Essential PPE for Manufacturing Facilities

Anything that an employee wears to protect them from illness or injury caused by hazards in the workplace is personal protective equipment (PPE). US employers are held responsible for ensuring the use of any necessary PPE under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. A workplace’s responsibilities include performing hazard assessments, identifying and providing appropriate PPE, employee training in the use of PPE, and replacing and reviewing damaged PPE when necessary. Our experts offer this list of essential PPE supplies in Orlando that may be required in a manufacturing organization:

Hard hats.

Industrial workers protect themselves from head injuries caused by flying, falling, or fixed objects with hard hats. These protective head coverings must be water, shock, penetration-resistant, and slow to burn. Hard hats have three industrial classes including:

• Class A- Provides penetration and impact resistance, with some protection for electrical hazards.
• Class B- Provides penetration and impact resistance and the highest level of electrical hazard protection that includes burn and high-voltage shock protection.
• Class C- Provides no protection from electrical hazards but some impact protection.

According to OSHA regulations, employers must ensure that their employees do prevent long hair from being caught in machinery by covering it. In addition, a hard hat must be replaced when it sustains impact or damage, whether the damage is apparent or not.

Safety Shoes, leggings, and foot guards.

Safety Shoes, leggings, and foot guards are designed to protect workers from various workplace hazards. These hazards include sharp objects rolling or falling; slippery, wet, or hot surfaces; and electrical hazards. This type of PPE includes:

• Safety shoes- These are special footwear designed to protect employees from things like static electricity buildup produced by electrically conductive shoes.
• Protective leggings- These leggings are fitted with easy removal safety snaps and are often made from aluminized rayon or leather. They serve to protect an employee’s feet and legs.
• Toe guards- Plastic, aluminum, or steel toe guards fit over an employee’s toes to protect them from any impact.
• Metatarsal guards- These guards are designed to be strapped to the outside of an employee’s shoes to protect their instep.
• Shin guards- These guards are designed to protect employees’ feet and lower legs.

Earmuffs and earplugs.

Earmuffs and earplugs are designed to protect employees from excessive noise exposure, leading to increased stress or irreparable hearing damage. Therefore, workers should be fitted for and provided with specially molded earplugs in workplaces that are consistently subjected to high noise levels. The more constant and loud the noise, the less time employees should be expected to perform without proper hearing protection.

Gloves.

Arm coverings, finger guards, and gloves help protect employees from any skin damage caused by punctures, thermal burns, chemical burns, or cuts. Hand protection equipment provides different levels of thermal protection and caters to varying requirements for grip depending on the nature of the job at hand and the risk of exposure. Protective gloves can be made of metal, mesh, canvas, leather, liquid or chemical resistant material, or insulating rubber.

Eye protection.

Shielding workers’ eyes from hot liquids, chemical gases, flying particles, molten metal, and harmful radiation is essential in the workplace. Therefore, eye protection PPE must fit comfortably and closely to the employee’s face, not restrict movement or vision, and be easily cleanable. Laser safety goggles, welding shields, spectacles, and safety goggles are all examples of protective eyewear.

Surgical face masks.

Disposable loose-fitting masks that cover an employee’s nose and mouth to create a physical barrier between them and other people in their immediate area are surgical masks. Surgical masks protect employees from splatters or large particle droplets containing bacteria or germs. Surgical masks also reduce the respiratory secretions and saliva that the wearer could pass on to others around them.

Contact us today for more information on PPE supplies in Orlando.