Different industries will have different requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep their staff safe. Whether you work indoors or outdoors, on a construction site or in a factory, the safety of staff should always be at the forefront of your mind.
To help you make sure that your staff can always work safely and effectively, we tell you what sort of PPE you may have to provide.
Protection and visibility
When working outside, there are several different PPE considerations to be made depending on which industry you work in. For example, someone who works on a construction site will have different PPE requirements compared to other kinds of workers.
Construction sites often have a large variety of risks and hazards present, which means the PPE provided should cover all possibilities, and safety should always be at the forefront. For example, high-visibility clothing is a great first step, but working on a construction site has several other risks. Steel-toed boots and hard hats are a necessity and any task that risks creating a large amount of dust means you’ll need to provide facemasks and protective eyewear.
Contrasting a construction site to a kitchen, for instance, the safety requirements are a little different. Steel-toed boots are necessary to keep you steady on your feet and safe in the event of a dropped knife, for example. Other risks involve hot liquid spillages. Protection in this case will be in the form of thick chef whites, which can help keep you safe in the event of spills.
Some industries may have simple visibility as the only thing you need to consider in PPE. If you’re a steward at a football ground, for instance, high-visibility jackets will protect you from the cold while also helping you stand out immediately to people looking for assistance.
If you’re a worker in a large warehouse then a high-visibility jacket is especially important for keeping you safe. Staff need to be able to spot other warehouse workers instantly when they’re moving large objects or operating forklifts in order to reduce the risk of serious injury.
Your initial risk assessment should highlight exactly what the potential risks of your industry are, and detail what you plan to provide to staff for their safety. It’s important to note that providing sufficient PPE is a legal requirement, and you have to account for employee safety as much as you reasonably can to reduce or eliminate potential risks and hazards. 
PPE that balances safety and comfort
In any industry and whatever you provide for PPE, the comfort of your staff should also be kept in mind. PPE that is easy to wear and comfortable can help make meeting work obligations easier for staff, without making them feel overly burdened by the need to wear it.
For example, during the height of summer, you could choose to provide a high-vis waistcoat instead, which will meet safety needs, while making sure your staff don’t get uncomfortably hot. While for safety footwear, you could shop around for pairs that include foam insoles, which means staff don’t have to deal with aching and sore feet after a long day on their feet, yet the footwear still keeps them safe.
Helping you provide your staff with the right PPE in your industry
Protective equipment is a broad category, and requirements will change depending on the industry that you work in. Whatever your staff need to perform their job effectively and safely, we make sure to provide a range of PPE solutions that strike a perfect balance between safety and comfort.
At Simon Jersey, we make sure to provide workwear that is:
- Easy to care for – Most of our garments are machine washable and made to last
- Made with expert knowledge– We’ve got more than 45 years’ experience providing brand-enhancing uniforms for teams of all shapes and sizes, including some of the world’s best known brands.
- Can be tailored to you – We can personalise your uniform with your company name or logo to make your business stand out to all who see you.
To find out more about the range of protective uniform equipment we can provide, take a look at our PPE page, request a catalogue by filling in our form, or speak to a member of our team on 0370 4609 047.
