How to Set Up a PPE Station: Glove, Hair Cover and Lab Coat Dispensers
Most hygiene mistakes happen at the door. If hair covers are in a back room and gloves are in a drawer, people skip them. A PPE station puts everything people need in one place, in the order they put it on, right where they enter. It is one of the cheapest ways to improve compliance in a food plant, clinic, lab or salon.
What to stock
A typical food plant or lab entrance station includes:
- Hair covers and beard covers: SoftCover® Bouffant Flat Hair Covers 24", SoftCover® Beard Covers 18" and hairnets
- Lab coats or coveralls: SoftCover SMS Lab Coats White or SoftCover SMS Coveralls White
- Earplugs if the area is noisy: LittleEar® Metal Detectable Foam Earplug Cord Blue for food areas
- Shoe covers if required: SoftCover® Nonwoven Shoe Cover, Anti-skip bottom
- Gloves, in every size your team needs
Hand washing comes between putting on the garments and putting on gloves, so place the glove dispenser near the sink.
The right order
Put PPE on from the top down and finish with gloves: hair cover, beard cover, coat, shoe covers, wash hands, then gloves. Gloves go on last so they are clean when you start work. Arrange the dispensers on the wall in the same order, so the station itself teaches the routine.
Acrylic or stainless steel dispensers?
| Clear acrylic | Stainless steel | |
|---|---|---|
| See stock levels | Yes | No |
| Washdown areas | Fine for light cleaning | Best choice |
| Durability | Good | Excellent |
| Mounting | Wall or counter | Wall |
Our acrylic dispensers are made in Canada and can be wall-mounted or placed on a counter. Stainless steel suits wet, high-traffic and washdown areas.
Glove dispensers
- Acrylic Gloves Dispenser Single Box Capacity: one box, 10.5 x 5.5 x 4 in. For exam rooms, salons and small stations.
- Acrylic Wall Mountable Glove Dispenser 4 boxes Capacity: four boxes in one unit, so you can offer S, M, L and XL side by side.
- Stainless Steel Wall Mountable Gloves Dispenser: four boxes in durable stainless steel for washdown areas.
Gloves that fit badly tear and get skipped. A four-box dispenser lets everyone find their size.
Hair cover dispensers
- Acrylic Haircover Dispenser: holds bouffant caps, beard covers or hairnets.
- Stainless steel wall units with one, three or four compartments. Stock caps, hairnets and beard covers, or several cap sizes, at one stop.
Label each compartment, for example 21-inch, 24-inch, 28-inch and beard covers, so people grab the right one quickly.
Lab coat and earplug dispensers
The Acrylic Labcoats/Coveralls Dispenser keeps folded disposable coats clean and ready at reception, which makes it easy for visitors and contractors to cover up. The Acrylic Earplug Dispenser holds loose foam earplugs at the entrance to noisy areas. Fill it with uncorded plugs such as LittleEar Bullet Shaped Foam Ear Plug, Uncord, Orange.
Keeping the station working
- Assign one person to check and refill stock each shift.
- Keep a small reserve of each item nearby so the station never runs out.
- Put a waste bin at the exit for used covers and gloves.
- Add a simple picture poster showing the order.
Frequently asked questions
Are the acrylic dispensers made in Canada?
Yes, our acrylic dispensers are made in Canada.
Can acrylic dispensers sit on a counter?
Yes. They can be wall-mounted or placed on a counter.
Which dispenser is best for a washdown area?
Stainless steel, which is durable and easy to sanitize.