The Clean Boot Blog

Construction is believed to be the riskiest industry. According to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), one in five workers lost their lives while working at a construction site in 2015. To effectively deal with the potential hazards present on a construction site, the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is the worker’s main defensive weapon.

What is PPE?

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) refers to the safety gears that workers use to avoid numerous health and safety hazards. This equipment can include safety boots, helmets, goggles, specialized clothing, earplugs and protective harnesses. Moreover, this list also includes RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment) to protect against respiratory illnesses arising from contaminated working environments.

Why Is It Important?

Workplace safety is crucial, and wearing PPE is vital to prevent workplace injuries. Deciding not to use protective gear can be deadly. Especially, when they have the potential to save the worker's life. Noticeably, workplace safety isn't confined to protective equipment only. It also involves instructions, training and other safety procedures that can inspire people to work carefully. The problem is, the risk remains even after using specialized safety systems. For instance,

1. Lung injuries due to polluted air
2. Head/feet injuries due to rolling/falling objects
3. Eye injuries due to chemical splashes
4. Skin problems due to corrosive materials
5. Other injuries due to extreme hot/cold working conditions
6. Protective equipment should be used to curtail all these risks.

Below you will find the 4 basic types of PPE commonly used on construction sites:-

1. Respiratory Equipment Such safety equipment is required at sites where harmful substances or chemicals are present. Various types of respirators are devised to provide protection against dust, haze, paints, insecticides and other harmful substances that could be the cause of lifelong disabilities. Respiratory equipment should be used at construction sites where air pollution is prevalent. In addition to that, they should be used in environments with insufficient ventilation.
2. Eyes/Face Protection Eyes or face protection is incredibly important for workers having direct contact with hot materials or chemicals. Some of the basic equipment types include protective goggles, glasses and face-covering shields. Moreover, labors working at the construction sites should also use eye/face protective equipment to protect themselves from dust and debris.
3. Hand/Skin Protection Did you know more than 150,000 hand injuries at construction sites are reported each year? Construction workers are specifically required to use their hands while working at the site. Similarly, occupational skin disorders are also very common among construction workers. Treating such diseases requires special medical treatments which is generally very costly. With hand/skin protective equipment such as rubber/leather gloves, heat-resistant gloves or insulated gloves, you can significantly reduce the risk associated with hand/skin injuries or infections.
4. Head/Foot Protection Head and foot injuries are certainly two of the major injuries generally happening on the construction sites. This is why hard hats and safety shoes are considered to be the two most commonly used PPE for
   construction sites. Hard hats provide protection against rolling/falling objects. You can also invest in a multi-purpose variant of such hats that comes with a face cover and earmuffs that provides safety against face/hearing injuries.In addition, safety footwear should be worn on construction sites with uneven surfaces or razor-sharp objects. As these protective shoes come with a slip-resistance feature, they provide great protection against slips, trips and falls.

Other Personal Protective Equipment

Specialized Clothing

High-visibility clothing including bright vests/tops are also essential for construction workers. Ideally, one should wear bright-colored garments at all times during the job, but it’s particularly important in dim lighting or nighttime working conditions.

Hearing Equipment

Prolonged exposure to noise may lead to various hearing disorders. It is therefore highly recommended to use earmuffs or formable plugs to avoid loud noise emanating from heavy machinery, jackhammers or other equipment.

These are just a few basic personal protective equipment types recommended for construction workers. Contingent upon the nature of your work, you may need some other safety gear to protect yourself against possible workplace injuries. Remember, it’s your company’s responsibility to provide you with the right type of protective equipment.