Personal Protective Equipment for the Construction Industry

Personal Protective Equipment for the Construction Industry

The construction industry has several subindustries, all of which require workers to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize injuries. Hazards range from minor cuts to broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and death. Workers often work from heights, whether on residential homes or bridges spanning large waterways or interstates. Abolox carries personal protective equipment for all sectors of the construction industry.

Workers in the construction industry have many jobs, including:

• Plumbing.
• Electrical.
• Building with wood, metal, blocks, bricks, and stucco.
• Concrete and cement.
• Iron and other metals.
• Drywall.
• Paints and stains.v
• Shingles.
• Metal roofing.
• Moving materials.
• Driving big equipment.
• Delivering and picking up supplies from small items such as nails to large items such as trusses and large loads of building materials.

They work in all kinds of weather, from hot weather where they might need cooling products, to icy winter days, where they might need extra protection from the cold and wind.

The construction industry is divided into three primary subsectors, including:

Commercial Construction

Non-residential construction, or commercial construction, including factories, warehouses, offices, stores, medical facilities, civil engineering projects for roads and bridges, and other commercial buildings.

Residential Construction

Those who work in the residential construction subsector build single-family homes, condominiums, apartments, townhomes and housing complexes.

Civil Engineering

Construction workers who work on public works and infrastructure projects are in the civil engineering subsector. These workers build roads, dams, bridges, harbors, and tunnels.

Sub-Subsectors in the Construction Industry and the PPE They Use

Other sectors in the construction company include:

• Concrete: People working in the concrete industry work with chemicals and require personal protective equipment to protect their skin from the caustic properties of unhardened ready-mix concrete. They need waterproof gloves, snug-fitting eye protection, long sleeves and pants, knee pads and waterproof boots that are high enough to keep the concrete away from the skin or soaking through clothing.
• Carpentry: Carpenters use many hand tools, electric tools and air tools, including saws, nail guns, and drills. They should have eye protection, puncture-resistant gloves, abrasion-resistant gloves, hard hats, kneepads and high-visibility clothing.
• Drywall: Workers who handle and install drywall use special tools to lift drywall for installation, run forklifts, use knives, razors, and hammers, and work with chemicals. The personal protective equipment they need to minimize injuries includes cut-resistant gloves, abrasion-resistant gloves, work gloves, high-visibility clothing, goggles and hard hats.
• Electricians: Not only do electricians work with electricity, but they also work with hand tools such as pliers and cutters, wires, PVC, metal conduit, and other objects that could pose a hazard. Electricians and others in the electrical field should have cut-resistant gloves, puncture-resistant gloves, abrasion-resistant gloves, goggles or safety glasses, high-visibility clothing, and hard hats.
• Bridge, road, and highway construction: Road construction, including bridge construction and other transportation-related incidents, cause over 40 percent of workplace deaths. Work accidents include falls, homicides, workplace violence, being struck by an object or equipment, roadway incidents, fires, explosions and exposure to harmful substances. Wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment can minimize many workplace injuries. Road and bridge construction workers should have eye protection, face shields, hand protection, steel-toe boots, long sleeves and pants, hard hats, fire-resistant clothing and gloves, and high-visibility clothing to help minimize accidents.
• HVAC: HVAC industry workers need personal protective equipment for many parts of their jobs, including cutting, breathing chemicals and dust, and protecting their faces and eyes. Some of the PPE an HVAC worker should wear, depending on the job he or she is doing, include Cut-resistant gloves, chemical-resistant gloves, abrasion-resistant gloves, long sleeves and pants, goggles or a face shield, hard hats, steel-toe work boots, respirator and ear protection.
• Masonry: Those who work in masonry must protect themselves from cuts, caustic materials, falls, being struck by falling material and more. The personal protective equipment they should have is similar to those in the cement industry, including eye protection, ear protection, steel-toe boots, abrasion-resistant gloves, cut-resistant gloves, long sleeves and pants, face shields, and high-visibility clothing.
• Painting: Painters use hammers, nail guns, spray guns, paint brushes, and more. To protect themselves against hazards, they should have a respirator, gloves, hard hats, high-visibility clothing, eye protection and face shields.
• Plumbing: Plumbers often have to cut PVC and metal pipe, work with hot water and electricity, and work with heavy items. They should have the appropriate personal protective equipment for the job they are doing, including gloves, hard hats, face and eye protection, high-visibility clothing, steel-toe boots, long sleeves and pants, and ear protection.
• Roofing: Roofers sometimes carry heavy bundles up ladders and work with nail guns, drills, impact drivers, boxcutters and other cutting tools, and metal cutters. Some of the PPE they should have, depending on the job they are working on, including steel-toe boots, long sleeves and pants, high-visibility clothing, cut-resistant gloves, impact-resistant gloves, abrasion-resistant gloves, eye protection, ear protection, face protection, and hard hats.

Visit Abolox for Personal Protective Equipment for the Construction Industry

Abolox carries personal protective equipment for many industries, including the construction industry. From various types of gloves to protect your hands from cuts, chemicals and fires to head, eye and face protection and visibility clothing, you’ll find it at our online shop. If you don’t, we can source it for you. Visit Abolox today to order personal protective equipment for yourself or your crews.