Safe Removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): A Step-by-Step Guide

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is safety equipment designed to prevent you and others from injury or infection. Most people realize it is important to wear PPE in places like hospitals, where controlling the spread of bacteria is important, but it is just as important to remove protective gear properly. Improper removal methods lead to getting microbes on your skin that can make you sick, or be spread around to others.

Instructions

Removing Gloves

• 1

  Grasp the outside of one gloved hand with the other to peel the first glove off.

• 2

  Hold the glove in your gloved hand once it is peeled off the other.

• 3

  Slide the fingers of the hand that is no longer gloved underneath the glove on the opposite hand.

• 4

  Peel the glove off your hand and over the other glove without touching the outside of either glove with your bare hands.

Removing Gowns

• 5

  Unfasten the ties holding the gown to your body. Do not touch the outside of the gown with bare skin.

• 6

  Pull the gown away from your body by pressing out against the inside, then lift over your neck and shoulders.

• 7

  Turn the gown inside out to dispose of it.