We often spot workers wearing high protective attires from top to toe and you must have even noticed that not every ordinary person wears it. Such types of equipment are designed and are especially worn by workers who may be exposed to a risk to their health and safety while at work.
On this blog you’ll learn what PPE is, the different types, when and where it should be worn, and where to get the right PPE.
What is PPE?
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is worn by employees mainly to protect themselves from hazards that include physical injuries, chemicals, biohazards, heat, electrical and airborne particulate matter. PPE is carefully designed to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for employees.
Types of PPE
PPE can be categorised from head to toe depending on the types of hazards. To minimise exposure to hazards, the types of equipment worn to protect the body are as follows,
1. Head protection
- Safety helmets/hard hats – worn to protect the head against impact blows and also to protect against electric shock.
2. Face protection
- Goggles – prevent eye injuries caused by chemicals, sand or cement chip and other solid particles.
- Respirators – protect the wearer from inhaling contaminants in the air.
- Face Shield – worn over the eyewear to provide additional protection from blood-borne hazards.
3. Hearing Protection
- Earplugs/ear muffs – should be worn by workers who are exposed to noise levels that may cause hearing impairment.
4. Skin Protection
- Gloves – since the majority of work is done with hands, the worker must wear gloves to prevent various skin hazards like injuries, infections etc.
5. Protective Clothing
- High-Visibility – a type of safety clothing made of retro-reflective fluorescent material that is designed to provide high visibility during the day/night. Hi-vis comes in bright colours and the wearer could be easily spotted from anywhere.
When is PPE required,
Employees need to know when and where PPE should be worn. Some common hazards where PPE is required are,
- Loud noises that could affect your hearing
- Harmful chemicals
- Construction sites or other areas where there’s a high probability of objects falling
- Lasers that affect your eyes
- Sharp objects that could cause physical injury
- Harmful dust
- Sources of electricity, where electric shocks may occur
- Extreme temperatures
Note- Using PPE is an extra safety measure, employees should work with caution at all times and follow guidelines for maximum safety. Only when hazards in the workplace cannot be eliminated by other risk controls, employers should provide PPE to their employees.
When buying a PPE,
You must consult with the supplier to make sure you’re buying the right PPE, tell them your requirements and get the PPE suitable for your work environment. PPE is not an item of ordinary clothing, it’s important to check that the material you buy is of high quality and will protect you from hazards. And choose wisely where you buy it because that’s important too.
When it comes to buying PPE, the first question you would ask yourself is “how to choose the right PPE and where to find the best quality material?” well the answer is Passu Fashion Store! With a wide selection of safety apparel, high-vis jackets and more. Passu offers high-quality PPE products to help keep workers safe, paying heed to your requirements one by one, not only does Passu sell PPE but also provides free consultation service to those looking to buy it.
Branding made easy with Passu, you can get your brand logos printed/embroidered on your safety apparel/equipment and get it delivered to your place without a hassle. Passu offers the friendliest service and best prices in safety gear, hands down it’s the right destination to get your safety workwear. Purchase with Passu and indulge in the comfort of the safety wear.
Personal Protective Equipment is typically worn to reduce employee exposure to hazards, it is only appropriate for an employee to wear PPE when there are hazards present at the workplace. It’s not something that’s worn regularly, the wearer should know when it is required and not. It should be borne in mind that choosing and using the right PPE is crucial. It’s also important to make sure that it is maintained well.
Written By Aniqa Ajward
References:
https://www.shponline.co.uk/ppe-personal-protective-equipment/?amp
http://www.osha.gov/personal-protective-equipment
https://www.safeopedia.com/definition/916/high-visibility-jackets
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/ppe
https://www.creativesafetysupply.com/qa/ppe/what-situations-require-ppe