Importance of Safety Equipment PPE in Construction Projects

Introduction

The list of safety equipment PPE is very important for ensuring safety and health standards at the construction sites. Some of the most important gears are related to the protection of eyes and face, head, legs and feet, arms and hands, hearing and complete body. Wearing the right gear at the right time can prevent many of the accidents and risks.

Personnel Training – First Step to Safety

 The first step is to create a sense of awareness about the importance of construction site safety among the workers. They need to be convinced about the need for wearing personal protection equipment (PPE) during the working hours. Once it is done, they can move on to the next session of training.

The second step is to train them on when to use the PPE and which equipment to select. For example, the use of face and eyes protection equipment will be required with materials like asbestos and chemicals. The purpose is to avoid the inhalation of toxic elements and accidental spraying into eyes and face. Similarly, workers can get awareness about the usage of other safety gears.

Many of the workers may not be aware of the methods of wearing PPE. The project manager has to take the responsibility of showing them practically how to wear the PPE. They should also be trained on how to take off the gears when they are no longer required.

Proper training on the storage of gears is the next step in safety training. It can help to prolong the life and structural stability of the PPE in the long run.

Maintenance is the next part of the training. The workers have to be aware of cleaning, washing, repairing and part replacements at regular intervals. It is one way of ensuring continued protection from risks and hazards.

It is better to have a database of all the workers who have undergone the training. It can help to assign them for further training of new workers at the time of joining.

Usage of Protection Gears – Critical for Safety

Dust, dirt, chemicals, fumes and smoke are the most frequently encountered hazards in the construction sites. The other risks could be chips of wood, metal, concrete, and tools accidentally colliding with the head and face. Helmets and face masks are the gears needed for protection.

Eye protection will be required when the workers are performing tasks like welding, LASER guns, forging, milling, and other related activities.

Fitment of the gears into the workers’ head and face has to be considered as the top priority. Similarly, the body protection uniform should be tight-fitting without any loose ends that can entangle with the machinery and equipment.

Other protective gears like welding shields face shields, body shields, and others should be stored within the site containment warehouses. It can ensure immediate availability whenever they are needed.

Conclusion

Consistent usage of safety equipment PPE is the most recommended way to ensure the protection of workers from the potential risks and hazards at the construction site during projects.