What is Personal Protective Equipment and Why is it Important?

Introduction

Workplace safety is of the utmost importance, especially when it involves operating potentially dangerous machinery, or being exposed to harmful chemicals. Personal protective equipment helps to prevent injury or harm to workers and can do this in a variety of ways. Safety should always be the number one priority and so it is pivotal that you select the correct personal protective equipment for whatever work you do.

What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

Personal protective equipment otherwise known as PPE, is designed to keep people safe when performing potentially dangerous tasks. PPE can be anything from high visibility clothing to helmets to steel toe boots, but it all serves the common purpose of keeping you safe. PPE is important as it works to protect people from common workplace hazards including, falling objects, flying debris, loud noises, exposed wiring, chemicals, sharp objects as well as harmful fumes amongst other risks. Due to these risks it is important workers take the correct precautions. Here you can see our range of PPE and safety equipment to protect yourself and your colleagues whilst at work.

Types of Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment comes in various shapes and sizes with each having different ways of providing safety. Here are some common types of PPE and how they can help.

Head Protection

Head protection often comes in the form of helmets. Helmets provide protection from falling objects as well as hitting your head if there are low ceilings.

Eye & Face Protection

Eye and face protection includes safety glasses or goggles, as well as face shields and masks. These protective measures help prevent dust and fine particles from entering the eyes, while also shielding the face from sparks, chemicals, and other potential hazards.

Hearing Protection

Hearing protection is typically done by having headphones, earplugs or earmuffs provided. This protects your hearing from being damaged by overly loud and sudden noises.

Respiratory Protection

Respiratory protection is done by using respirators or dust masks, protecting you from breathing in harmful chemicals or dust.

Assorted PPE respiratory masks fitted to mannequins

Hand Protection

Gloves are used for hand protection with different gloves being used for different environments. Gloves can be used to stop cuts, gain grip and control as well as to protect you from chemicals.

Foot Protection

Safety boots and specialised footwear are used for foot protection. This helps to reduce slipping and ensure your foot is protected from falling objects or things being dropped. View our range of protective footwear here.

High-Visibility

High visibility clothing is used to make people easier to see in potentially dangerous environments.

At DTS we provide an array of PPE for your every need. View our stock here.

Choosing the Right PPE for the Job

When choosing the PPE to use, it is important to plan out what equipment is best for each job. As mentioned above, there is a variety of different PPE that have different uses and protect different parts of the body. Before beginning any job it is essential to make sure all the risks have been assessed and the correct PPE has been provided to keep everyone involved protected.

PPE and Workplace Safety Regulations in Australia

Assorted PPE equipment laid out on display on timber boards

Workplace health and safety is governed by strict laws and regulations designed to protect workers from harm. Requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE) are outlined within workplace safety legislation and relevant codes of practice in Australia. Employers also have the legal responsibility to provide adequate PPE to employees, and, are also responsible for educating employees with regard to how PPE is used, stored and maintained, and if this is not done or carried out properly it may result in fines as well as serious injury.

Common PPE Mistakes to Avoid

Common PPE mistakes include wearing low quality or worn out protective equipment, poorly fitted clothing, and neglecting PPE for short tasks. Personal protective equipment should be a priority, however some people opt for cheaper alternatives which can end up backfiring and not protecting people to the level it should, it is also common for people to not replace their PPE as often as they should which can then lead to worn out and ineffective PPE being used.

It is also extremely important that PPE correctly fits each person who uses it. PPE that is either too big or too small can negatively impact the user which can lead to clumsiness due to tripping and not being fully protected.

Another common mistake people make when it comes to PPE is when people have a small task to do and so they think it will be okay to do it without the correct equipment. This leads to a lot of workplace injuries and is an easy way to get injured. It is very important people use the correct PPE at all times no matter how quick or seemingly easy a task is.

Conclusion

Personal protective equipment is a necessity when it comes to manual labour and potentially dangerous tasks. PPE keeps you and your colleagues safe whilst also adhering to the tough Australian safety regulations. Direct Trades Supply offers a wide range of PPE that can protect you. At DTS our experts can recommend the perfect PPE for your jobs whilst providing the best equipment for the job, leaving everyone happy and most importantly safe. If you need help choosing the right personal protective equipment contact our team today.