According to SafeWork Australia, Personal Protective Equipment, also commonly referred to as PPE, is the term used to describe any item or article of clothing that is used to reduce the risks to a worker's health and help maintain their safety. It is a term that encompasses a wide range of items such as hard hats, high visibility vests, masks, ear plugs, safety goggles, and so on.
It is mandatory for all labour hire workers to wear Personal Protective Equipment whilst on construction and building sites. This is because construction sites have the potential to be quite a hazardous place and it is important to prevent any accidents or injuries from occurring whilst on the job. The Personal Protective Equipment that is required can vary from site to site depending on the hazards that may be present. However, the minimum PPE that labour hire and construction workers are required to wear on all work sites include a hard hat, a high visibility vest, and steel cap work boots.
Minimum Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:
Hard Hat
Hard hats help to protect a worker's head from falling debris, low-hanging beams, and other incidents that may result in a dangerous knock to the head. Hard hats are a crucial piece of PPE, since rubble and other hazardous items are present on all construction sites and could cause significant injuries to workers. For more information about the different types of hats and what their colours mean please click here.
High-vis Vest
High-visibility vests and other pieces of high-vis clothing are used to ensure that your position on the site is visible to other workers at all times. High-vis clothing is especially important when machinery is in use, as the operator needs to be aware of where others are to avoid collisions. To find the best place cheap and nationally recognised high-vis vests please click here.
Steel Cap Work Boots
Steel Cap boots protect your feet and ankles from heavy falling objects, trauma, uneven surfaces, and so on. Steel cap work boots also help to support your feet during long work hours on the construction site. For the best boots to protect your feet, we recommend that you check out Seton Australia to help protect your feet.
It is important that you ask your site supervisor about the additional PPE that may be required for your work site, to ensure that you aren't missing any valuable pieces that could protect you from potential hazards. For example, if the construction site you are working on is particularly loud, you may need earplugs to prevent damage from occurring to your ear drums.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) plays a vital role in helping to keep construction site workers safe from risks that may be associated with working on a site.
If you're an employer looking for a labour hire, or an employee looking for a job in construction, head over to the Workfast website.
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