10 Types of PPE That Should Be on Your Essential List for a Safe Industrial Workplace [Checklist]

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Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to anything worn by an employee that protects them from an injury or illness caused by workplace hazards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that employers are responsible for the provision of any necessary PPE in accordance with OSHA standards. This includes performing a hazard assessment, identifying and providing appropriate PPE, training employees in the use of that PPE, and reviewing and replacing damaged equipment as necessary.

Below is a list of essential PPE that might be required within a manufacturing organization.

1. Hard Hats

Hard hats serve to protect industrial workers from head injuries caused by falling, flying, or fixed objects. Protective hats must be penetration-, shock-, and water-resistant as well as being slow-burning.

There are three industrial classes of hard hats:

• Class A: Provides impact and penetration resistance and some protection from electrical hazards.
• Class B: As well as providing impact and penetration resistance, Class B hard hats provide the highest level of protection against electrical hazards, including high-voltage shock and burn protection.
• Class C: Provides some impact protection but no protection from electrical hazards.

OSHA regulations also require employers to ensure that their employees cover and protect long hair to prevent it from being caught in machinery.

When a hard hat sustains damage or impact — even if the damage is not visible to the human eye — it must be replaced.

2. Leggings, Foot Guards, and Safety Shoes

Leggings, foot guards, and safety shoes help protect workers from a range of workplace hazards including falling, rolling, or sharp objects; wet, slippery, and hot surfaces; and electrical hazards.

This PPE includes:

• Protective leggings: Typically made from leather or aluminized rayon, protective leggings are fitted with safety snaps for easy removal and serve to protect the wearer’s legs and feet.
• Metatarsal guards: These are strapped to the outside of the wearer’s shoes to protect the instep.
• Toe guards: Typically made from steel, aluminum, or plastic, these fit over the wearer’s toes to protect from impact.
• Shin guards: These protect the lower legs and feet.
• Safety shoes: A range of special-purpose footwear such as electrically conductive shoes, which protect against static electricity build-up, can be acquired by employers.

3. Earplugs and Earmuffs

Earplugs and earmuffs are used to protect workers from exposure to excessive noise, which can lead to irreparable hearing damage and increased stress.

In a workplace where employees are consistently subjected to high levels of noise, workers should be fitted for specially molded earplugs. The louder and more constant the noise, the less time an employee should be expected to work without adequate hearing protection.

4. Gloves

Gloves, finger guards, and arm coverings will protect employees from the skin damage caused by cuts, chemical and thermal burns, and punctures. 

Depending on the nature of the employee’s work and their risk of exposure, hand protection can provide different levels of thermal protection and cater to different grip requirements. Gloves might be made of leather, canvas, or metal mesh; fabric; chemical- and liquid-resistant materials; or insulating rubber.

5. Eye Protection

Protective eyewear is important in certain workplaces to shield employees’ eyes from flying particles, hot liquids, molten metal, chemical gases, and harmful radiation. This PPE must fit closely and comfortably to the wearer’s face, be cleanable, and not restrict vision or movement.

Protective eyewear includes safety goggles or spectacles, welding shields, and laser safety goggles.

6. Surgical Face Masks

A surgical mask — often referred to as a face mask — is a loose-fitting, disposable device that covers the wearer’s mouth and nose to create a physical barrier between them and people in their immediate environment.

This PPE serves to protect the wearer from large particle droplets or splatters that could contain germs as well as reduce the saliva and respiratory secretions the wearer passes on to others.

7. Respirators

Respirators have long been used in a manufacturing setting to protect employees from inhaling air contaminated with harmful dust, fumes, gases, or sprays. This PPE must fit closely to the face and cover the nose and mouth to be effective.

N95 filtering facepiece respirators are most commonly used and recommended by OSHA. Once manufactured, a sample from each batch is tested for flammability, breathing and splash resistance, particle filtration efficiency, and bacteria filtration efficiency.

More recently, N95 respirators have become essential PPE in the fight against COVID-19. When unavailable, more intricate alternatives such as powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), supplied-air respirators (SARs), or high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) can be used.

8. Face Shields

Face shields consist of a visor, a lightweight plastic or metal frame, and a suspension system that attaches the shield to the head of the wearer. Providing full face protection, this PPE is typically worn on top of masks or goggles to prevent the inhalation of toxic substances or, as in the case of COVID-19, virus-carrying aerosol droplets.

Employers looking to source PPE for their workforce must thoroughly research and evaluate prospective suppliers to reduce the risk of purchasing counterfeit PPE. In the wake of COVID-19, several manufacturers have retrofitted their businesses to help meet the increasing demand for PPE.

With this in mind, it’s more important than ever before to scrutinize PPE suppliers. Consult government resource lists to find legitimate manufacturers, check supplier certifications, insist on checking product samples for legitimacy and quality, and closely interrogate contracts.

9. Proximity Sensors

Proximity sensors are a new addition to the list of PPE, with their development spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This device is typically used to indicate the proximity of a user to a hazardous object but has been updated by product developers to help manufacturing employees adhere to the six-foot separation guidelines. This is also a means to track exposure to COVID-19 within the workplace.

10. Body Shields

In particularly hazardous conditions, workers might be required to protect their entire body. Body protection comes in the form of jackets, aprons, lab coats, overalls, and full bodysuits. They are made from a range of materials including fire-retardant wool or cotton, rubber, leather, and plastic.

Body protection of this kind must be carefully measured for each employee to ensure a proper fit.

Image Credit: Photo by Guilherme Cunha on Unsplash