Behavioral Personal Protective Equipment and Staff Safety: A Pilot Study Evaluating Its Impact Among Speech-Language Pathologists

This retrospective, exploratory pilot study investigated the preliminary effects of a behavioral safety readiness protocol on speech-language pathologist (SLP) physical safety during outpatient care delivered at neurodevelopmental clinics within a single medical center. During the intervention phase, SLPs voluntarily wore Kevlar sleeves during all patient care interactions, tied long hair back, and maintained accessibility of nitrile gloves for use during behavioral escalations. The behavioral safety readiness protocol was reinforced by the safety slogan, “Sleeves On, Hair Back, Gloves in Pocket.” Safety event data from May – June 2023 and 2024 (pre-intervention periods) were compared with data from May – June 2025 (intervention period). Due to a limited number of qualifying incidents across all time periods (n = 4), the pilot study relied on descriptive rather than inferential analysis. Results revealed a minor increase in documented events incidents during the intervention period which included one Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable event. Although the evidence was insufficient to confirm the effectiveness of the intervention, the findings underscore the necessity for ongoing assessment of behavioral safety readiness protocols that include behavior personal protective equipment (BPPE), to explore their feasibility and potential contributions to SLP physical safety in outpatient care environments.