Construction sites can be dangerous workplaces, with risks as diverse as falls, back injuries, impacts with falling objects, electrocution, and explosions.
According to OSHA, one out of five workplace fatalities takes place in a construction site, making safety precautions, proper training, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for construction workers essential.
The OSHA PPE standard for construction
OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requires employers to provide a safe and healthy workplace for employees.
The OSHA PPE standard for construction includes a construction safety equipment list that includes:
- eye and face protection (ANSI Z87.1-1989),
- head protection (ANSI Z89.1-1986), and
- foot protection (ANSI Z41.1-1991).
In addition to the equipment covered in these three standards, the OSHA PPE standard for construction also covers body protection, hand and arm protection, and hearing protection. Fall, electric/chemical, and respiratory protection, as well as hi-visibility clothing are also essential PPE for construction workers.
Construction safety relies on such PPE as the last line of defense between employees and potential hazards. Construction site hazards should, whenever possible, be eliminated or isolated from employees, as per the Hierarchy of Controls.
PPE For Construction: A Safety Equipment List
While PPE for construction workers depends on the nature of the worksite and the employees’ given tasks, the following equipment is generally required:
- Safety glasses and face shields to prevent foreign objects from entering the eye and include welding glasses and masks. Safety eyewear is required when welding, cutting, nailing, grinding, working with electrical hazards, or working with hazardous chemicals, liquids, or gases. Safety glasses also include anti-glare sunglasses with UV protection.
- Hand and arm protection include safety gloves to protect against cuts, “pinch point” injuries, abrasions, and crushing injuries. Electricians working onsite will require specialized rubber gloves and arm sleeves.
- Foot PPE for construction workers generally means puncture-resistant steel-toed work boots to prevent crushing or punctures. Such boots should be slip-resistant, and ideally waterproof.
- Body protection is a broad category of PPE for construction workers. Construction safety may require sturdy coveralls, jackets, and flame-resistant clothing. Safety harnesses for working at heights fall under body protection, as do hi-viz vests with reflective striping.
- Hearing protection includes earplugs and earmuffs to protect the ears against injury-causing noise produced by construction work.
- Respiratory protection should also be included on any construction safety equipment list. Employees working with paint or dust may require face masks capable of filtering out airborne particles, while respirators with built-in filtration cartridges and gas masks are needed when dealing with gases or gas-emitting substances. If working in small spaces, self-contained breathing apparatus or airline devices reduce the risk of asphyxiation.
While not mandated by OSHA, employees may want to consider face masks and neck gaiters as part of their PPE construction inventory. The 2020 COVID-19 outbreak saw the CDC recommend such devices to help slow the spread of coronavirus. As yet, the efficiency of such masks remains under debate, but many people choose to use them at work or in public.
Triple Crown Product provides a range of PPE for construction workers, including hardhats, ANSI-approved hi-vis jackets, durable coveralls, flame resistant clothing, safety glasses, gloves, neck gaiters, and face masks. Our PPE construction products can all be customized with your logo, allowing you to raise brand awareness while complying with safety standards. If you need help choosing from the different types of PPE construction products available, contact us and we’ll help you choose the PPE needed to keep your employees safe while promoting your brand.