The safety guard at the
construction site is its manager. However,
the equipment is bought by the owner of a construction company. He needs to dress employees in clothes
that ensure comfortable and safe work and provide them with protective
equipment adequate to the tasks assigned.
The Labor Code requires
the use of appropriate equipment and protective clothing by construction
workers. The obligation rests
with the employer when, during work, the employees are exposed to the risk of
losing health or life, and when the clothes owned by the workers are exposed to
destruction or damage. You can
also give employees an equivalent for these purposes.
Protective clothing and
footwear well chosen
Construction workers
should be dressed in comfortable pants with long legs. The so-called dungarees are the best
in this case.They should be sewn from a tear-resistant material that is also
breathable. They are mainly made
of cotton with a minimum weight of 180 g / m2, and those stronger from a blend of
cotton and polyester (weight 267
g / m2). The
pockets are important - for the phone, measure, pen. Leather belts with pockets and
holsters are better to wear. In
many models of work trousers, the areas most susceptible to abrasion are wisely reinforced with
plastic inserts or a thicker layer of material. A good choice is also pants with
pockets on the knees, in which you can put foam or foam-gel pads, useful when
working on the knees. Other pants
are designed for summer work (for example with detachable trouser legs), and
others in the winter. The latter
are insulated and waterproof. When
it comes to working footwear, here the
non-slip sole and the anti-puncture insole are important, protecting the foot
when the nail or other sharp object is inadvertently applied. Where very dirty work is carried out
(spray painting, spraying) or when removing cement-asbestos panels from roofs,
flushin coveralls should be used.
For the majority of work
on the construction site, shoes are sufficient for the ankle, but where it may
be dislodged or twisted, shoes should be put on the ankle.
Gloves - safe gripping
They are to provide a
firmer grip and also protect hands against injury, abrasion, burns. The cheapest - with a rubberized grip
part to improve the comfort of work. Those
with buffalo or artificial leather will also protect the skin of hands against
injuries or electric shock. There
are also warm, working winter gloves. Cotton-polyester
gloves are very popular. The
gripping part is coated with latex or nitrile, i.e. a flexible material
resistant to gasoline, diesel oils, paraffin, grease and solvents. The latex is rugged and guarantees a
firm grip, the nitrile has more flexibility and allows for more precise
manipulation of various objects or devices. The
workers should wear special anti-vibration gloves to work with devices
producing strong vibrations (diesel compactors, pneumatic hammers). These are artificial leather gloves
with special SBR rubber cushions.
Safety glasses - eyes
are well protected
It is assumed to cut or
grind hard materials, which is often accompanied by a sparks cascade. They also protect eyes from dust,
chips, metal filings, sticky or corrosive liquids. Special, darkening glasses or masks
are mandatory during welding. It
is important that the glasses have glass also on the sides of the face. For grinding, forging and sawing we
should choose glasses from the hardest material possible. Usually it is a strong polycarbonate. The sale includes glasses with
adjustable temples, as well as with tinted windows. There are also sunglasses on elastic,
or working goggles. Their
advantage is that they tightly adhere to the face and do not let dust or
irritating fumes escape. Instead
of glasses, plastic sprays are used. They
are worn over the head like a hat or headband. Some have a peak.
Protective masks -
effective protection of the respiratory tract
There are three basic
types of protective masks. The
first one is dust masks designed for work requiring little physical effort.They
are used for small works causing
dusting, and it is assumed so as not to inhale unpleasant smells or in excess
of harmful ones. Dust masks for
work requiring more physical exertion are equipped with one or two valves to
facilitate breathing. To work
with toxic products - the vapors of varnishes, vapors and dust generated during
cutting plywood, OSB boards, laminates - special masks are necessary, tighter,
often covering the whole face. They
are closer to gas masks than cheap anti-dust masks.
Kneepads - important
covers
Knee pads are necessary
for work carried out on knees. They
protect the knees against painful prints and abrasions. Knee pads are made of a plastic casing
filled with soft foam on the inside. Sometimes,
a gel-air pillow adjusts itself to the shape of the knee under the plastic. The knees are held thanks to
adjustable straps or elastic bands. Plastic
covers are often rubberized so that the knees do not slip on smooth surfaces.
Helmets and earmuffs -
protection of the head and ears
On the construction
site, helmets are made of strong plastic and protect against head injuries. To fit them well into the head inside
they have a plastic strap with adjustable circumference.
When working with
devices producing large noise, ear muffs are necessary. You can replace grinders and concrete
saws, demolition hammers and pile drivers. Ear
muffs look like headphones without a cable. An
alternative to them are rubber stoppers plugged into the ears.
Roofing harness
This equipment for
contractors working at heights. The
harness is placed on the arms and legs, and the rope is attached to a strongly
anchored element. In the event of
loss of balance or slipping, the contractor will not commission you to the
ground, but will hang on the line.
