PPE – Best Practice and Guidelines

Anesthesiologists in Mario Catarino Rivas Hospital, San Pedro Sula, Honduras wearing PPE purchased with support by Lifebox, April 2020.

Healthcare workers can be placed at risk in the workplace through exposure to viral and bacterial pathogens. The mission of Lifebox – to improve surgical safety – extends to the safety of healthcare workers caring for patients in clinical care areas, as well as performing surgical instrument decontamination and materials reprocessing. A key element of healthcare worker safety is the correct and rational use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the workplace. In resource limited settings, safely preserving and reusing PPE can also extend the life of materials in short supply. This page will provide practical instruction and guidance on evidence-based practices for PPE donning, doffing and reprocessing in resource-constrained settings.