PPE Essentials for Warehouse Employees

Posted on 12/21 by Erin Helms

All workers who encounter chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards must wear PPE. Employers must provide PPE in warehouses when it is needed to protect workers from job-related hazards. Here are some PPE essentials for warehouse employees.

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE protects the body against hazards that cause severe injuries in the workplace. Making PPE available for your employees is vital because it minimizes the risk of physical injuries and long-term conditions such as back pain.

Eye and Face Protection

Proper eye and face protection lessen the risk of foreign objects coming into contact with the eyes, nose and mouth. Safety glasses with safety frames, lenses, and side shields provide impact protection against dust and flying objects. For complete coverage around the eyes, opt for safety goggles. Safety goggles are ideal for workers needing additional protection against liquids, dust and flying objects. Face masks and respirators can also help to protect workers from harmful substances.

Head Protection

For protection against falling objects and extreme temperatures, warehouse employees need adequate head protection: Hard hats can protect your employees from falling objects and debris. Hard hats feature a 4-point or 6-point suspension to distribute weight and force throughout the hard hat. Suspension prevents force from concentrating on one area of the head. Balaclava face masks protect the head and neck from cold temperatures, wind and dust. They fit beneath hard hats and helmets without being bulky. These masks offer adequate protection for the head and neck from freezing temperatures in perishable distribution warehouses.

Hand and Arm Protection

Hand and arm PPE protects warehouse employees against sharp or hazardous objects and extreme temperatures. Warehouse gloves make packing orders easy and safe. Work gloves protect workers' hands against cuts, heat, and liquids when handling hazardous substances or operating dangerous machinery.

Foot and Leg Protection

Warehouse employees must have proper foot and leg protection. Steel toe work shoes feature steel capping over the toe area to give maximum protection against falling objects. These shoes are ideal for employees working with heavy machinery such as forklifts.

Body Protection

High-visibility clothing for workers in low-lit areas is essential: High-visibility clothing is perfect for visibility and cold protection in extreme environments. High-visibility vests are lightweight and reflective. These are a must for working near hazards such as moving vehicles. Back support belts provide lumbar support when lifting heavy objects.

Hearing Protection

Disposable earplugs reduce the noise of loud machinery. These earplugs come in corded or cordless design with a foam material that conforms to a person's ear canal shape for ultimate comfort. Behind-the-head earmuffs are ultra-light, making them ideal to use with hard hats. Cap-mount earmuffs are attached to a hard hat for safe and effective protection. Finally, over-the-head earmuffs are perfect for those locations where a hard hat is not required.

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Tagged: #WarehouseSafety #WarehouseStaffing #SafetyFirst