Never Wear a Hoodie under your Hard Hat

When the weather gets colder, or the rain comes along, outdoor workers need to keep warm. It is almost always a requirement to wear a hard hat when working on a construction site, however a lot of workers think it is okay to wear a hoodie or beanie underneath their hard hat.

The fact is, this is not only dangerous to the worker, but also the people below if the hat had to fall off from a high place and hit them.

What are some of the dangers of wearing a hoodie under your hard hat?

- The hard hat doesn’t fit properly, so it easily falls off your head.

- Workers may drop what they’re doing and attempt to catch the hard hat.

- The falling hat can endanger anyone below.

- Wearing a hoodie narrows your field of vision, therefore increasing the chances of injury.

- If the hard hat falls off it exposes your head to dangers.

- Helmets are damaged when they fall off and cannot be used again.

Hard hats are specially designed to take a large amount of impact, but if the hat falls from a height and shows any sign of damage it should be replaced immediately!

A workers safety is the most important thing, so a hoodie or beanie should NEVER be worn underneath a hard hat.

To keep warm, consider getting a manufacturer approved head warmer that is designed to fit under the hard hat. Contact L&A Safety, or pop into one of the branches for a wide range of PPE equipment, such as hard hats, safety goggles, eye protection and so much more!

The most Important PPE used Onboard Ships

Safety of self and co-workers is the prime priority kept in mind by a professional seafarer while working onboard a ship. All shipping companies ensure that their crew follow personal safety procedures and rules for all the operations carried onboard.

To achieve the utmost safety onboard a ship, the basic first step is to make sure that everybody wears their personal protective equipment made for different types of jobs carried out on ship. Looking for affordable PPE? Visit L&A safety's website and place your orders!

Here is the basic personal protective equipment (PPE) that is always present onboard a ship to ensure safety of the working crew:

1)      Protective Clothing: Protective clothing is a coverall which protects the body of the crew member from hazardous substance like hot oil, water, welding spark etc. It is popularly known as a boiler suit.

2)      Helmet: The most important part of the human body is the head. It needs utmost protection which is provided by a hard hat. A chin strap is also provided with the helmet which keeps the helmet on place when there is a trip or fall.

3)      Safety Shoes: Most of the internal space of the ship is utilized by cargo and machinery, which is made of hard metal and can make it awkward for the crew to walk around. Safety shoes ensure that nothing happens to the crew member’s feet while working or walking onboard.

4)      Safety Hand gloves: Different types of hand gloves are provided onboard. All these are used in operations wherein it becomes imperative to protect ones hands.  Some of the gloves provided are heat resistant gloves to work on hot surface, cotton gloves for normal operation, welding gloves, chemical gloves etc.

5)      Goggles: Eyes are the most sensitive part of the human body and in daily operations; chances are high that eye injury may occur. Protective glass or goggles are used for eye protection, whereas welding goggles are used for welding operation which protects the eyes from high intensity sparks.

6)      Ear Muff/plug: The Engine room of the ship produces 110-120 db of sound which is very high for human ears. Even few minutes of exposure can lead to head ache, irritation and sometimes partial or full hearing loss. Ear muffs or ear plugs are used onboard ships to dampen the noise to a bearable decibel value.

7)      Safety harness: Routine ship operation includes maintenance and painting of high and elevated surfaces which require crew members to reach areas that are not easily accessible. To avoid a fall from such heightened area, a safety harness needs to be used. A safety harness is donned by the operator at one end and tied at a strong point on the other end.

8)      Face mask: Working on insulation surface, painting or carbon cleaning involves minor hazardous particles which are harmful for human body if inhaled directly. To avoid this, a face mask is provided which acts as shield from hazardous particles and chemicals.

9)      Chemical suit: Use of chemicals onboard a ship happens frequently and some chemicals are very dangerous when they come in direct contact with human skin. A chemical suit is worn to avoid such situations.

10)  Welding shield: Welding is a very common operation onboard a ship for structural repairs. A welder is provided with a welding shield or mask which protects the eyes from coming in direct contact with ultraviolet rays of the spark of the weld.