The importance of proper fitting protective equipment

To prevent workplace injuries and accidents, workers are provided protective equipment. Personal protective equipment is very important and can reduce or prevent injuries during an accident in the workplace.

As the workforce continues to change in the United States, does personal protective equipment also need to evolve to make sure it is offering the best protection for all types of employees? Safety groups seem to think so.

There are many different types of personal protective equipment workers need to use to complete their jobs safely. The size of equipment like gloves, boots and clothing is important, but standard sizes typically work fine for protecting all types of workers from injuries.

When it comes to safety eyewear, the risk of using equipment that isn’t the right size becomes more hazardous and can lead to devastating injuries for workers. Because workers of both genders and different ethnicities are present in the workplace, it is important for companies to make sure they are providing eyewear that provides the most protection for all their workers.

This means making sure managers know how to fit safety eyewear correctly to prevent eye injuries. Why is it so important to make sure workers have proper fitting eyewear? Too big of eyewear can result in debris getting into a worker’s eye, possibly causing a serious injury. Ill-fitting eyewear can also cause injuries to a worker due to the eyewear slipping or putting too much pressure on a worker’s face.

Proper fitting safety eyewear is very important and shouldn’t be neglected by companies. Workers in Pennsylvania should make sure they are being provided with personal protective equipment that fits them well enough to prevent an injury.

Source: Occupational Health & Safety, “Improving Safety Eyewear Fit for Better Protection and Compliance,” David Iannelli, Feb. 1, 2014