Personal Protective Equipment
Hard hats, goggles, face shields, earplugs, steel-toed shoes, respirators. What do all these items have in common? They are all various forms of personal protective equipment.
Yet, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show:
| Hard hats were worn by only 16% of those workers who sustained head
injuries, although two-fifths were required to wear them for certain tasks
at specific locations
| Only 1% of approximately 770 workers suffering face injuries were wearing
face protection
| Only 23% of the workers with foot injuries wore safety shoes or boots
| and only about 40% of the workers with eye injuries wore eye protective
equipment. | |
A majority of these workers were injured while performing their normal jobs at regular worksites. Using personal protective equipment requires hazard awareness and training on the part of the user. Employees must be aware that the equipment alone does not eliminate the hazard.
We can help you assess the need for PPE and train your employees on the correct usage of the equipment.