Personal protective equipment
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Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to the safety gear you wear to protect particular parts of your body.
Some items, such as safety boots, are often compulsory for all people on large building sites.
Some items, such as safety boots, are often compulsory for all people on large building sites.
Audio for slide 2 (mp3 |6|KB)
Other items are generally specified for particular jobs, such as dust masks when mixing levelling compounds and knee pads when working on your knees.
Your company will have set procedures for the different items of PPE that you're required to wear. These will be specified in the safe operating procedures or safe work method statements that apply to the work you're doing.
Your company will have set procedures for the different items of PPE that you're required to wear. These will be specified in the safe operating procedures or safe work method statements that apply to the work you're doing.
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On large sites and in warehouses and factories, there might also be signs up on the wall or at entranceways to alert people to the PPE items required in those areas.
It's important to remember that if the company has made it a requirement to wear PPE, you have a legal obligation to do so.
This means that if you get hurt and you're not wearing the necessary safety gear, you might end up being in trouble with the law, quite apart from any injuries you suffer.
Common symbols
Below are the main symbols you're likely to see on building sites and in suppliers' warehouses.
 | Audio for slide 4 (mp3 |6|KB) Safety helmet, or hard hat Workers are normally required to wear a hard hat in any area where there is a danger of falling objects, or where equipment is being operated overhead. |
 | Audio for slide 5 (mp3 |6|KB) High visibility vest Anyone who is working near trucks, forklifts or other vehicles or machinery should wear a high visibility vest to make them as visible as possible to nearby operators. |
 | Audio for slide 6 (mp3 |6|KB) Safety boots Safety boots, also called steel capped boots, are needed if there is a risk of objects falling on your feet. Note that this includes sharp objects that may not necessarily be heavy. |
 | Audio for slide 7 (mp3 |6|KB) Ear protection If you're working in a noisy area, you should always wear ear muffs or ear plugs. Bear in mind that even if the noise isn't uncomfortably loud, it can still cause long-term hearing damage if you're subjected to it day after day over a long period of time. |
 | Audio for slide 8 (mp3 |6|KB) Eye protection Safety glasses should always be worn if you're doing a job that generates flying particles or dust that might get in your eyes. This includes drilling and grinding concrete and cutting timber with a hand-held power saw. |
 | Audio for slide 9 (mp3 |6|KB) Dust mask If you generate dust that can't be collected in an extraction system, you should wear a dust mask to protect your lungs. In the case of toxic fumes in confined spaces, you may need to wear a special respirator. |
Learning activity
Audio 10 (mp3 |6|KB)What items of PPE are you required to wear at work?
Write down a list of the items, and for each one briefly describe the hazards it is protecting you from.
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