For over years, workplace safety has gained a paramount amount of significance.
As more critical work areas are being identified, especially across construction sites, multiple options for workplace safety gear are fast gaining ground.
Every single industry is expected to follow a particular set of guidelines for safeguarding their workers on site. Additionally, they are also subjected to rope access training and working effectively with scaffolds, ladders, anchor points, much more. Furthermore, significant measures like height safety installation remains a universal choice.
Workers involved in construction work across high rise buildings in Australia reportedly deal with a series of challenging conditions.
Quite often, working at heights witnesses several injuries in a row and untimely deaths. In the majority of such cases, lack of proper workplace safety gear seems to be the underlying cause. More so, the quality of protective equipment (matching international safety standards) used also comes into question following such mishaps.
In this post, we mull over a handful of universally preferred workplace safety gear that promises the very best of protection against all odds.
Face and Eyewear
For a worker, his face and eyes are two such vulnerable parts of the body that can take on the damage arising out of nowhere. Hence, face shields and protective goggles should be the first and foremost choice. Together, they help keep individuals safe from debris, fire sparks, glares, and exposure to harmful chemicals.
Made from polycarbonate, face shields and goggles also carry special protective coating to prevent breakage and burn. Remember, there can be situations when a worker is exposed to infrared or ultraviolet radiation. Thus, such workplace safety gear of top-notch quality can filter out the negative effects for enhanced safety.
When choosing face shields, one has to ensure that it carries a good visor. The same goes for goggles too because they need to be worn in an environment that is full of risks. So, your google must match international standards of safety to withstand everything. Some models of face shields also come with a much bigger shield form and can be very useful for particular jobs like welding, where fire sparks are an imminent threat.
Heavy-duty gloves
Heavy-duty gloves are the primary choice of protection for hands. They are designed to withstand multiple episodes of chemical abrasions, exposure to flames, and other harmful reagents.
Besides quality, one needs to double-check on their gloves to ensure a snug fit. Working with oversized gloves can be a tad bit risky as it might slip away when you are moving objects. In the event of handling hazardous chemicals, it might lead to a spillage accounting for severe burn and other injuries.
When choosing heavy-duty gloves as a part of workplace safety gear, polyethylene, as well as Polyvinyl chloride are your best choice of material owing to their high level of resistance against heat and high temperature.
Headgear
Protection for the head is another important consideration that comes in the shape of hardhats and helmets. They help safeguard an individual taking a fall or bumping into an object accidentally at a construction site. Especially, across all construction sites where buildings lack a proper roof fall arrest system.
Also, there are safety helmets that are more conventional choices and function to lessen the impact across your spine and neck. They are also resistant to high volts of electricity. It is advised that you choose your head protective gear by taking into consideration your working conditions.
Personal Protective Equipment
It generally refers to full-body protective clothing that offers resistance to flame, water, oils, biological and chemical hazards, and much more. Take HAZMAT or construction safety vests for instance. Such protective pieces of clothing are designed especially to withstand extreme heat and cold.
Wrap up
Workplace safety has been a major point of discussion since accidents from working at heights have witnessed a spike. Given the international safety standards for construction work, proper adherence to the rules and following safety measures diligently can be a full-proof way to mitigate the risks at hand.
Remember, choosing to work with the right workplace safety gear is the primary line of defense that can work in your favor. Also, as an organization working across multiple construction sites, effective training of your workers forms a part of the safeguarding exercise.