Essential Safety Wear

We'd like to emphasize the importance of essential safety wear in the workplace. It is also often referred to as personal protective equipment (PPE). Choosing to utilize essential safety wear is a simple and effective way to take preemptive measures against workplace accidents waiting to happen.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” - Stated by Benjamin Franklin in 1736

Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, was known for his wise quips and words to live by. Among them was the saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Although many use his quote in reference to health, Franklin actually was addressing safety.

Have a look at this iconic photograph below. Do you see anything amiss in it? We see plenty which causes shivers to go down our spine! There is no tract of any essential safety wear anywhere! And this is not photoshopped, but a genuine photograph that captured some guys on their lunch break...

This iconic photograph was taken on September 20, 1932, high above 41st Street in Manhattan when 11 ironworkers took part in a daring publicity stunt.

An article in the Smithsonian magazine reveals it's mystery: "On September 20, 1932, high above 41st Street in Manhattan, 11 ironworkers took part in a daring publicity stunt. The men were accustomed to walking along the girders of the RCA building (now called the GE building) they were constructing in Rockefeller Center. On this particular day, though, they humored a photographer, who was drumming up excitement about the project’s near completion. Some of the tradesmen tossed a football; a few pretended to nap. But, most famously, all 11 ate lunch on a steel beam, their feet dangling 850 feet above the city’s streets." (Photo and quote from the Smithsonian Magazine) Evidently this story, as a documentary, Men at Lunch, debuted in 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The bottom line is this: each of us only has one body. If we're careless with it, we'll have to live - or die - with the consequences. If we misuse it, we may lose it... This is why personal protection and essential safety wear can't be over-emphasized. In short, chance takers are accident makers! So, 'always wear your safety gear, so you can work without any fear'. And by the way, do not give this stunt a try! A casual attitude toward safety can easily end up being a casualty!

What is Essential Safety Wear?

A wise workman is always equipped with essential safety wear. Safety is a choice you make! Source: Pexel

We won't be covering every form of personal protective equipment, but just the essential safety wear that should be generally required. Even these basic items of protective workwear have proved to be life and injury savers! They should be used in all environments where health and safety could be at risk in any way. We'll be focusing mainly on head protection, eye protection, ear protection, hand protection, and high-visibility clothing.

Taking preemptive safety precautions in the work place through the use of personal protective equipment is essential and leads to no regrets. We cannot underestimate the fact that proper use of these basic pieces of workplace safety gear is vital if we want to avoid unnecessary accidents or injury in the workplace. Like the saying you've probably heard all your life, "it's better to be safe than sorry"!

Protective Head Gear

Helmets, Hard Hats, or Bump Caps, each type of protective head gear provides a simple but effective form of prevention for serious injury depending on the workplace requirements. Since head injuries are such common and usually long-lasting injuries, head protection is a must when we're considering essential safety wear.

Choosing which type of head protection to depends on the nature of each individual working environment. It's important to assess the measure of the overall risk of head injury, unique to every situation. So, what you need to wear depends on nature of each specific workplace.

Reminder: Protect your head! Don't take any chances!!

Head injuries are very serious and can affect you for the rest of your life! They can be very complicated injuries. There are never two head injuries exactly the same. Sometimes it is obvious when the accident happens, but other times the evidence of damage appear hours or days after the accident.

A head injury can involve different kinds of damage to the skull and its contents. This may also include neck injuries. Different types of head injury often happen in one accident. “Protect your head - don't end up dead”. This may sound like a silly little rhyme but It's also a very serious warning. Some have found out the hard way...

Find the head protection that suits your workplace needs. Click to order.

As with the other pieces of essential safety wear, if there is that slightest chance that you could be at risk for injury at your workplace, you should wear the appropriate head protection. Find the head protection that suits your workplace needs.

Cover Your Eyes!

Eye injuries in the workplace are, unfortunately, very common and can be so easily prevented! With over 2,000 injuries occurring each day, it's been proven that 90% of workplace eye injuries would have been avoided had the person been wearing proper protective eyewear. Spare yourself the pain, permanent eye damage and the monetary costs of carelessness with the precious gift of your vision.

These over-spec goggles fit easily and comfortably over prescription glasses. Click to buy!

It happens so fast! A splash of chemicals, grease or oil, steam burns, exposure to infrared or ultraviolet radiation, flying bits of metal or flecks of other foreign objects, or cuts or scrapes on the cornea can cause incredible damage to the eye! It can happen in a split second in the workplace!

Wearing prescription or other regular glasses won't do it! They are no substitute for proper eye protection gear! Both your eyes and your prescription glasses need to be protected. There is no valid excuse when, comfortable, well-fitting, good looking, laboratory-tested goggles are so easily available.

Safety Glasses are vital for protecting your eyes! Click to buy!

While safety glasses are great protection in many situations, they do not provide complete eye protection from all risks. This is due to the small gaps around the top, bottom and sides of the protective glasses. Sometimes safety goggles are an even wiser choice.

Safety Goggles provide even greater protection! Click to buy!

They offer even more protection, forming a barrier in contact with the face, providing complete coverage around the eyes keeping contaminants out.

