There are many dangers associated with construction sites. PPE or personal protective equipment is a construction worker’s first and best line of defense. Each piece of PPE is designed to protect workers from a multitude of hazards including electrical, fall, chemical, harmful dust, struck-by, penetration, caught-in and caught-between, rollover, and heat. Hilltop Concrete's crews utilize work shirts, steel-toed boots, gloves, hard hats, safety vests, and more depending on our project. One of the most important aspects of using PPE is making sure it fits correctly. Hard hats and safety glasses are useless if they fall off or cause discomfort making the individual not want to wear them. PPE does not work if it's not on. Extremely loose clothing or shoes that don’t fit can cause hazards instead of preventing them. Loose clothing can get caught in equipment or cause you to trip and fall. In either case, it's important that PPE fits correctly and does not limit mobility.
Reflective safety vests are another important piece of equipment for constructions sites. They are brightly colored it’s generally advisable to wear them at all times at a job site. It’s especially crucial along active roadways, in low lighting, and for dusk and nighttime work. In certain circumstances, it’s mandated by OSHA. Hard hats are another essential piece of PPE at most construction sites. They protect against head injuries related to falling objects, striking the head against something, or accidental contact with electricity.
Other injuries PPE helps protect you from are the debris or other material getting in your eye or in cases where welding is involved, flash burn. Safety glasses or face shields would be essential PPE in situations where these hazards exist. Gloves are another essential component of our PPE. Different types of work gloves are best suited to particular tasks and risks at construction sites. For example, heavy-duty leather and canvas gloves protect against cuts and burns, welding gloves for welding, heavy-duty rubber gloves to work with concrete, insulated gloves for potential electrical hazards, and more.
There are many potential hazards at construction sites. Personal protective equipment is a workers’ first line of defense. Each construction site should always be evaluated for specific and unique dangers, then utilize the appropriate PPE for the project. Hilltop Concrete strives to always meet or exceed the safety standards that our customers demand. Reach out to us today at hello@hilltopconcreteco.com or by phone at 903-630-5465 to learn more about how we can safely install your next concrete fence project.