After all the engineering and administrative controls have been exhausted, PPE is left to be the last line of defense against injuries. Choosing the correct Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and wearing it properly can go a long way towards preventing injury to yourself and to others.
Safety Glasses, Goggles, and Face Shields. Whether you are grinding sheet metal, welding, cutting grass, or snowboarding, every job or task requires different levels of eye protection.
Hearing Protection. Construction sites, rock concerts, hunting, and auto racing are just a few activities where we must use good judgment to protect our hearing. Damage to our ears may not be apparent right away, but it is cumulative and may show up years later with a permanent loss of hearing.
Hard Hats. Be sure to check your hard hat before each use and replace it if damaged or after any hard impact, even if it does not appear to be damaged.
Shoes and Work Boots Typically, protective footwear would comprise of 6” leather uppers with a chemical resistant sole and have a reinforced shank and steel (or composite safety) toe. Shoes and boots must be able to provide adequate traction with walking surfaces both on and off of the job.
Clothing. Make sure you don’t wear loose clothing around moving equipment and that your clothing has the proper fire and chemical resistance, if necessary. High visibility clothing is recommended when working in high traffic areas, and where visibility may not be adequate.
Gloves. Review the hazards and then select the gloves that provide the proper protection.
Things to know about your PPE:
All PPE should be safely designed and constructed.
It should be maintained in a clean and reliable fashion.
It should fit comfortably, encouraging worker use.
PPE only works if you use it.
It can save your life.
Employers are required to train each worker that uses PPE to know:
When it is necessary.
What kind is necessary.
How to properly put it on, adjust, wear, and take it off.
The limitations of the equipment.
Proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal.