There are many applications in which safety goggles would be a better choice to provide complete eye protection, as these provide complete 360-degree coverage around the eyes and includes a strap to help hold the goggles securely against the head. They are held by a strap around the head which does not allow it to fall off unexpectedly as you're busily working. Shop here for a great selection of safety glasses, goggles, and other eye wear!

Noise Hazards and Ear Protection

Intense noise can do lasting damage to your ears! Protect them to prolong your ability to hear! Source: Pexel

Noise is one of the most common physical hazards present in the workplace setting. Considering the frequency, volume and how long you're exposed to the noise, hearing protection should be worn. Lack of hearing protection or prolonged exposure to noise can lead to serious consequences. Hearing is something that we should never take for granted. Carelessness can result in either temporary or permanent hearing loss.

3M Peltor Optime 105 Over-the-Head Earmuffs

The use of hearing protection against noise hazards is essential when working in an environment that where loud machinery or other sources of loud, on-going noise is present. We'd recommend this 3M Peltor Optime 105 Over-the-Head Earmuff which has been developed for effective hearing protection in the most demanding noise environments.

Protective ear gear is an important part of essential safety wear. it is not a big investment, but it is very valuable! The benefits of utilizing this simple piece of protective gear will go a long way in preserving your precious gift of hearing. Find your protective ear gear here!

A High-Five for Gloves!

Work gloves are a part of a wise worker's game plan! Always use gloves to protect your hands! They are an important part of essential safety ware.

Look at your hands. Do you have two of them - and all your fingers and thumbs? If so, good!! If not, you know firsthand the great importance of hand protection! Sadly, we can take them for granted. How often do you opening doors, button your shirt, use a fork, or tie your shoes? Without your hands, or if missing fingers or thumbs, simple routine tasks would become a challenge!

You're not the only one who needs your hands. Protect them! Source: Freepix.com

Our hands are essential to what we do every day, whether at work, at home, or at leisure. Consider them among your most valuable tools. The ability to use them is one of your greatest assets – don’t take them for granted! Not only does the use of your hands facilitate you in your role as a skilled and valuable worker, they also empower to be more effective and 'hands-on' in every other area of life as well! Remember, you're not the only ones who needs your hands! Keep your hands safe for the things you love to do!

As with other types of essential safety wear, no single glove can provide appropriate protection for every work situation, so it is important to assess the risk for each task and select a glove that provides specialized protection. So, whether your job requires leather gloves, rubber, cotton, Kevlar or chemical-resistant gloves, work wisely and make use of them!

Well-worn work gloves show how well you've protected your hands so that they don't look this way! Source: Flickr

Accidents can happen very quickly! Don't take chances as you work. You only have two hands and they can become injured easily.

At the end of the day, you can take off your gloves and have a good look at them. Are they worn, damaged and dirty? Without them, that would have been how your hands would have looked. Be grateful that you worked wisely and kept your hands protected! Check out our wide range of hand-protecting work gloves!

High-Visibility Protection

This wise warehouse worker is wearing high-visibility gear which makes him easily seen.

High-visibility clothing was first introduced to the UK in 1964 when its usage was implemented as a trial for railway maintenance workers. Its effectiveness in making workplaces safer brought about its popularity.

High-visibility clothing, or "hi-vis" as its often called, is a form of protective clothing which is made from fluorescent materials, highly luminescent, and often with reflective tape added for extra visibility. In a busy workplace, it makes the wearer more visible to those around them. There are different classes of high-visibility clothing as well as different types - from a simple reflective harness, vests, jackets, bib overalls, coveralls, and head wear.

Don't forget your "hi-vis" gear when considering the importance of essential safety wear. Be seen and be safe! High-visibility apparel performs the function it was designed to fulfill and that's what makes it a brilliant component in essential safety wear! As designer Karl Lagerfeld once said, "It's yellow, it's ugly, it doesn't go with anything, but it could save your life"! Here's a great selection of high-visibility gear suitable for different workplace needs.

Better to be Safe Than Sorry!

Choosing not to utilize essential safety wear is risky and dangerous. It's foolish to ignore these simple pieces of personal safety equipment, especially when it could save your life.

Think Safety First!

It's easy to get busy and forget such basic things as personal safety if we're not careful. We suggest having posted reminders of the importance of wearing essential safety wear in your workplace. And verbally remind employees who may have forgotten or who are ignoring these basic requirements of safety.

Signage reminders are important reminders for everyone. Here's a great selection of signs that could make a difference in the safety of your workplace environment!" In a distracted moment these simple reminders may save a valued member of your team a lifetime of regret!

"Work safely! Chance takers are accident makers!"

The simple, consistent adherence to these various safety measures will reduce accidents, diminish risks to health and limbs, improve the performance of your company as well as the wellbeing of your employees. It makes for a safer, secure work environment, and in the end, it saves you cost and loss.

As someone once said, "Safety is the seam that joins the fabric of life. Don’t let a loose thread bring it all undone." Incorporate the use of these various pieces of protective gear and essential safety wear wherever there may be even the slightest risk. You'll never regret it!