Workplace safety is something that all companies must provide for their employees. In the case of certain industries, safety must be a top priority because people’s lives will depend on it.
In this guide, we’ll provide a detailed overview of industries that require personal protective equipment (PPE) in their processes and environment. Aside from that, we will enumerate all the common PPEs used in these fields.
Healthcare
The healthcare industry made PPE a common term when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. It proved to us how crucial protection is for healthcare workers because they face various daily hazards—from infectious diseases to chemical exposure.
To fight off these dangers, healthcare professionals use the following PPEs.
Facial covering
Surgical masks, N95 respirators, and similar facial covers prevent healthcare workers from inhaling airborne particles, droplets, or infectious agents. Without this protective gear, the chances of catching the influenza virus, tuberculosis, and certain novel diseases are high.
Gowns or aprons
These protective garments create barriers against infectious bodily fluids while caring for patients with severe illnesses, conducting surgeries, or handling potentially contagious materials. Wearing them prevents dangerous elements from coming into contact with a worker’s skin and clothing, preventing them from coming out of the hospital.
Safety gloves
Disposable gloves like latex or nitrile are designed to prevent healthcare professionals from contaminating a sterile environment with their bare hands. Plus, it protects them from catching diseases while handling patients, body fluids, or infectious materials.
Headcovers
Hair can easily carry bacteria and other pathogens that may contaminate sterile areas and open wounds during procedures. Wearing head caps or surgical hoods is vital in maintaining a hygienic environment.
Shoe covers
Shoes can also transfer contaminants outside the hospital and into sterile areas, like the surgical suite. Disposable shoe covers or boots are vital when entering such environments to prevent contaminating patient wounds. This is two-fold because it prevents them from bringing home potentially infectious materials.
Law enforcement and security
Generally, police officers and security personnel encounter various unpredictable and hazardous situations. Their operations require various protective gear to mitigate dangers at different levels. These are the following.
Bulletproof vests
In a high-tension scenario, like encountering an armed individual, body armor helps protect police officers and security guards from the dangers of a gunshot. They may also offer a level of protection against stabbing.
Aside from vests, there are bulletproof backpack panels that they can use to protect the precious cargo they’re carrying.
Tactical helmets
These special protective gear offer head protection against blunt trauma, impacts, and projectiles in dangerous situations like active shooting or rioting. The specific helmet material used may vary depending on the level of security required, but the common ones found in these helmets are Kevlar and Twaron.
Safety gloves
Tactical gloves provide hand protection against injuries during physical altercations. Aside from that, they prevent police officers and security personnel from contaminating a crime scene by leaving their DNA with their bare hands.
Foot protection
Law enforcement and security personnel must arm themselves with robust footwear that enables them to move with incredible stealth while offering protection against heavy objects, sharp debris, or structural hazards on the floor.
Construction
Construction sites involve numerous hazards that could instantly take a worker’s life. There are many chances of objects protruding and falling, most of which are made from metal. Then, there’s also the possibility of getting caught between heavy machinery or collapsed structures.
A lot of mishaps could happen in these environments. That’s why construction workers need to be equipped with the following PPEs.
Hard hats
Full-brim hard hats are designed to help construction workers mitigate the damage of bumping into overhead structures and falling objects. Plus, they’re explicitly shaped to provide sunlight protection for workers.
Aside from that, hard hats are manufactured to protect people from electrical hazards. Many hard hats are made with insulating materials to provide electrical insulation. They also create a barrier between the head and a potential electrical hazard, preventing direct contact and reducing the likelihood of shocks.
Safety goggles
Nailing, drilling, power-cutting, and other similar activities could produce flying debris that might cause fatal wounds. Safety goggles shield a construction worker’s eyes from objects, dust, chemicals, and other hazards that could puncture them.
High-visibility vest
Construction sites are generally busy, and it’s easy for workers to go unnoticed and get hit by moving equipment or vehicles. Bright-colored vests help make them more visible, allowing heavy machinery workers to notice and avoid them.
Safety gloves
Construction workers may require different gloves, from leather to nitrile, based on their task and the hazards present. Generally, wearing one will help protect them from cuts, punctures, abrasions, chemical exposures, and electric shocks.
Facial covering
Construction sites also involve numerous airborne particles like dust, fumes, and chemical vapors. Wearing masks or respirators is vital to prevent workers from inhaling these dangerous elements.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing environments pose numerous risks, regardless of what the product they’re making. Workers have a high chance of being exposed to chemicals and moving machinery. To protect themselves from any danger, these are the standard PPE found in these environments.
Facial covering
Wearing a face covering can protect workers from breathing in toxic chemicals and other airborne elements, like dust and fumes, from raw materials and surrounding equipment at work. The type of protective mask will depend on the facility. It could be a simple face mask or a respirator.
Earplugs or earmuffs
Manufacturing environments involve heavy machinery that produces high levels of noise. This protective gear will help workers prevent hearing loss and other auditory damage from the unbearable sound.
Safety goggles
Workers in this industry are also exposed to debris and chemicals that may damage their eyes while handling heavy equipment or raw materials. Safety goggles or glasses will prevent these elements from endangering an employee’s eyes from such elements.
Safety gloves
This protective gear will help workers against cuts, abrasions, punctures, chemicals, and thermal hazards while handling raw materials or operating heavy machinery. The type of gloves needed may depend on the specific tasks and dangers involved.
Oil and Gas
Workers in this industry are involved in a high-risk environment with dangers like fire, heavy machinery, and toxic gases here and there. To mitigate these risks, these are the common types of PPEs in this field.
Fire-resistant clothing
The risk of instant fires is high with the presence of numerous flammable materials and chemicals in this type of environment. Wearing fire-resistant clothing can help protect workers against burns and heat exposure.
Hard hats
A typical environment in this industry involves towering metal structures. Because of that, hard hats are essential for protecting workers from bumping their heads in these overhead hazards. Plus, they help protect them from falling objects.
Safety goggles
Safety goggles with more impact-resistant lenses will help workers protect themselves from flying debris, chemicals, and other hazards that may cause severe eye injuries. This is commonly used in maintenance activities.
Safety gloves
Workers in this industry are at high risk of exposure to various environmental chemicals. Wearing gloves is one of the most effective protective gear to help them avoid exposure to these harmful chemicals. Aside from that, gloves will help protect workers in this industry from cuts, abrasions, and punctures, especially when handling heavy machinery.
Facial covering
Hazards like toxic gasses, vapors, fumes, and other particles are highly present in oil and gas facilities. Workers must equip themselves with facial covers to prevent any health risks acquired from these elements. Whether they need masks or respirators will depend on the level of danger and exposure they will face.
Earplugs or earmuffs
The heavy machinery used in oil and gas facilities may generate high levels of noise that could damage a worker’s hearing. These items will help protect workers from severe auditory damage from such equipment.
Elevate Your Worker’s Safety
PPEs in various industries are not optional. Workers must have the right gear to protect themselves from the dangers they encounter daily at work. If you belong to one of these industries and find your company lacking the right equipment, share this information and create a safer working environment.
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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