Personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential and must be worn at all times by anyone in or around a construction site. This list can be extensive. But because construction comes with various necessary hazards, such equipment helps minimize accidents and injuries that could potentially occur. Here’s the essential personal protective equipment for construction workers to have.
Protective Clothing
At the most basic level, workers should clearly know what protective clothing to wear. Workers need steel-toed boots, protective gloves, hard hats, eye protection, and shirts and pants that cover their skin. Even hearing or respiratory protection is necessary in some cases, such as when working with loud machinery or chemicals. While perhaps seemingly simple, all this protective clothing will help prevent blunt forces, sharp objects, and other factors from causing extensive harm to a worker.
High-Visibility Gear
High-visibility gear includes vests or jackets that are typically bright neon green or orange. This helps differentiate workers from the background and prevents accidents from occurring because someone can’t see another person and accidentally injures them. For instance, when working near a highway, high-visibility gear helps pedestrian drivers notice workers even at such high speeds and helps prevent workers from potentially getting hit while on the job.
Even when workers aren’t in environments like highways, visibility is essential around the worksite because heavy machinery can have lots of blind spots. By being able to easily see their fellow workers, machine operators can ensure a space is clear before operating machinery or tools.
Constant Communication
The constant need for communication between workers, forepeople, and management makes two-way radios essential for safety as an extension of personal protective equipment for construction. Communication is vital to ensuring everyone is on the same page and aware of potential dangers around the worksite. It’s often difficult to communicate via voice alone when construction can get incredibly loud or workers have to communicate over long distances. For that reason, two-way radios are the best solution to ensure clear and consistent communication.