Why are personal protective equipment (PPE) important?
Safety is one of the major concerns at the workplace. Therefore, different types of personal protective equipment are in use. This equipment plays a vital role in the safety of any person wearing it.
Different parts of the body like head, hand, eyes. Face, foot, respiratory, body, and hearing protective equipment are common in use.
Types of PPE
Different types of personal protective equipment are:
- Head Protection.
- Eye and face protection
- Hearing protection
- Respiratory Protection
- Hand Protection
- Body Protection
- Foot protection
Head Protection
The Head is one of the crucial part of the human body. A small stroke on the head can cause the death of a person at the workplace. Therefore, different protective equipment is in use for head protection.
This includes:
- Helmet
- Hard hat.
- Bump caps.
- Guards.
The use of each piece of equipment is different in each place. Common places where head protection is necessary are construction sites, tunnels and any workplace with overhead solid parts or falling solid tools from height.
Eye and face protection
Eyes and face need different types of personal protective equipment accessories. While these parts of the body are most affected by different accidents.
Different personal protective equipment types for eyes and face are:
- Safety glasses.
- Goggles.
- Face Shields.
- Visors.
The working environment where this equipment is necessary :
- welding and cutting work.
- laser tools.
- under press gases.
- in dusty weather.
- working in electrical panels.
- and any type of hazardous materials.
Hearing protection
Every organ in the human body is important. But you cannot compromise on area above throat. Hearing protection is always needed where there are high-level sounds involved, such as :
- working in electrical generation plants.
- factories and machines places.
- Water pumps stations.
- working with digging tools.
Different PPE types for ears are:
- earplugs.
- acoustic foams.
This type of equipment limits the intensity of sound level to a bearable range.
Respiratory Protection
Respiratory protective devices are always needed in the workplace environment where gases, dust, and vapor involves. The PPE types for respiratory protection include:
- different types of masks (full or half)
- breathing apparatuses and powered respirators.
- protective hoods.
Hand Protection
The above-listed topic was related to the head and roundabout area of the body. Now it’s time to protect hands. Different types of personal protective equipment for hands are Work gloves and gauntlets and wrist cuffs arm nets. Hand protection is very common in use in almost each and every workplace environment.
Some hazards to protect your hands against are:
- vibrations
- sharp materials cuts
- cold or heat weather and material
- bacteriological risks
- splashes from chemicals.
Activities requiring hand PPE:
- construction
- manual handling of sharp objects.
- hot or cold environments.
- outdoor work
- vibrating apparatus work.
- working with chemicals.
Body Protection
Different PPE types for body protection are necessary when working outdoors to protect against weather conditions. Body PPE are like:
- life jackets.
- water proof coveralls.
- warming clothes for cold weather.
- flame proof clothing for welding workers and firefighters etc.
- high visibility clothing at workplaces like construction sites, roads, etc.
These type of equipment protect against any weather condition, Increase visibility and limit infection of viruses such as COVID 19.
Foot protection
PPE for foot protection are Safety boots, Shoes, Anti-static, anti-slip, etc. these protect the foot from high temperature, slipping, cutting, crushing, chemicals and electrocution. Foot protection is necessary where there are chemicals, electricity, wet surface, and different types of weather conditions involved.
8. Types of personal protective equipment for at Height working
Working at height is dangerous and need good PPE and falling protection system. For this purpose safety harness are used. Users need a training before using the safety harness.
For maore information about harness PPE see our article : What is safety harness and its uses?
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