Editing The Importance of Safety Equipment in the Workplace

Safety equipment reduces workers' exposure to workplace hazards and prevents injuries. It's in a company's best interest to provide this equipment because injured employees cost money in lost wages and liability costs.<br /><br />The preferred method for worker safety is to control a hazard at its source with engineering controls such as substitution, isolation, ventilation or redesign of equipment. But when that isn't possible, personal protective equipment is necessary.<br /><br />Protects the Eyes<br /><br />Eye protection is a crucial part of safety equipment for those working with chemicals that may splash or fume around their eyes. It also protects against potentially injurious light radiation (either UV, visible or infrared) and small particles of dust or metal that float in the air.<br /><br />Typical eye protection includes safety glasses, which are similar to regular glasses but have impact-resistant lenses. Some glasses also have side shields for angular protection and are vented to prevent mists, vapors or other airborne hazards from entering the eye. Goggles, which have a full face and forehead shield, provide greater protection but are generally used in combination with other safety gear.<br /><br />Manage your eye protection and other safety equipment with a digital solution like SafetyCulture, which can help you streamline your workplace practices through risk assessments, hazard audits and issue reporting.<br /><br />Protects the Head<br /><br />The human head is especially sensitive and susceptible to injury from falling objects, collisions or bumps. Accidents involving the head often result in severe injuries such as traumatic brain injury.<br /><br />Safety helmets or hard hats reduce the risk of these types of injuries in many workplace settings. However, workers should also follow appropriate work procedures and carry out regular inspections of their head protection. These inspections should be documented using templates such as our downloadable Hard Hat Inspection Form.<br /><br />It is important to understand the limitations of all PPE and ensure that you select the right type of head protection for your workplace hazards based on a thorough risk assessment. This will include evaluating whether the selected equipment meets regulatory requirements and a suitable "lifetime" (e.g. 3 years). This is usually referred to as its "design lifetime". Also consider the working and storage conditions which may impact on this duration.<br /><br />Protects the Hands<br /><br />The hands are our most important tool for work, so they deserve the most protection. Whether your job is working with chemicals or sharp edges, rotary machinery or electricity, the right pair of gloves can save your hands from cuts, burns and bruises.<br /><br />Hand safety equipment includes gloves and arm coverings. They should be worn when the workplace hazard assessment identifies potential injuries to hands and arms that cannot be eliminated through engineering and work practice controls. Injuries include skin absorption of harmful substances; chemical or thermal burns; electrical dangers; and bruises, abrasions, cuts and punctures.<br /><br />In addition to protective clothing, safety supplies include earplugs and earmuffs to block out loud noises while you're working. When properly used, they can protect your ears and help you focus on your work. The best earplugs and earmuffs are comfortable, fit well and don't fog up.<br /><br />Protects the Legs<br /><br />Foot and leg injuries are common in the workplace, with hazards including falling objects, slippery surfaces, tripping, and exposure to hazardous materials. Proper footwear and leg protection guard against these risks. Safety shoes and boots with steel toes protect against impact and compression hazards, while chemical-resistant shoe covers shield the feet from spills and corrosive substances.<br /><br />In environments where static electricity poses a risk, conductive shoes minimize the buildup of electrical charges between a person in motion and a surface or object by conducting it to the ground. For temporary protection, strap-on metatarsal and toe guards are available that fit over regular shoes and guard against impact and compression hazards. Leggings protect the lower legs and feet from heat hazards such as welding sparks and molten metal, with safety snaps that allow them to be removed quickly.<br /><br />Protects the Back<br /><br />Having safety equipment onsite helps workers avoid getting injured, and minimise the effects of a workplace accident or incident. In addition to protecting employees, the right PPE also allows them to work more efficiently onsite.<br /><br />Protective sports equipment can prevent severe injuries that may sideline athletes for weeks or more. Mouth guards are mandatory for any sport that risks injury to the mouth or jaw, and shoulder pads are recommended in many sports.