Employees should be provided with protective clothing to avoid danger if they work in a high-risk environment. For example, this could be to avoid burning if working in areas near extreme heat and fires. How do managers and supervisors approach the decision-making process when it comes to issuing safety workwear?
Without the correct workwear, an employee who has to operate in dangerous circumstances may not be able to perform their tasks efficiently or effectively because they don’t feel completely protected. Essential protective workwear can help mitigate such risks, but how much does it ensure an employee's comfort and productivity?
Good workplaces are ones where employees enjoy a high level of safety no matter the dangers they may face. Employees should receive proper training, acquire personal protective equipment (PPE), and be notified of and enforce its use in the workplace.
When choosing suitable workwear, here are some essential safety aspects you should check for:
1. Protects Against Hand Injuries
Hand protection can be achieved with safety gloves when welding or participating in other similar activities. A wide variety of safety gloves is available on the market, and the uses of each type are determined by the materials it’s made of. Almost all medical and manufacturing industries use this kind of workwear to maximise and ensure employee protection against hand injuries.
2. Protects Against Head Injuries
In workplaces involving heavy equipment, head injuries are common. Miners and construction workers may end up injuring their heads when they’re hit by heavy objects or knocked over by accident.
Death often results from irreversible brain damage caused by head injuries. Helmets protect the head and can make a significant difference in reducing the impact due to the blow. Many different kinds of helmets are suitable for specific industries.
3. Shields Against Outdoor Weather Conditions
There are also potential health risks posed by ultraviolet (UV) radiation and heat. Employers must offer sun protection workwear to those who are working outdoors for extended periods—whether they're construction workers, electricians, plumbers, or any staff who has to spend hours outside.
PPE may be designed as a protective measure against workplace hazards. However, it can also expose workers to heat stress that can lower sweat evaporation and weaken sun protection. On the other hand, workers are exposed to a hazard if they’re allowed to work without these protective measures.
This is why choosing PPE and workwear that incorporates UV protection and appropriate breathable fabrics is crucial. Employers should prioritised those features when choosing proper workwear.
4. Prevents Any Respiratory Disease
Countless workers who are exposed to toxic fumes and gasses at the workplace will benefit significantly from respiratory masks. Masks are also necessary to prevent airborne dust particles from entering the respiratory tracts of workers and impairing their breathing.
5. Protects The Eyes From Possible Injuries
Solid particles that enter the eye may lead to eye injuries in the workplace. Eye injuries are caused by many things, such as blunt force trauma, chemical burns, thermal agents, and biological agents. The combination of eye-protecting devices and face shields can provide adequate protection against all hazards. Full face protection is recommended for both respiratory protection and eye protection.
Workers exposed to welding often suffer severe damage to their vision because of the sparks and spatters from their equipment. The risks of projectile injuries are even more significant among individuals engaged in woodworking and metalwork. It’s possible to use protective gear such as safety glasses, face masks, and shields while performing tasks that could lead to damage of such nature to the eyes.
6. Reduces Noise Levels
Work safety is crucial in manufacturing workplaces due to noise levels that may result in damage to the ears in the long run. Protective workwear in this sector is critical to minimise industrial noise. Work safety headgear protects construction workers from head injuries with protective earplugs and earmuffs.
Protects Against Foot And Leg Injuries
Foot protection must be worn in the workplace to prevent falls, sprains, cuts, bruises, and slips. A slippery floor may trigger an accident resulting in broken foot bones or sprained ankles. For men and women alike, safety boots with thick soles and steel materials on the toe area can provide a good level of protection.
In addition to safety boots, safety shoes are equally essential to prevent leg and foot injuries caused by punctures. Punctures usually occur as a result of sharp objects that pierce through the shoes’ soles. The best feature of safety boots is how it can insulate the legs from below the ankle and protect the calves as well.
Choosing The Right Workwear
Knowing exactly what kind of workwear your employees need is a must. Building worker trousers will look different from plant engineer trousers. You also have to evaluate whether any risks you might’ve overlooked could result in your staff members getting injured.
Automation is becoming more common in the construction industry, and this has made projects more efficient. However, robots and computers have yet to undertake manual work, so you still need to protect everyone and create a safe construction site. These guidelines go a long way toward ensuring maximum safety within high-risk areas:
- Provide protection, especially for the head, against falling objects through the use of a hard hat.
- Require the use of protective eyewear to shield against dust and debris.
- Ensure that everyone on-site can be seen properly with high-visibility safety jackets.
- Remind workers to wear long pants or sleeves, unless the weather makes it difficult to do so.
- Provide highly durable boots, preferably with steel toecaps for additional protection.
When working outside, buying protective gloves, face masks, goggles to protect the eyes from chemical splashes, harnesses, and sunglasses wouldn't hurt either.
Conclusion
Regular risk assessments are vital in determining any hazards that exist within a workplace. Workers and their movement levels, the equipment they use, and the nature of the site or establishment they have to work in must all be carefully monitored.
Protective workwear should keep employees out of harm’s way and be selected according to recognised standards. If workers wear several pieces of protective clothing simultaneously, each piece must be functional and compatible with the rest of the attire. Protective workwear should always be kept in good condition to maximise the benefits it can provide.
