Why is personnel protective equipment so important?

First and foremost PPE is designed to reduce the risk of injuries by workers whilst carrying heavy items, working on tall structures or operating dangerous machinery and tools. This allows workers to feel much safer on-site as well as gives them a level of protection against any workplace hazards they might encounter. Before starting a job, construction workers typically receive the safety standards and rules set forth by the project owner or construction manager that they must closely follow to stay protected and compliant.

What protective gear do construction workers wear?

Eye protection – If you’re operating machinery where loose debris like wood or metal could hit you in the eye, it’s best to wear proper eye protection to prevent injuries. These include safety glasses or safety goggles.

Foot protection – work boots, especially steel caps can protect your feet from potential hazards like crushing materials, punctures or slippery areas. It is also important to find work boots that are comfortable, waterproof and sturdy.

Ear protection – Construction sites are very noisy and loud, long durations of constant noise without protection can seriously damage your ears and lead to deafness. As such it’s important to wear canal caps or preformed earplugs to prevent any damage to your eardrums, larger sites may require a more soundproof and durable material for stronger protection.

Hand protection – It’s important to wear gloves onsite to protect your hands from minor or major injuries as you pick up large objects, interact with glass, breakable materials and chemicals or conduct welding tasks. Examples of proper hand protection include Liquid-resistant gloves: If you’re handling hazardous chemicals, Kevlar gloves If you’re working in extreme temperatures that are either freezing or extremely hot and Fabric gloves that protect your hands from any unexpected minor injuries that could occur on the worksite.

Head protection – The most common injury on construction sites is head injuries.  Helmets are often the most effective and common type of head protection used to ensure falling or loose debris doesn’t land on your head and cause you significant harm. Head protection is mandatory for anyone working on-site as dictated by UK law.

If you think construction is the career for you then contact Construction and Plant Training Service at 01234 604151 or 0777 18 12 418. We have many courses available for the career path you wish to take.

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