If you work in the construction industry, it is imperative that you wear the proper construction gear that tackles safety concerns. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regularly inspects companies to ensure that they are abiding by all of the safety regulations. Following these regulations minimizes the risk and occurrence of avoidable accidents.
Even if you are working in a hazardous environment, with exposed rebar or falling objects, wearing personal protection equipment will significantly reduce your risk of injury. These five main items should come first on any checklist that addresses safety concerns:
Workboots
Buying the right kind of work boot is very important in ensuring the comfort and safety of your feet. Work boots come in all different types that maximize the protection available, depending on your working environment. Top choices for comfort and safety are available in several dependable brands.
Some boots have high-tech features, like material that lets your feet breathe, and reduces the risk of infections, like athlete’s foot. The soles of the boots are designed for different surfaces, including hard, concrete flooring, or wet and soggy ground. Metal plates are inserted in some boots to protect your toes and feet. The most common type of boot with metal plates are steel-toed boots.
Fall Protection
Employers are required to have fall protection systems in place if the environment poses any risk to falls. Workers, however, should inspect the fall protection equipment before each use. This will ensure that they are working properly and are not damaged in any way. If they are damaged, it could potentially fail when it is needed the most.
The fall protection system usually consists of a lanyard or a lifeline that clips onto a sturdy surface, guardrails, or safety net systems to keep workers from falling and landing on the surface below. These systems are life-saving and required by OSHA.
Eye and Face Protection
Anytime that there is a danger of something getting into your eyes, you should wear eye protection, such as safety glasses or a face shield. These activities include welding, cutting, sanding, or working around concrete and other harmful chemicals.
Your eye and face protection should fit well against your face. This means that they should fit loose enough to where they are comfortable to wear, but tight enough so they do not get in the way or fall off when you are working. Employers are required to provide face and eye protection free of charge to their employees based on OSHA requirements and any anticipated environmental hazards.
Head and Hand Protection
Hard hats and gloves are essential to addressing many safety concerns at a construction site. There are several different types of gloves that should be worn depending on the job being done. Some gloves are made specifically for certain types of work with different safety features depending on the target audience. Your gloves should fit snugly, so as not to get caught on anything.
Hard hats can protect you from falling objects, bumping your head on a fixed object, or electrical hazards. They should be well-maintained, routinely checking for dents or deterioration, to help provide the best protection. OSHA requires that employers provide gloves and hard hats to employees free of charge to ensure that working environments are as safe as possible.
Clothing
Wearing the correct clothing for your working environment is also very important. Make sure that your clothing fits correctly, so as not the restrict your movement if it is too tight, or not snag on anything if it is too loose.
Work wear comes in many features. Depending on the construction site where you are working, You might be exposed to several different environments. Clothing features like Hi-Vis (High Visibility) and and FR (Flame Retardant) can properly tackle the safety concerns of several different hazardous environments.
Conclusion
Having the right safety gear for your job can make the difference, as feeling comfortable and safe is one of the greatest influencing factors of how one performs at their job. And fortunately, in the last years, there have been many great strides in supplying workers with the correct gear in terms of availability and development.
