PPE In Construction

Posted on 10/03/21



PPE In Construction: Why Is PPE So Important?

While PPE may not always be the most stylish of work attire, it’s certainly the most important. PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment - it’s a term that applies to a wide range of protective clothing and accessories for various industries, from hospitals to building sites.

In construction, especially, PPE is critical to the health and safety of workers and visitors. It helps to protect them against potentially hazardous situations. This guide will take you through exactly why PPE is so important in construction.

Why Is PPE Important In Construction?

Unfortunately, the construction industry has some of the highest statistics for fatal injuries each year. This is not surprising considering heavy equipment is used on a daily basis - if protective measures aren’t in place, it’s all too easy to get hurt.

Due to the nature of construction sites, it’s important for absolutely everyone on site to wear PPE. Whether it be wet floors, falling debris, sharp tools or heavy equipment, PPE minimises the risk of harm or injury.

PPE in this industry includes a range of protective items including helmets, eye protection, safety footwear, high-visibility protective clothing and, depending on the task being carried out, it may also include protective respiratory equipment.

What PPE Is Mandatory On A Construction Site?

When choosing PPE for staff, certain items must be used in order to adhere to health and safety regulations. PPE products must also be ‘CE marked’ to ensure that they are compliant with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 laws. Although vague, the four areas deemed mandatory for construction sites are:

  • Head protection
  • Foot protection
  • Body protection
  • High-visibility clothing

1. Head Protection

Head protection is required by law on all construction sites, even if the person on-site is only a visitor. There’s always a risk of falling debris or material; high-quality head protection will prevent injuries if anything was to fall.

The head protection used, such as hard hats, needs to be in good condition and undamaged. It also needs to fit each individual properly, for a secure and safe fit. It’s worth noting that Sikhs who wear turbans are not legally required to wear a hard hat on construction sites, though it should be made clear the dangers of not doing so.

2. Protective Footwear

Our feet are delicate and prone to injury, making protective footwear a must on construction sites. For most jobs, you’ll need boots with a steel toe and mid-sole support. Steel toe boots protect your tendons from falling heavy objects. Mid-sole protection protects you from puncturing your foot when stepping on sharp objects like nails.

There are many different types of protective footwear available. If workers are pouring cement, for example, wellington boots may be required. Cement can easily get into the gaps in normal safety boots, which will lead to a whole load of trouble if it dries.

3. Extra Body Protection

While some construction sites allow employees to wear shorts, trousers are typically favoured as they protect the legs from cuts or grazes. Duties carried out may even require the use of knee pads to protect the knees from knocks and scrapes. Knee pads are also ideal if you’re kneeling a lot to carry out tasks.

4. High-Visibility Clothing

Hi-vis vests are associated with construction sites for good reason – most sites have a hi-vis policy that requires all staff to wear them.

In contrast to the other items on this list, hi-vis clothing doesn’t offer physical protection, but it is vital that everyone on site can be seen clearly so as to avoid any issues when moving around. For these reasons, it’s an essential part of a construction worker’s uniform. Depending on the task, the individual may be required to wear full hi-vis in the form of trousers and a long-sleeved jacket as well, for added safety.

Other Types of PPE

It’s always preferable to provide more than is required by law in order to reduce the risk of injury as much as possible. For example, if the task or site poses a risk to the hands or forearms, it’s advisable to provide safety gloves to protect against this. Workers using pneumatic drills may require anti-vibration gloves to protect their hands and joints from the intense motion of the drill. If a saw is being used, safety goggles will be required to protect the eyes from dust or debris, as well as ear defenders to protect the ear drums from excessive noise damage.

It’s also vital that the equipment is tailored to each individual – the sizing needs to be correct and the weight of the PPE, where necessary, needs to suit the person wearing it so that it’s safe and easy for them to work with.

Where several items of PPE need to be worn together, it’s also important that the equipment chosen can be used in conjunction with other protective products without it hindering the protection each item provides. For example, if a respirator is required, it’s important that the safety glasses used won’t disturb the seal and make the equipment ineffective.

With help from PPE, anyone working on a construction site will be as protected as possible from hazards.

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