What Are Personal Protective Equipment Standards in Construction?
When you work in the construction industry, you need to keep your employees safe. Part of that means making sure that they have access to all of the personal protective equipment, or PPE, that they require. Not making an attempt to provide your employees with the proper equipment can result in legal trouble, project delays, and damage to your reputation. Our Houston construction accident lawyers can tell you more.
What Kinds of Personal Protective Equipment Are Used in Construction?
So many potential hazards can be found on a construction site, so you need to be prepared for just about anything. Your workers should be outfitted with personal protective equipment at all times, but especially when they are tackling certain jobs that carry a higher risk of injury or exposure to a toxic substance. Workers should have easy access to PPE like:
- Safety shoes that can protect from crushing injuries and slip and fall accidents
- Hardhats to protect from falling debris
- Harnesses and other fall protection equipment
- Safety glasses, chemical splash goggles, and face shields
- Hearing protection like plugs or earmuffs
- Safety gloves
- Respirators
- High-visibility vests for nighttime work
In addition to making this personal protective equipment available, companies working in the construction efforts can also make efforts to focus on safety training and worker awareness. Having an evolving approach to safety and making sure that all of your employees know how to use PPE or feel comfortable asking questions can make your site even safer.
What Efforts Are Being Made to Make Personal Protective Equipment More Effective?
Still, the current crop of personal protective equipment is not perfect. Government regulators have recently begun to focus on “equity” in PPE design. Essentially, they want to make sure that equipment is working right for all workers.
A good example here is respirators. They have to be able to fit everyone well, regardless of their size or their facial characteristics. There also have to be harnesses that can fit everyone properly to protect them from falls. Continued study and innovation will help make PPE more effective for every construction worker.
What Can Happen If Workers Do Not Have the Correct Equipment?
The obvious answer is that your workers will get injured. Construction can be a dangerous industry, and not preparing by outfitting your workers with the right PPE can come back to bite you. You will have to worry about workers’ compensation cases caused by:
- Fall from high heights
- Hearing loss
- Cuts and lacerations
- Vehicle accidents
- Eye injuries
- Head injuries from falls or falling objects
- Exposure to chemicals or smoke
- Electric shock
When you have a culture of safety and offer workers the personal protective equipment that they need, you can reduce the chance of accidents happening.
Contact Our Construction Lawyers
If you have questions about personal protective equipment and what you are required to provide, contact Patout & Shaw. Our lawyers can help you ensure that you are keeping up with the latest regulations and doing everything that you can to keep every job site as safe as possible.
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