All though there are several safety guidelines regarding working on manufacturing and construction sites, there are still some instances of workers getting injured. According to a 2015 report, the most common injuries on these sites were:
- Sprains and strains ( 21%)
- Cuts and wounds (31%)
- Injuries to joints and muscles (16%)
The following reasons caused these injuries:
- Being pushed by some object or objects
- Falling down
- Getting hit by falling objects
- Lifting heavy objects
The same report says that during 2003-13, more than 400 workers died on Australian manufacturing and construction sites. Most of these deaths happened because of falling objects. While injuries and deaths cannot be avoided entirely in the workplace, we still can reduce their incidences. One way of doing this is to wear protective clothing in manufacturing and construction sites.
1. Protecting your feet
As a worker, you will have to walk around in your workplace. However, if you are not careful, you might end up injuring your feet, particularly your toes. There are special toe-protecting shoes that not just secure your feet but also protect your toes. These shoes are quite hard, and in case you bump your toe against an object, you won’t feel a thing. If you are looking for shoes of this kind, companies like Workwear Hub can be of help.
Your shoes must be sturdy yet be flexible. Consider putting on light shoes so that you can move around freely. And yes, don’t forget to wear shoes that have rubber soles. Many Australian manufacturing and construction sites work with electrical wires, so protecting yourself from shock is a wise idea. If you are working in extreme cold, your shoes must not allow water to percolate. Similarly, wear socks that keep your feet warm.
2. Gloves
Gloves protect our arms and palms from scorching and cold weather. If you are working on heavy machinery, please wear gloves. However, consider wearing those gloves that give you a good grip over objects.
Please note that you would need different gloves for different purposes. For holding and handling small objects, you would need smaller gloves. On the other hand, if you are feeling extensive equipment, you would need a different pair of gloves.
3. Helmets
Helmets are an integral part of the manufacturing industry workwear. A good helmet is made of high-quality plastic that stops injuries from various kinds of objects. If you are working on a site having high ceilings, please put on a suitable helmet.
The reason is that even small objects falling from great heights can cause tremendous injuries. While putting on a helmet, strap it on securely. Please don’t simply put it on your head; your helmet might slide to one side when an object hits it.
4. Eyewear
Another protective thing for you is protective eye-glasses. Please put them on while welding pieces of machinery. Even if you are not welding anything, please put on these glasses nevertheless. Sparks from the welding process might fly off and reach your eyes.
5. Knee Pads
We don’t realize, but we don’t take good care of our knees. We keep bumping them against machinery and equipment in our workplaces. Strapping a knee pad is an excellent idea to protect these body parts. What clothes should we wear on construction sites?
Well, the answer is that we should consider putting on clothes that fit. Avoid loose-fitting apparel that might catch some part of the plant or machinery. Always wear only those clothes that let us work freely.
