Construction Worker's Checklist: PPE

Personal Protective Equipment, commonly known as PPE, refers to the range of equipment used to protect users against health and safety risks while at work.

PPE is used in multiple industries, from hospitals and surgeries to cleaning and construction. PPE is important in construction, in particular, due to the various hazards that can occur for workers within the trade. Falling debris, low light visibility and heavy equipment are all examples of the factors that can risk a worker’s health and safety while on a construction site.

Here’s a checklist of the PPE recommended for construction workers, so your employees can feel both confident and safe when working.

Head Protection

Head protection is a vital part of PPE for construction workers, due to overhead hazards that can occur such as objects falling. Helmets may be the most obvious kind of head protection here, but there are also other types of helmet accessories to consider for your worker’s PPE. Helmet accessories include ear defenders, chin straps, sweatbands, visor carriers and helmet comforters – designed to provide both comfort and warmth while working in colder weather conditions.

Eye Protection

When undertaking any kind of building work or project, eye protection is always strongly advised. This is because, when on a construction site, there is a higher risk of hazards like sharp objects or dangerous liquids entering your eyes. Though eye protection helps with this, safety spectacles and goggles can also provide protection against light radiation, heat, windblast and extreme weather conditions that could cause distress and irritation while working.

Ear Protection

It’s really important to remember ear protection as part of a construction worker’s PPE checklist. There are multiple different tools and actions that create a lot of noise on a construction site, which is why earplugs and defenders are vital in protecting health and safety.

Fall Protection

Fall protection equipment is vital for workers in the construction industry, as there are many roles that involve working from a height such as scaffolding or working in steep holes. PPE such as tool lanyards and harnesses can help prevent injuries from occurring should workers fall, while also providing the confidence to carry out these dangerous tasks.

Fall protection PPE helps to not only prevent falls from occurring, but also helps to secure tools and accessories needed while working.

Respiratory Equipment

Respiratory equipment is another important part of personal protective equipment, as the amount of dust and fine particles created on a construction site is usually of a high percentage, meaning toxic particles can be easily inhaled.

The type of respiratory equipment needed will depend on the task being carried out. Both reusable and disposable masks are efficient depending on the level of protection needed, with further equipment such as face testing kits being available to assess the tightness of the seal to ensure face masks are fitted correctly.

First Aid

Every type of job requires some kind of first aid kit to be available to workers, and this is of particular importance for those working on a construction site due to the many types of hazards that could occur.

First aid and burn kits are available in different sizes depending on the number of people on-site. Employers should also remember first aid PPE in the form of accident books and health and safety law posters.

Workwear

Construction workers need the correct workwear to ensure they’re safe and protected at all times. Waterproof clothing such as rain suits and disposable coveralls are not only helpful in protecting workers against the elements, but they also protect your skin from dangerous machinery or harmful substances.

Matching workwear also provides the benefit of looking smart and professional while on site.

Hi-Visibility

Whether your site is based on a high-risk area such as a road or railway, or your employees often work throughout the night, hi-visibility PPE is essential for keeping workers safe and seen. Not only vital in keeping workers seen in low-lit weather conditions, hi-visibility clothing also provides warmth, comfort and protection at the same time.

Scafftag Kits and Holders

The use of scafftag kits and holders are of particular importance to those working in the construction industry and are beneficial to a variety of different structures including scaffolds and industrial equipment. Microtags, nanotags, ladder tags and multi tags are all available PPE for workers. They are especially useful in keeping track of inspections and safety regulations.

With this checklist in mind, all workers on your construction site should remain safe and out of danger.