Since early March, “personal protective equipment” – also commonly referred to as PPE – has become a household phrase. It’s appeared in newspaper headlines, corporate memos, press releases from public health officials, and virtually everywhere else you could care to look.
The reason behind this phrase’s sudden ubiquity, of course, has been the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time in living memory, face coverings – a form of personal protective equipment – have become a state-sanctioned requirement for the public.
But masks are only one type of personal protective equipment. Several other types of PPE have been used to keep workers safe since long before the world had ever heard of COVID-19.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to four major types of personal protective equipment that all employers should be aware of in their efforts to help keep employees safe.
Four Important Types of Personal Protective Equipment
Eye PPE. According to the CDC, roughly 2,000 American workers “sustain a job-related eye injury that requires medical treatment” every day. In light of statistics such as those, it becomes blatantly obvious why investing in proper employee eye PPE should be a top priority for employers.
Here are a few examples of eye and face PPE:
Face shields
Safety glasses
Over specs
Respiratory PPE. This type of PPE is vital for any worker who is routinely exposed to harmful vapors, gas, or particulates that could be easily breathed in and damage the respiratory system.
Some examples of respiratory PPE include:
Air-purifying respirator (APR)
Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)
Supplied-air respirator (SAR)
Hearing PPE. Hearing PPE is essential for any position that exposes workers to dangerously loud noises that could result in a perforated eardrum or loss of hearing.
Notable examples of hearing personal protective equipment include:
Earmuffs
Earplugs
Acoustic foam
Head PPE. Proper head PPE should be used by any professional whose job requires them to work beneath large and unstable objects or who works around heavy machinery.
Here are a few common examples of head PPE:
Safety helmets (hard hats)
Hairnets
Bump caps
Learn More About Maximizing Employee Safety for Your Workforce
Now more than ever, it’s crucial for employers to go the extra mile when it comes to keeping employees safe and healthy. Contact Tri-Starr Group today to learn more about personal protective equipment and other best practices to keep your workforce protected during the COVID-19 pandemic!
Comments