No one wants to get injured while at work, but it happens more often than we would like. Many of these accidents could have been prevented if employees had been wearing the proper clothing safety gear. In this blog post, we will discuss what you need to know about clothing safety in the workplace. We will cover everything from common hazards to the proper safety gear that you should be wearing to stay safe at work.

Clothing Safety Depends On Your Industry

There are a variety of hazards that can be found in any workplace. Some of the most common hazards include:

• Chemicals
• Heavy machinery
• Slippery floors
• Sharp objects

Each of these hazards presents a different risk to employees. That’s why it’s important to know what type of hazard you’re working with and to take the necessary precautions. For example, if you’re working with chemicals, you should be wearing proper protective gear, such as gloves and a face mask. If you’re working near heavy machinery, you should be wearing closed-toe shoes and long pants.

Of course, these are just a few examples of common hazards that you might encounter in the workplace. It’s important to be aware of the hazards in your specific workplace and to take the necessary precautions. Your employer should provide you with a safety manual that outlines the specific hazards in your workplace and what you need to do to stay safe.

Clothing Safety in the Workplace

Always ensure that all clothing and PPE is the correct size, comfortable and appropriate to the task and weather conditions. This is especially important when working with hazardous chemicals that can be absorbed through the lungs or skin.

Safe Use of PPE

• Choose PPE that meets current Australian Standards.
• Do not reuse single use PPE for example, disposable gloves.
• For reusable PPE, always clean after each use and store in a safe and clean area
• Ensure the PPE is clean, undamaged and still within its expiration period.
• For shared PPE, all equipment ,ust be properly clean and disinfected before reuse.

Training Employees on PPE

Workers must be provided with training on when to use PPE and how to ensure that it fits correctly and how to adjust it where applicable. They must also be instructed on how to repair or replace PPE and correct cleaning and storage.

Do Employees Have to Provide PPE?

It depends. If PPE is required to do a work task then the person conducting the business must provide it to workers unless the equipment can also be used outside of work (such as boots). This may vary by industry so be sure to check the relevant industrial award or enterprise agreement regarding provision of PPE.

Common Types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

• Eye protection
• Ear protection
• Gloves
• Long pants
• Hearing protective devices, such as ear muffs and ear plugs
• Respiratory protective equipment
• Eye and face protection, such as safety glasses and face shields
• Safety helmets
• Clothing, such as high visibility vests, life jackets and coveralls
• Footwear, such as safety boots and rubber boots.

Clothing safety is an important part of keeping yourself safe while on the job. By knowing the common hazards and the proper safety gear to wear, you can help prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace. 

For more information on PPE click here 

This Post Is Part Of A Series: 101 Toolbox Topic Ideas For The Construction Industry
Do you struggle to come up with toolbox talk ideas each week to discuss with your workers? Fear no more, Work Safety QLD is here to the rescue with 101 Free Toolbox Talk Ideas for the Construction Industry.