The Importance of PPE for Chefs

Protective clothing, such as hats and aprons are very important to a chef. Even if you are not a professional chef, when you are cooking in the kitchen you need to know the basics of protective clothing.

Most people think that an apron is worn to avoid getting their clothing dirty, but it is actually worn to protect the person from fire!

Wearing protective clothing that is made from cotton may be comfortable, but it does not protect a person much from fire, plus when food or liquid messes on cotton, there is a high chance of it getting stained.

When you buy protective clothing, always buy from a reliable source, such as L&A Safety.

Chef hats and caps are worn to reduce sweating and prevent any hairs from falling into the food. The colour of a chef’s clothing is also very important. Most of the time they wear white, however there is a downside to this – it stains easily. Recently chefs have been wearing more black clothing, which is less traditional but easier to clean.

Before finding the right fit protective gear such as the aprons and caps, you need to take your measurements. After your have determined your size, you can look out for the protective gear that matches your size. 

If you prefer the online way of shopping for the protective clothing, take a look at L&A Safety’s site. If you’d prefer to visit the actual shop there are branches in Cape Town, Vredenburg and Robertson.

Protective Footwear for Farm Workers

Foot protective for farm workers is vital in their line of work. They can be injured from a variety of different things, including animals stepping on their feet, heavy objects dropping and even sharp objects that can go right through the shoe.

Safety footwear can come in a range of different styles. Hiking boots and cowboy boots are popular because they look good and they are less heavy duty than normal farm worker boots, such as heavy duty work boots and polyurethane boots for damp working environments.

Safety shoes usually have much more than just a steel-toe cap for protection. Steel shanks help distribute weight more evenly, providing support during farm tasks like climbing a ladder.

Metatarsal boots are fit with protection on top of the shoe and also in the shoe to protect the top of the foot. Steel midsoles, either built-in or slip-in, protect against punctures and bone bruises from nails, glass, barbs, and stones. Slip-resistant soles help prevent falls in wet barns and on muddy ground.

L&A Safety provides a variety of protective footwear for farm workers, including metatarsal boots, polyurethane boots and many other gum boots. Click here to browse through the catalogues...

Eye Protection for Farm Workers

It only takes a few simple precautions to avoid eye injuries. You only have one pair, so make sure they are protected as eye injuries can be especially painful and even cause blindness.

Eye injuries are usually from particles flying into your eyes. The eye uses it’s protection, the eyelashes, tearing and blinking to try be protected, but often they are unable to stop the particles and objects.

Farmers should wear eye protection when grinding feed, handling chemicals, harvesting crops, haying, and doing shop work such as drilling, grinding or sawing. Eye wear is also particularly important when farmers are building, demolishing or repairing structures; repairing farm vehicles and machinery; welding and cutting with torches; and working in dusty atmospheres.

If you go for a basic pair of safety glasses, there is still the chance that particles will fly into the eye from the side. Most safety glasses come with either permanent or detachable side shields to protect all sides of your eyes.

Safety goggles are also a great option to provide your eyes with protection from all angles. Goggles are especially handy when farmers are doing work such as chainsaw work, chipping, riveting, and grinding.

Goggles are a cheap option, so farm workers should keep a pair nearby when they are working with things like chemical liquids.

Face shields protect workers from heat, glare, and flying objects, but they are only considered secondary protection and must be worn with either glasses or goggles. Face shields that attach to hard hats are available for jobs that also require head protection.

For a range of PPE, including eye protection, take a look at L&A Safety's range of products!