Construction site labourers often take on a series of job roles that are extremely varied. While this is great if you’re looking for an interesting job, it can come with a lot of health and safety risks. Without the correct personal protective equipment, this can become a dangerous job.
Fortunately, in the UK, there are laws that dictate what PPE a labourer needs and what employers need to provide. Do keep in mind that if you’re self-employed then you will be responsible for ensuring that you have the correct equipment when entering a construction site.
Head protection is a requirement on pretty much every construction site. You may also need things like ear defenders, protective footwear and several other items.
This guide aims to provide you with the most up to date information regarding the best PPE for construction labourers. After all, safety is the most important priority when working on site.
What Is The Most Essential PPE For Labourers?
If you are working on a construction site then, according to HSE, you must wear head protection on site. There are some exceptions to this but for the majority of cases, head protection is a legal requirement owing to the risk of head injury on isre.
As well as this type of protection, it is also the responsibility of site management to ensure that the risk of a head injury is minimised as much as possible. This can include the use of scaffolding with toe boards to prevent items from falling.
Even after a risk assessment has been carried out, there may be times that risk cannot be significantly reduced. In this case, all construction site workers, including labourers must be supplied with suitable head protection by their employer. Doing this ensures that the site complies with the PPE Regulations 1992.
Other Types Of PPE For Labourers
While head protection is often the most recognised form of PPE for labourers working on the construction site, it is far from being the only type. Here comes some information on other types of PPE required by a labourer.
Leg And Feet PEE
When you’re on site, you will always be expected to wear suitable footwear to protect the feet. This is because of how easily your bones in your feet can be damaged. Moreover, there are a lot of reports of muscular or tendon injuries which can put you out of action for an incredibly long time.
For labourers, the best type of foot PPE is a steel toe cap boot or shoe. This will protect the feet should an object drop onto it. It is also wise to have steel protection in the midsole which will prevent puncture injuries if the wearer steps on something sharp.
Your employer is responsible for providing you with a basic form of protective footwear without charge. However, you can supply your own footwear provided that it meets site regulations.
While discussing footwear, it is worth noting the recent rise in popularity of rigger boots on the construction site. These boots are somewhere between wellies and lace ups and are very quick and easy to put on: one of the reasons they are so popular.
However, these boots are also rather loose fitting and so do not support the ankles as well as a more rigid boot. You will find that a lot of construction companies do not allow this type of boot because of this lack of support.
That said, if you are working on a site where you may be exposed to asbestos, then rigger boots may be a better option. The reason for this is that the lack of lace holes increases the protection against asbestos getting into the boots. But while this is a valid argument for their use, it is best to discuss this with your employer.
Protection For The Face And Eyes
When on the construction site, your face and eyes may be prone to damage from various hazards. This is why it is essential for labourers to have some sort of face and eye protection while they work. This limits risks associated with things like dust, gas radiation, chemicals and much more.
The most common type of face and eye protection are goggles, face screens or visors and safety glasses. The type you use will depend on what sort of site you are working on and the risks involved. Your employer should provide you with the most suitable type of face and eye protection for the task at hand.
Ear Protection
If you are working on a noisy site, which will often be the case, then your ears should also be protected. When choosing PPE for labourers, employers have a choice of items such as ear defenders, ear plugs, canal caps and others. The employer must choose the most appropriate type of ear PPE for the jobs.
While it might not seem essential when you are only exposed to noise for a short period of time, even minimal exposure can result in lasting damage to your ear function and hearing.
Breathing PPE
On the construction site there are many risks to your lungs. So, when working as a labourer, you must ensure that you are given the right breathing equipment. You may be exposed to things like vapours, dusts and gases that could cause long lasting damage, especially over the course of time.
There are several different types of PPE for protecting the lungs and again, it’s up to your employer to determine which is the most appropriate for what you’re doing. The most common types are respirators, power respirators, filtering face pieces, fresh air hoses and self contained breathing apparatus.
When providing you with respiratory protection, your employer is also responsible for making sure that it fits correctly. Failure to do so could mean that a proper seal is not formed and the hazardous materials can still seep through.
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Conclusion
As a labourer, you’ll be exposed to a lot of hazards. But your employer should make sure that you have the right PPE. This includes head protection, face and eye protection, ear protection, foot protection and some kind of PPE that prevents you from breathing in hazardou materials.
If you are self-employed, you must keep in mind that you are required to provide your own PPE. It is law that on almost all construction sites, staff wear head protection so you should make this a priority.