What safety clothes and protective equipment are required at the construction site?

Appropriate clothes provided to construction site workers ensure comfortable and safe work. Such protective equipment may save employees’ life and health in case of any hazardous occurrences. Every person staying in the construction site should be provided protective equipment adequate for the role and allocated tasks.

Usually the party obliged to buy such equipment is the employer. However, the demand for particular components of the appropriate employee’s gear should be reported primarily by site engineers. You should also bear in mind that even if you do not have any managerial role, you should request your superiors to provide appropriate equipment if you have not received it before starting the task.

Such equipment may be composed of numerous components. We talked to an Airtox employee, manufacturing safe working boots and asked him about other components of such gear. Below, you can find 10 components we consider the most important:

1. Hard hat — It’s the basic component of any safety outfit. It protects the employee’s head during a fall or from any impact with a heavy item. It should always be tight-fitted. Its perfect size will protect the head from injuries and ensure comfort of wearing. What is more, in larger construction sites particular hard helmet colours indicate functions of workers.

2. Safety goggles — usually they are extra equipment. In the construction site, they are useful especially when cutting or grinding and other works where sparks are formed. They protect eyes also from dust, metal splinters, hazardous liquids or chips. Remember those must be goggles protecting sides of your face. Only such goggles can ensure complete protection when working.

3. Earmuffs — another extra equipment component which should accompany workers during any noisy works. Hearing is highly sensitive and long stay in very noisy environment can cause significant injuries. Well-chosen earmuffs protect the employee’s ears. In certain circumstances you can use rubber ear plugs.

4. Safety masks — if there is often dust or vapour with unpleasant odour in the construction site, it is worth equipping your workers with simple safety masks. They will protect construction workers’ airways. In case of hazardous, toxic vapours, use more advanced full-face masks.

5. Safety harness — this is equipment used by construction workers (most frequently roofers) working at heights. Such safety harness is put on arms and legs, and connected to a solid object with a lanyard. Thanks to it, the employee who lost his balance or slipped will hang safely on the lanyard.

6. Safety clothes — what we mean hear is primarily more standard clothes, e.g. trousers, T-shirts or jackets. It is worth providing them by the company to ensure the workers’ comfort.

7. Gloves — are another basic component of the worker’s equipment. Their task is to protect hands from cuts, sores or scalds. They guarantee more certain and stronger grip.

8. Tool belt — if a given worker uses many tools, such a belt will be a perfect solution. It will ensure free hands and all required tools within easy reach. Comfort and safety combined.

9. Knee pads — used during any works carried out on your knees. They protect the knees from injuries, corns and sores, and also from slipping on smooth surface.

10. Footwear — the last but surely not least important worker’s equipment component is carefully selected boots. They protect the feet from slipping, injuries caused by heavy objects falling on the foot, or stepping on a nail or another sharp object.

Investing in appropriate safety clothes is not just a chance, but a necessity. It enables to protect employees’ health and the company budget. Remember the entrepreneurs are held liable for any accidents in the construction site. Safe work is, first of all, a good deal for any company.