How to avoid costly accidents on the fabrication floor

An unfortunate workplace accident can cause serious injury and even loss of life and can cost your project precious time, manpower and resources. Your project can be stalled for weeks or months until investigations are carried out and the proper cause is established. This is very project supervisor’s nightmare!

It is therefore vital that your workers are adequately protected against these workplace hazards with the right protective equipment. Most workplace accidents can be easily avoided with the use of proper PPE.  As with many other safety products, not all PPE is manufactured the same. It is important to know the differences so that you choose the right PPE for your workers and keep your workplace accident-free.

In this blog, we’ll look at the essential PPE and what they should ideally deliver on, so your workers get the maximum protection they need and your project progresses safely and smoothly.

Face Shield/Visor: are Needless to say, your face and especially your eyes need to be very well protected. Face shields are the best form of protection from high velocity flying debris and sparks. There are several varieties of face shields in the market so how do you choose what’s best for you?

The best face shields are the ones that conform to global safety standards like ANSI.

No matter how tempting it may be to save costs by buying cheaper visors, never ever compromise on this vital piece of safety gear, by buying those made of cheap plastic.  Remember, this is about protecting your face and eyes!

Earplugs: Wearing these significantly lessen the risk of hearing damage. You need to ensure that these offer adequate noise protection and are also comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

Gloves: These protect your arms and hands from sparks and high-velocity debris.  Gloves have different temperature and abrasive cut ratings based on the thickness and material being used, so make sure you get gloves that are designed to handle your type of job.

Your gloves should fit your hands tightly and not be loose or baggy so that you can hold the grinder securely and operate it effectively. More information on how to pick the best gloves for your job HERE.

Dust Mask. Invest in good masks that properly seal your face from dust. Prolonged exposure to particulate matter can cause lung issues and even more serious illnesses like cancer in the long run. Typically, a good N95 or EN149 mask will offer adequate protection. Check for usage instructions and discard used masks as recommended.

Footwear. An often-ignored PPE item, proper footwear protects your feet when they are most vulnerable.  We recommend wearing boots or shoes with steel toe caps and with a good grip. This is especially if you work with heavy items which could drop down and injure your feet.  Footwear should ideally also incorporate steel insoles to protect feet in the event of walking on nails or other sharp objects on the fabrication floor.

Apron and Sleeves. In a typical fabrication or construction site, it is typical to have multiple workers working side by side. For these somewhat crowded conditions and taking into consideration, the hazardous nature of welding, cutting and grinding jobs, a good apron is essential in protecting your clothes and body from flying micro debris and spark streams. Wearing a proper apron and sleeves specially designed for the job will effectively shield you from potentially nasty burns. Quality aprons are made from cowhide leather with a minimum of 2mm thickness and should conform to established global safety standards (EN or BSI)

Being adequately protected on the job will give you peace of mind and ensure that you have an accident-free workplace, with every worker returning home safe after every job, every day.

For over three decades, TUFF Industries has been manufacturing world-class PPE equipment that has kept thousands of workers safe every day on every project across the globe.

Find out more about TUFF’s extensive range of European Certified PPE equipment HERE.

TUFF is a global leader in industrial fabrication and safety equipment. Our world-class products are the industry gold standard and are being used every day across the globe and across industries to help build the future. Through our innovative solutions, we help our clients get their projects done on time, on budget and safely.

For more information on how we are empowering progress for a better world visit our website https://www.tuff.com.sg/