14 SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2023
A SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS
Personal Protective Equipment:
NOT JUST FOR WORK
Colin Corneau photo
A s spring approaches, many of us are eager to get outside to start that yard project we’ve been dreaming of. With that in mind, personal protective equipment (PPE) is often forgotten. When folks think of PPE, they usually think of construction sites and hard hats, but PPE is for these at-home projects as well. PPE is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious injuries and illnesses. This can include gloves, safety glasses, steel-toed boots, earplugs or muffs, respirators, coveralls or high-visibility vests. Hazards in your home or in the yard include: • Excessive noise from power tools • Dust and debris from cutting drywall • Flying and falling branches from yard clean-up • Blades on equipment or lawn mower
The hazards are numerous and some, unforeseen. Even something as simple as gardening still requires PPE, namely, gloves. This can protect your hands against cuts, soil, insect bites and skin irritants. Although the most common gardening injuries include cuts and scrapes, other injuries can occur from the lawn mower, tools and using improper body mechanics, especially when lifting heavy loads. Another common hazard from working in the garden can be heat stress, on those hot summer days. It’s important to stay out of direct sunlight and take breaks when needed. You need to know how to protect yourself. “Just mowing the lawn, for example, can be hard on the ears and dangerous to the feet,” explains Delaney Gall, Safety Advisor at WORKSAFELY®. Protect your hearing with ear muffs and
your feet with steel-toe boots, Gall advises. “PPE is fundamental to construction safety, but it’s also important for those at- home yard projects,” he says. “Whether you’re pulling out the lawn mower, chainsaw or the hammer, you should reach for PPE first.” Gall mentions that we often use the same tools and equipment at home as construction workers would on the job-site. “Think about what you do at home that construction workers also do. This could include changing a tire, using a circular saw, a garden tractor, or even cutting drywall and being exposed to dust and debris – same hazards, just a different place,” states Gall. PPE is your last line of defense, whether at work or at home. Use proper PPE, follow safe work procedures and protect yourself and your family this season.
Jessie Weir is THE MHCA WORKSAFELY® Education Programs Coordinator
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