<br /><br />Workplace Health &amp; Safety (WH&amp;S) regulations require employers to supply employees with PPE, or personal protective equipment. Checklists are a great way to identify hazards, determine which equipment is required and ensure staff use it correctly. Use a WH&amp;S app like SafetyCulture to conduct self-inspections, manage employee compliance and reduce overall harm. Find the best work gear and equipment for your needs with our marketplace.<br /><br />Protects the Stomach<br /><br />An abdomen injury is a common problem for football players, and can be fatal if not treated quickly. Abdominal protection equipment like rib shirts and flak jackets helps prevent these injuries by covering vital organs from blunt force impact.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />A fabric woven together or coated in rubber that offers greater protection from chemicals and abrasions than untreated cloth. This type of PPE is typically worn over the top of a work uniform.<br /><br />A system of procedures that helps health care workers avoid the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It includes protective clothing, hand hygiene, respiratory protection, and proper training. It also encourages health care employees to use PPE during aerosol-generating procedures.<br /><br />Protects the Arms<br /><br />The right safety equipment can prevent a range of injuries to the hands and arms. These hazards include skin absorption of harmful substances, chemical or thermal burns, electrical dangers, bruises, abrasions and cuts. Hand and arm protection comes in the form of gloves, sleeves and coverings made of a variety of materials.<br /><br />For instance, a worker might wear a single-ply sleeve that’s designed to be heat-resistant or a more protective sleeve made of para-aramid. The sleeve material should be chosen according to the specific hazard, Mazur says.<br /><br />Ensure that all workers use appropriate body protection to protect themselves from hazardous conditions and ensure compliance with the workplace’s health and safety regulations. This will reduce employee turnover and increase productivity. In addition, it can help you avoid fines and penalties if OSHA inspectors discover a lapse in onsite safety.<br /><br />Protects the Knees<br /><br />Knee pads protect against impact injuries to the kneecap and surrounding areas. They are often EVA padded and designed to disperse impact pressures rather than concentrate them into narrow pressure points, like the kneecap. Combined with learning to fall properly, knee pads can provide an excellent level of protection from the most common knee-related injuries associated with falls.<br /><br />Many sports require the use of protective equipment to minimize injury risks. For example, baseball catcher’s, lacrosse players and hockey goalies all wear chest protectors to prevent severe torso injuries. These pads are typically made of a foam inner layer fastened to a hard plastic outer shell. Numerical simulation and cadaver tests have shown that these protective pads significantly reduce peak forces, transmitted impulses and energy transfer during high-force impacts10..<br /><br />Protects the Hips<br /><br />Safety equipment protects the hips by reducing the forces involved in falls that cause fractures. During a fall, the device detects the motion that would result in a serious hip impact and automatically deploys two fast-expanding airbags surrounding both the greater trochanter and the ilium. This significantly reduces the force of impact and may also sound an alarm to bring attention from staff.<br /><br />Having the right safety equipment will help your workers feel confident and secure in their job. It will also help them focus on their work without having to worry about whether they’re safe or not. To decide which safety equipment is necessary for a particular situation, you should start by performing a hazard assessment. This will allow you to select the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This includes things like: safety glasses, ear protection, and hard hats.<br /><br />Protects the Kneecaps<br /><br />Safety equipment includes knee pads, which are worn to protect the knees from injury or chaffing when workers need to kneel. These are available in a variety of styles and materials, such as gel or foam. They can either be secured independently of other clothing or attached as inserts into a pair of work trousers.<br /><br />These are essential pieces of equipment that all staff and students should have access to, and that all employers should provide. They should also be provided with adequate training to use them effectively.<br /><br />Having the right safety equipment onsite means that staff are less likely to get injured on the job. This saves the company money, as employees don't lose wages through time off due to workplace injuries. This makes a safer and more productive workplace overall.<br /><br />