published by the Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences found a regular occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders among healthcare workers and back pain in radiology as a result of workers wearing poorly designed lead aprons. This reflects how occupational hazards in such settings combine radiation risk with ergonomic burdens.
The study recommended that all healthcare facilities ensure PPE fits correctly to prevent strain, as well as opting for more ergonomic designs that provide better comfort during physically demanding operations. This integrates with broader workplace safety initiatives to reduce staff injury and improve outcomes.
How Does Lead Apron Weight Affect Healthcare Workers?
The overall weight of lead aprons can also lead to more fatigue and strain for healthcare workers. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Imaging Science found that clinicians most frequently report shoulder strain and back pain when wearing lead aprons due to the amount of weight hanging directly from the shoulders. Fatigue often increases with extended use or physically demanding procedures. Therefore, adopting ergonomic risks reduction strategies in equipment selection is critical.
What Is the Average Weight of a Lead Apron?
A study in the Korean Journal of Pain stated that the average lead apron weight is 7 kg (approximately 15 lbs). The study mentions that it’s enough weight to cause back pain or shoulder strain, and recommends that clinicians use different apron designs or lightweight or lead-free aprons as needed to help reduce physical strain.
What Should You Look for When Choosing Ergonomic Radiation Protection Equipment?
Innovations in radiation safety equipment are making garments like lead aprons more ergonomic and providing additional options to help clinicians protect themselves. Some common options to consider are lightweight lead aprons, lead-free aprons, or two-piece lead vest and skirt designs. Each of these either reduces the weight of garments or provides a more ergonomic design. These choices fall under the wider umbrella of protective equipment in healthcare settings.
How Do Lightweight Lead Aprons Compare to Traditional Lead Aprons?
Lightweight lead aprons are garments made from a composite of lead and other metals, such as antimony, bismuth, and tungsten. Changing the composition of materials in the garments helps reduce their overall weight while still protecting clinicians during procedures.
The aforementioned study in the Korean Journal of Pain found that lightweight lead aprons are, on average, 20-40% lighter, helping reduce the strain and fatigue healthcare workers may experience. This design improvement supports better task performance in high‑demand operative environments.
What Are Lead-Free Apron Materials and Do They Provide Adequate Protection?
Lead-free aprons don’t contain any lead and instead use only alternative materials capable of shielding against radiation. A Journal of Biomedical Physics and Engineering study presented several alternative materials to lead that show promising capabilities for radiation shielding, including:
Antimony
Bismuth
Barium
Tungsten
Tin
A study published in the European Journal of Radiology found that lead-free aprons perform similarly to traditional lead aprons during low-intensity procedures below 90 kVp. However, as intensities increased above 90 kVp, traditional lead performed slightly better.
Therefore, both traditional lead and lead-free options can have a place in medical facilities, depending on the type of procedure.
Some manufacturers are also designing lead-free options that they state perform about the same as traditional lead. Due to variations in results, it’s important to review individual manufacturer testing data and consult with your facility’s radiation safety officer (RSO) to make informed decisions that best meet your healthcare staff’s needs. This process fits into the introduction personal protective equipment phase of your safety program rollout.
What About Two-Piece Lead Vest and Skirt Sets?
Two-piece lead vest and skirt sets are another option that’s growing in popularity to reduce weight pressure and fatigue. The lead vest covers the torso, while the skirt covers the reproductive organs and upper legs.
A study in PLOS One found that wearing two-piece protection helped clinicians noticeably reduce shoulder pressure and fatigue by reducing the weight hanging directly from the shoulders. It offers a good alternative ergonomic design that still uses traditional lead. At the same time, facilities should not overlook respiratory protective equipment needs where applicable in interventional suites.
Why Does Proper Apron Fit Matter for Ergonomics?
Proper fit is important for apron ergonomics because it directly affects how garments sit on the body.
For example, a lead apron that’s too big may shift too much to one side or the other and cause uneven weight distribution that leads to pain or fatigue. Conversely, an apron that’s too small could make it difficult for clinicians to bend and move around during procedures, causing additional strain. Therefore, it’s essential to take each clinician’s measurements and provide correctly sized aprons to prevent ergonomic issues during use and support broader worker safety objectives.
Therefore, it’s essential to take each clinician’s measurements and provide correctly sized aprons to prevent ergonomic issues during use.
How Can Healthcare Facilities Reduce PPE-Related Injuries?
OSHA states that healthcare facilities can reduce PPE-related injuries by:
Educating staff members on when PPE is necessary and which garments are needed for each procedure
Training staff members on how to put PPE on, adjust it, and take it off safely
Providing education on the limitations of the equipment
Ensuring proper care and maintenance throughout its lifespan, including monitoring each garment’s useful life and safely disposing of PPE
These steps support proactive management of workplace hazards and mitigate risks before they result in serious workplace injuries.
What Role Does Apron Maintenance Play in Ergonomics and Safety?
Maintenance plays a crucial role in the safety and ergonomics of radiation protection.
One of the key maintenance tasks is performing regular inspections of all PPE in use at medical facilities. When garments have defects, it can affect how they fit, which can lead to more physical strain during use and increase the chances of radiation slipping through. A 2018 study recommended performing regular radiographic inspections for all PPE to identify small damage early and repair it before it gets out of hand.
Another important safety consideration is regular garment cleaning and disinfection. Garments, such as lead aprons, can have high contamination rates since they’re high-touch objects in medical facilities. A study performed by Dr. Jaber from Wayne State found that 84% of lead aprons assessed in a medical facility were contaminated with Tinea species (ringworm) and Staphylococcus aureus.
High contamination rates pose significant health and infection risks. Governing bodies like AORN recommend quarterly deep cleaning and disinfection of all high-touch objects in medical facilities to thoroughly remove contaminants before they spread.
When Should Lead Aprons Be Replaced and How Should They Be Disposed Of?
Another part of X-ray garment management is knowing when PPE must be replaced. A study by K. Lambert and T. McKeon established strict rejection criteria for lead aprons and other PPE. The findings suggest that garments should be replaced when:
Defects exceed 15 mm2 over crucial organs such as the thyroid, breasts, or reproductive organs.
Defects exceed 670 mm2 along the back, seams, or in overlapping areas.
Defects exceed 11 mm2 on thyroid shields.
When garments meet any of these criteria, proper lead apron disposal or recycling is necessary. The EPA sets strict regulations for lead disposal because it can harm the environment or human health if it decomposes and isn’t safely contained.
The regulations for disposal included detailed documentation, proper labeling, use of certified hazardous-waste transporters, and disposal or recycling of garments at EPA-certified facilities. We offer garment disposal services at Radiological Care Services (RCS) that can help you efficiently manage each of these elements.
How Our Services at RCS Can Help
At RCS, we offer several services to support the complete lifecycle management of all lead aprons and other radiation protection equipment used in medical facilities.
Our team can help you procure high-quality X-ray garments from top manufacturers that offer ergonomic and functional designs. When you work with us to source lead aprons, you can trust that all garments are inspected and tagged and will arrive at your facility ready for use.
We also provide maintenance services to keep X-ray garments in top condition throughout its lifespan. Those services include:
Deep cleaning and disinfection to effectively remove any contaminants present
Inspections using X-ray scanning to accurately identify small damage early
Garment repairs to return PPE to top working condition
Garment disposal aligned with the EPA’s strict requirements for lead
Inventory management with our RADCOMPLY™ software, so you have all maintenance and disposal data ready in case of audits
Contact us today to learn more about how our services at RCS can make a difference for you.