Personal protective equipment use and care is one key element in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. It is recommended that people who may be exposed use these precautions:

1. Practice good hygiene by washing hands thoroughly and often or using hand sanitizer when washing isn’t possible.
2. Use a cloth facemask when interacting with other people. The mask ties should be secured on the crown of the head or, if there are loops, hook them securely around your ears. Disposable face masks should be single-use only and cloth masks should be laundered regularly.
3. Face shields that can contain droplets can be used in place of face masks.
4. When there is a potential for contracting the virus from surfaces, gloves can be worn.

MSHA recommends following the CDC guidelines found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html.

This article originally appeared in the December 2020 issue of Mining Engineering magazine.