What you need to know about personal protective equipment.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) protects the user or wearer against health or safety risks at work.
Concerning the name, they are personal to a particular worker and are not meant for exchange with anyone else.
Most of all, Personal protective equipment (PPE) are safety goggles, safety footwear, safety hand gloves, respiratory protective equipment, etc.
Personal protective equipment is used in construction, food, agriculture, oil, and gas industries due to the hazards and risks to life in them.
IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT ( PPE).
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary because it reduces the risk of injury or harm to users caused by hazards visible in the workplace.
However, they are the last line of defence or last in the hierarchy of controls. Though they are not meant to prevent accidents or incidents, they minimize the impact of an injury on persons.
TYPES OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT(PPE)
Eyewear protection
This can protect you from chemicals, dust, gas, vapour, and, even, radiation. You should ensure you select the correct eye protection for your requirements. The eye protection we have includes goggles, face screens, face shields, Safety spectacles, and visors.
Head and Neck Protection
Personal protective equipment (PPE) can guard the user against the impact of falling or flying objects. It protects a person from bumping the head or their hair getting caught in moving parts of machinery. This can also protect the wearer from chemical sprinkles, and climate.
The head and neck protection includes hairnets, firefighters’ helmets, and scarves to protect the neck. Also, some safety helmets incorporate specially designed eye or hearing protection. The moment your helmet is bad, go for a replacement.
Ear Protection
Ear protection involves earplugs, semi-insert/canal caps earmuffs, They protect against noise hazards in the workplace.
Hands and Arm Protection
The Hands and arms can be at risk of cuts, bruises, heat or cold extremes, chemicals, electric shock, and radiation. Others are vibration, biological agents, and impact. That’s why we make use of hand gloves.
Feet and legs
Safety boots/ shoes with a protective toe cap are effective personal protective equipment (PPE) for your feet and legs. Penetration-resistant, Wellington boots as well as other varieties of safety footwear. It is important to use appropriate footwear for the risks in each workplace.
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- What does it mean to have safe places of work?
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- Two separate incidences resulted in £400000 fines after health and safety breaches.
- 7 ways to improve employee safety at your facility
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- What is HSE-Health, Safety and Environment?
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Onyeka Emma is a QHSE Professional with more than 10 years of experience in occupational health and safety, which spans many industries such as construction, beverage, oil and gas, etc. He has many health and safety certifications, including NEBOSH IGC, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 Lead auditor certificate. A member of IOSH, ISPON, and Nigeria Red Cross Society. He is interested in business, entrepreneurship, Speaking, and motivating people to do better for themselves. He enjoys leisure with a good motivational book.
