Industrial PPE: what do your teams need?

In the industrial sector, team safety is an indisputable priority. At the heart of this concern are personal protective equipment (PPE), essential items for preventing occupational hazards and ensuring workers’ well-being. 

With more than 650 000 workplace accidents in France in 2021, the country is among Europe’s poorer performers : incidents that could nevertheless be prevented by understanding the risks faced by teams in the industrial sector, adopting specific measures, and choosing PPE suited to the industrial sector to safeguard employees’ health and safety throughout the day.

What risks do teams face in the industrial sector ?

Worker safety in the industrial sector depends on several variables. While choosing industry-specific PPE is necessary to protect your teams, it is essential to understand the risks they face in order to select it correctly.

• Excessive noise : in many industrial environments, excessive noise is a major issue that often causes irreversible hearing damage among workers. Noisy machines and equipment are often the main sources of this hazard. 
• Electrical and thermal hazards : electrical and thermal hazards are ubiquitous in the industrial sector, exposing workers to the risks of electric shocks, burns and fires. Faulty electrical equipment, exposed cables and high temperatures can all be sources of these hazards.
• Machine- and tool-related hazards : industrial machinery and hand tools present a diverse range of risks, from pinching and crushing to cuts and punctures. 
• Falls and trips : falls and trips are among the most common and serious hazards in industry. They often occur during work at height, on scaffolding, walkways or roofs, as well as on slippery or unstable surfaces. The consequences can be particularly serious, ranging from injuries to head trauma or even fatal accidents.
• Chemical splashes : the industrial sector uses chemicals that present an increased risk of splashes, which can cause serious chemical burns and permanent damage to workers’ health. These products can also damage the skin, eyes and respiratory tract.

By understanding these industry-specific risks, it is possible to choose suitable PPE, helping to protect your teams and safeguard their health and safety every day.

What personal protective equipment (PPE) do your teams need in the industrial sector ?

Safety helmets

Safety helmets are essential personal protective equipment in the industrial sector : they help protect workers’ heads from impacts, falling objects and injuries caused by projections. They are available in different versions: 

• hard hats for general protection ;
• bump caps for enhanced impact protection ;
• noise-reduction helmets for environments with high noise exposure.
  

Safety glasses

Safety glasses are designed to protect workers’ eyes from debris, chemical splashes, dust and other potentially hazardous particles in the work environment. Safety glasses are available in a variety of styles:

• temple glasses ;
• full-vision goggles ;
• anti-fog glasses.

Protective gloves

Protective gloves are essential equipment for protecting workers’ hands from cuts, burns, harsh chemicals and other potential hazards. Protective gloves are available in a range of materials and styles to meet different needs: 

• leather gloves for handling sharp objects ;
• nitrile-coated or latex-coated gloves to provide protection against chemical splashes.

Hearing protection

Hearing protection is a crucial part of PPE used to protect workers’ hearing from excessive noise and hearing damage. Hearing protection options provide effective protection against harmful noise levels while allowing workers to communicate and remain aware of their work environment, and include for example :

• foam earplugs ;
• noise-reduction helmets ;
• electronic hearing protectors.

Protective clothing

Protective clothing is designed to protect workers’ bodies from burn hazards, chemical splashes, electric arcs and other similar hazards. Protective clothing includes: 

• work coveralls ;
• flame-resistant jackets ;
• chemical-resistant aprons and trousers ;
• high-visibility clothing for environments with an increased risk of collisions.

Safety footwear

Safety footwear is essential for protecting workers’ feet from the risks of falling objects, crushing, punctures and trips. In industrial environments, where foot hazards are common, safety footwear is indispensable for ensuring worker safety. It is available in a variety of styles and materials to meet different needs :

• safety footwear with reinforced toe caps that absorb impacts ;
• slip-resistant footwear to avoid the risk of falls and trips ;
•  puncture-resistant models to protect workers’ feet from falling objects.

As we have seen throughout this article, adopting PPE suited to the industrial sector helps protect your teams and ensure their safety. If you are looking for suitable safety footwear to reduce the risk of accidents, we invite you to discover our selection of models for industry, or contact our experts at Shoes For Crews, a leader in slip-resistant footwear since 1984, who will provide you with more information about our available models.