The construction industry is a major player in the Irish economy, and responsible for a significant proportion of employment. It brings with it its own risks to those involved, and both employers and employees should have a clear understanding of the PPE they need to mitigate these risks, and its appropriateness to the work being carried out. It comes in many categories, so let’s take a look at some of them.

Head Protection

Appropriate helmets must be worn where workers are at risk of being struck by falling objects and other projectiles. In some situations, a bump hat may be appropriate (for e.g., workers working underneath vehicles, where there is a risk of striking their head but a helmet would be too cumbersome). As with all PPE, head protection should be checked to ensure a good fit and that it is suitable for the work at hand.

Hearing PPE

Workers exposed to excessive noise run the risk of developing tinnitus (a constant ringing sound in the ear) and Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), and this risk increases the higher the noise level and the longer they are exposed to it. Therefore, it is crucial that employers undertake a risk assessment and implement measures to reduce noise in the workplace. PPE should be issued and must be appropriate for the noise in question and fit properly. Examples of Ear PPE brands include Hellberg and 3M.

Face & Eye Protection

You only get one set of eyes, therefore no corners should be cut when it comes to ensuring that adequate eye protection is worn on jobs where workers are exposed to chemical splashes, dust, debris, shards, and other harmful material. Employers have a duty to ensure that the eyewear supplied to the employees is appropriate for the hazards involved and that they are a proper fit. Popular brands of safety eye PPE include Hellberg, Bollé, and Riley.

Emergency Safety Showers and Eyewash Stations

At a minimum, all construction sites should have accessible emergency eyewash stations so that employees can wash their eyes should any dust, debris or harmful substances get into them. In some situations, an emergency safety shower may also be required on-site. Our sister company, Gaslines Ltd., is an authorised agent for Hughes Safety Showers in the Republic of Ireland, visit www.gaslines.ie for more information.

Respiratory PPE

In work environments where people are exposed to harmful dust or chemicals, it is essential that appropriate respiratory PPE is worn. Employers must make sure that the respiratory PPE issued to their employees is rated for the hazards at hand. For example, if spraying paint, then an FFP1 dust mask would not be suitable. Popular brands of respiratory PPE include BLS, Cleanspace, and 3M.

Hand Protection

Construction workers are constantly exposed to potential hand injuries, including sprains, cuts, and abrasions. Gloves should always be worn and they should be appropriate for the work being undertaken; attention should be paid to the cut rating of the gloves. Our team is happy to advise on this. We stock work gloves from leading manufacturers such as Polyco Healthline, Globus, and Maxiflex

High Visibility Clothing

High-visibility clothing is an important piece of PPE for construction workers, making employees visible to drivers and operators of vehicles and machinery. Hi-Vis should be kept clean at all times to ensure that they are effective. Of course, in addition to wearing a hi-vis care and attention should always be exercised by anyone working on a construction site.

Fall Arrest Systems

Anyone working on ledges or heights needs to be wearing fall arrest equipment, for example, hardnesses. This is especially the case for construction workers working on buildings. The rope used in a safety harness serves to absorb the energy generated during the fall and reduce potential injuries. Once again, it is absolutely vital that the harness is worn correctly in order to effectively protect the employee wearing it. 

Knee Protection

The importance of adequate knee protection should never be underestimated. Knee injuries are one of the most common types of injuries encountered by tradespeople, including osteoarthritis and patellar fractures. Not only should kneepads be worn, but they should be regularly checked for wear and replaced when needed. The kneepads should be the correct fit for the type of trousers in question. All the main workwear manufacturers supply kneepads, including Snickers Workwear, MASCOT Workwear, Apache Workwear, Blacklader Workwear, and Bjornklader Workwear.

Foot PPE

Construction site workers’ feet are exposed to a range of hazards. These include not only falling objects but also the potential to step on a sharp object, slip on a wet surface, or fall. For this reason, due care and consideration should be applied when choosing safety footwear. For instance, an employee using ladder should be wearing Ladder Grip (LG) certified safety footwear. Those working on a slippering surface should be earring SRC slip-rated safety footwear. In some situations, it may be necessary to wear ESD-rated footwear too. At M.A. Healy’s we’re always happy to advise on the most appropriate safety shoes or boots for a given work environment. We stock leading brands such as No Risk, Solid Gear, Sparco Teamwork, Apaché, and MASCOT, to name just some brands.