Ear plugs are important!
• Use earplugs or earmuffs to protect you from loud noises.
• Long-term exposure to 80-85 decibels or more can cause hearing loss without protection. It is not recommended to be exposed to 100 decibels without any protection for more than 15 minutes. Hearing loss can be permanent.
Decibel levels of common sounds:
Aircraft takeoff: 180
Chainsaw: 110
Amplified music: 110
Lawnmower: 90
Normal conversation: 60
Eye protection
• Eye hazards include metal slivers, dust, wood chips, cement chips, nails, and staples.
• To protect yourself you should wear safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or full face respirators.
• Make sure that eye protection is adjustable so that it can fit and have good coverage for your eyes.
Hand protection
• Make sure that you are wearing the proper gloves for the task since some gloves are designed for certain activities and may not protect you well enough when used for another task.
• Types of gloves and their uses:
• Leather, Canvas, or Metal Mesh: Protect against cuts or burns.
• Fabric and Coated Fabric: More general protection from dirt, chafing, and slip resistance with coated fabric. Not recommended for rough, sharp, or heavy materials.
• Chemical and Liquid Resistant: Made from rubber to protect from harmful liquids but thicker and more resistant glove limit hand grip and dexterity.
Body protection includes coveralls, vests, jackets, aprons, and full body suits to protect from cuts, burns, chemical burns, as well as impact from tools or machinery.
Head protection includes wearing a helmet or hard hat to protect from impact, electrical shock or burns.