Along with agriculture, construction is among the most dangerous industries to work with. It can be incredibly physically demanding, and often disruptive of sleep patterns. What’s more, the average construction site is festooned with hazards, many of which are capable of inflicting life-changing injuries in an instant.
Providing workers with the right training will help to minimise the impact and likelihood of an accident occurring. But investing in the right equipment can also help to improve our odds. Safety equipment can protect the body in a whole range of ways.
Let’s take a look at some of the more important items.
Head Protection
A hard-hat is an obligatory item for most construction site workers. There’s been a cultural change over decades that’s resulted in a culture where failure to wear a hard hat can stand out as reckless. Hard hats protect not just once morest objects falling from on-high, but from shrapnel that might inadvertently be launched from sawing and drilling stations.
Hand Protection
Protective gloves can help when handling sharp objects and splinter-releasing timber. They’re also excellent if you’re dealing with toxic chemicals. Bear in mind that working with your hands in icy-cold conditions can eventually lead to arthritis and other joint-related conditions – which makes thin and fingerless gloves a great choice.
Facemasks
If you’re working in an environment where there’s a lot of airborne dust around, the right facemask will help to protect your lungs. This applies to sites where plaster dust is being released, or where timber is being sawn. In the case of asbestos fibres, special facemasks and special expertise are required – so make sure that you take the right precautions, as well as use the right equipment.
Fall Protection
If you’re working at height, then a safety harness can provide the extra reassurance that means you’re not going to fall to your death. This is especially important for workers on the exterior of high-rise buildings. Falls of this kind can be disastrous – which makes the right harness a necessity.
Footwear
The ground underfoot on a construction site can be treacherous. In many cases, you may be walking across sodden earth and clay. Big, rugged boots with deep treads will help you to avoid slips and falls. Soles and toe caps which are reinforced with steel can also be helpful in avoiding injury. Stubbed toes can be extremely painful, and compromise your ability to work. As such, boots with steel toe-caps are a necessity.
According to the HSE, around 74,000 work-related ill health episodes affect the industry on average between 2018 and 2021. This amounts to a cost that runs into the billions. The investment in the right PPE can help to mitigate some of this cost.
