Can wearing PPE be hazardous?

PPE or otherwise known as Personal Protective Equipment refers to equipment that people wear to minimize their exposure to dangers. You may work in a factory and handle chemicals daily, which means you should wear gloves and goggles to protect your skin and eyes. Visit L&A Safety, a great supplier of safety wear and equipment, and place your order today!

PPE can save your life, but if something is done improperly it can also expose you to risk and additional dangers…

> False sense of security

Wearing PPE often gives workers a false sense of security, which can be deadly! Just because you are wearing PPE does not mean you are completely protective from hazards like chemicals, electricity and sharp objects. Workers who believe this may be less attentive to other safety measures or be more careless.

> When PPE creates hazards

PPE isn’t one-size-fits-all. Each piece of PPE is individually designed for each job, and wearing the wrong type of protection can place a worker in some serious danger. Thick chemical-resistant gloves may protect a laboratory scientist, but they will impair the grip of a worker using a drill, causing some serious hazards.

> Pre-Contact vs. Point-of-contact

PPE protects workers during point-of-contact hazards, such as exposure to ultraviolet light or contact with dangerous acid. Yes, PPE improves worker safety by reducing the risk of injury, but it doesn’t eliminate the hazard! Pre-contact controls are essential to improving worker safety as they eliminate hazards completely.

PPE can include anything from helmets, hard hats and safety shoes to hearing protection and so much more. So make sure your PPE program is planned out carefully and introduced in stages.