Anthony LaFaziaCEO, Atlantic Training · CEO at Atlantic Training | EdTech & Safety Compliance Leader

Personal Protective Gear and Custodial Equipment Care: Staying Safe on Every Shift

23 Apr 2026 · 2 min

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1:34

In this safety briefing, the speaker emphasizes the critical role of personal protective equipment (PPE) for custodial staff. He outlines the appropriate glove types—latex or nitrile for light cleaning, heavy rubber for chemicals, and cut‑resistant gloves for glass or compaction—and stresses proper removal to avoid cross‑contamination. The talk expands to other PPE such as face masks, respirators, and splash goggles, linking selection to hazard assessments and Safety Data Sheets. Finally, the speaker warns about electrical safety, urging routine inspection of cords and plugs, especially in wet areas, and mandates tagging out defective equipment rather than improvising repairs.

Chapters

Let's wrap this up by talking about your armor. I mentioned this a couple times before. Personal protective equipment, or PPE. Gloves are your best friend. But they have to be the right gloves. Latex or nitrile for light cleaning. Heavy rubber gloves for harsh chemicals. Cut-resistant gloves for handling broken glass or trash compaction. And remove them properly. Don't wear your dirty cleaning gloves while you're touching door handles, light switches, or your own face. That spreads the germs you just cleaned up. Same thing with face masks. And sometimes respirators, splash goggles, a whole gear loadout depending on what hazards you're facing for each particular task. Remember the Safety Data Sheets we talked about earlier? That's where you start for PPE selection. Oh yeah, and don't forget, check your equipment diligently and regularly. Before you plug in that buffer or vacuum, look at the cord. Is the insulation nicked? Is the ground prong missing? Electrical shocks in a wet environment, like a bathroom or near a mop bucket, can be deadly. Take it out of service, tag it out as "Do Not Use," and tell your manager. Don't just wrap it in electrical tape and hope for the best.