PPE

PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment. The appropriate PPE must be worn for the particular job you are carrying out.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 it is the legal responsibility of your employer to ensure that you are provided with appropriate PPE while at work. You must not be charged for the provision of PPE.

Bump caps prevent head injuries when working in cramped areas.

Gloves should be worn when using sharp tools and materials and when handling harmful substances.

Safety glasses prevent particles entering your eyes, for example when drilling metal trunking.

Safety boots have a hard toe cap which prevents damage to the foot caused by falling heavy objects.

Hard hats should be worn on construction sites and areas where objects may fall from height.

When working in dusty environments or when drilling into plasterboard, facemasks prevent you from breathing in harmful dusts.

High vis (high visibility) vests are worn to make you more visible on site.

Ear defenders should be worn where loud equipment or machines are operating.

Ear plugs are flexible and fit snuggly in the ear. The are not as effective as ear defenders.

Knee-pads can be worn to reduce stress on knee joints when kneeling.