Common Personal Protective Equipment in the Construction Industry

Construction is an industry with many potential dangers, which is why it’s so important for construction workers to be properly protected while on the job. While working on a construction site, it’s imperative that all workers wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The education you receive at a training facility such as West Coast Training will teach you about all the PPE you’ll be expected to wear on a jobsite, as well as how to put it on properly.

Here are just a few of the pieces of personal protective equipment you’ll be expected to wear while working in the construction industry.

Hard Hats

Hard hats are one of the more well-known pieces of PPE that construction workers wear. It protects you against any equipment or material that may fall from above. It also protects you should they run into something unexpected. With so many heavy and sharp objects on a construction site, having a hard hat on at all times is the best way to lessen the chances of sustaining a head injury.

Foot Protection

Foot protection, such as steel-toe boots, is another piece of PPE often required on a construction site. Construction workers often haul large pieces of material from one place to another, and it’s not unlikely to have a piece of heavy material fall or be dropped. Dropping a heavy piece of material on your foot can lead to broken bones or even lifelong walking problems. Steel-toe boots provide a protective barrier for your toes while on a construction site and can also help to prevent slips and falls.

Eye Protection

Your eyes are one of your best tools on a jobsite. They allow you to survey the area and make informed decisions about what to do. Protecting them is imperative, which is why construction sites require workers to wear eye protection. This is often in the form of goggles. They protect eyes from potential injury from chemical elements, flying objects, and smoke, among other things.

Masks & Respirator

While on a jobsite, workers are often subjected to unclean air. Masks protect them from breathing that air in. Inhaling harmful chemicals can do permanent damage to the lungs, as well as cause potential health issues. Depending on the type of job you’re in, you may be required to wear a heavier-duty piece of equipment to protect your lungs. Respirators are a more serious piece of breathing equipment that can allow you to avoid inhaling any toxic chemicals.

Hearing Protection

Not many people would equate a construction site with a quiet environment. On the contrary, construction sites are often extremely loud. People are working with loud tools and materials throughout the day. Being exposed to so many loud noises for days on end can lead to hearing problems for construction workers, which is why it’s so important to wear hearing protection while on a construction site. Hearing protection often comes in the form of earplugs or earmuffs that can protect your ears from being overexposed to loud noises and prevent early hearing loss.