Biogas Safety first!

General requirements
Basic hygiene measures must be ensured. These
include washing hands before going for breaks and
upon completion of work, as well as regular and
need-based cleaning of the workplace and cleaning/
changing of work clothing and personal protective
equipment. The measures could be laid down in a
cleaning and hygiene plan. Employees must refrain
from eating or drinking at workplaces where there is
a risk of contamination by biological agents. If the
hazard assessment calls for disinfection measures,
these must be carried out with tested disinfectants.
No one wearing microbiologically contaminated
work clothing is permitted to enter break rooms
or staff rooms.
Wastes containing biological agents should
be collected in suitable containers.
Work clothing and personal protective equipment
should be kept separate from private
clothing.
Microbiologically contaminated clothing must
not be cleaned at home.
If pests such as rodents, pigeons, insects or
other animals gain access to the working area,
regular pest control is essential.
Storage conditions that encourage biological
agents to multiply must be avoided, in as far as
operation of the plant allows.
Adequate ventilation of the working area must
be provided in accordance with the hazard assessment.
Figure 12 provides an overview of the various elements
of personal protective equipment. It should
be noted that not all elements need to be used in
each instance. The need to wear a helmet or a fall arrest
system, for example, depends on the situation.
Figure 12: Personal protective equipment (PPE)
safety helmet
safety glasses
hearing protection
filter mask
weather protection
(reflective workwear)
catching systems
safety gloves
safety shoes
Further information on the technical requirements for personal protective equipment can be
found in the following standards:
DIN EN 143: Respiratory protective devices - Particle filters - Requirements, testing, marking
DIN EN 149: Respiratory protective devices - Filtering half masks to protect against particles
DIN EN ISO 20345: Safety footwear
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