10 Must-Have Safety Wear Items for You

While you can be the home repair hero, lacking a cape can cost you big time. Having the right work tools counts, but ignoring the need to put on safety wear might mean being unable to do the same repairs for a long time.

Safety wear protects you whenever a hazardous event occurs while handling various repair tasks at home or in other industries. For example, protective glassware and masks can save you from unplanned blindness if a corrosive chemical spurts onto your face.

Here is a list of the 10 must-have safety wear items to ensure you keep saving the day each time repairs are required:

1.    Safety Eyewear

Did you know that a simple splash of corrosive chemicals can blind you or affect you biologically? It can, even when it seems impossible. For example, when washing equipment using chemicals, some drops might splash into your eyes. It is that simple.

To save you the loss of your eyes and the medical bills that may follow, ensure you get some safety eyewear. There are numerous types of eyewear to choose from including bifocal, wraparound, tinted, and anti-glare protective eyewear.

Consider the quality of your eyesight and type of repairs you work on frequently to select a suitable type and style of protective eyewear. You can buy a variety for flexibility when handling varied tasks including word or metal work where there is a high possibility of a wood splinter or metal piece getting into your eyes.

 

2.    Safety Footwear

Designed to protect your feet from harm, safety foot wear can take the heat of that rusty nail about to infect you with tetanus. They are made with tough material including rubber, synthetic fabrics, puncture-resistant material, and leather to prevent sharp objects from getting through to your feet.

Specific footwear is also designed to protect you from electrical shocks or falling objects. To protect you from electrical hazards, safety shoes are fitted with insulators. Also, some have thick structures or steel-toe caps to absorb the pressure of the falling objects.

Safety footwear got you even when working on a slippery surface. They have slip-resistant soles to increase the grip power between your shoes and the greasy surface.

When selecting a safety footwear, be on the lookout for the different features because they serve different purposes. Also, review the safety standards of the work boots or safety shoes.

3.    Safety Handwear

Working with bare hands exposes you to the risk of injuries including cuts, abrasions, burns, and chemical corrosion. To be on the safe side, get a set of two or four safety handwear or safety gloves.

There are different types of safety gloves including disposable, chemical-resistant, cut-resistant, heat-resistant, and electrical gloves. They are used when executing specific tasks and have various cons and pros.

For starters, you can buy chemical-resistant, heat-resistant, and electrical gloves. The heat-resistant gloves have heat protective material like aluminized fabrics, Kevlar, or leather which can also protect you from cuts. 

Avoid the temptation of switching chemical-resistant safety gloves with electrical gloves because some of them are made from the same material. When handling any form of corrosive chemical, go in with a safety standardized chemical-resistant glove made of either PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) or neoprene for maximum protection.

4.    Safety Headwear

When working around the house or in a construction site, debris or objects might fall and injure your head. That is why you should get safety headwear to protect your head from hazards including object penetration and impact.

Different types of safety headwear include bump caps, welding helmets, safety helmets, and hard hats. Each of them is designed to protect you from various types of falling objects or unexpected head bumps. In terms of toughness, the hard hats rank first, followed by the safety helmets, welding helmets and finally the bump caps.

At the base level, get a hard hat as it comes in handy in several home repair tasks. The hat has a rigid outer covering and a soft and thicker inner suspension system to absorb the pressure in case an object hits your head.

If you are a DIYer, working with wood and metal, get a welding helmet and hard hat compared to buying a safety helmet or bump cap. Bump caps are made to secure you from minor bumps. In case of a heavy blow to the head, it might break and not save you from a concussion.

 

5.    Safety Workwear

Safety workwear includes a set of safety gear suited for specific tasks and those tasks only. They are usually built by brands that specialize in industries such as the construction, mining, wood or metal work, and manufacturing industry.

If you repeatedly handle specific construction or repair tasks at home, consider getting a safety workwear set to save you the time of deciding the best safety wear and the cost of purchasing each item separately.

The workwear safety set includes protective clothing such as work trousers, high-visibility clothing, safety gloves, safety footwear, eye and face protection, and respiratory protection gear. Though, you must note that the materials used to make the safety work wear set are suited for specific tasks and using them for a different purpose might lead to a quick wear and tear or even failed protection.

 

6.    Face Safety Wear

Other than protecting your eyes with the help of eye protective goggles, complementing your protection with the aid of face safety wear provides you with better protection. Face safety wear is designed to protect your whole face including the nose, mouth, and skin from damage.

The list of face safety wear includes face shields, masks, and respirators. Safety goggles are also a part of the list, but they can be replaced with the face shields because they offer the same level of protection.

By default, purchase a face shield and a mask. A face shield covers the face from dangers including chemical spurts, flying debris, and more. Masks protect your respiratory system from fumes, airborne pathogens, and dust.

 

7.    Safety Ear Wear

Exposing your ears to excessive noise can damage the eardrum or cause permanent deafness. Safety ear wear is designed with soft and noise-repellent material to reduce the amount of noise impact on your ears.

Safety ear wear includes earmuffs, earplugs, canal caps, and semi-insert earplugs. Each of this is effective in barring different noise levels. You should have an approximate measure of the sound you might be exposed to in terms of decibels.  

The loudness of a sound is measured in decibels. When purchasing ear protection gear such as earmuffs or ear defenders, check the decibel measure it can protect you against. Also, ensure the safety ear wear you select fits properly to avoid discomfort.

 

8.    Knee Safety Wear

If the tasks you handle require you to kneel from time to time such as gardening, you should get knee safety wear. Knee protection gear is designed to fit comfortably onto your knees, allow easy movement, and secure your knees from injuries such as cuts and abrasions.

Some types of knee safety gear include knee sleeves, knee braces, and knee pads. Knee sleeves and braces are built to provide your knee joints with extra support. Knee pads are made from tough material like leather to protect your knees from impact and cuts.

Save on the cost of purchasing knee safety wear by buying a properly fitting knee sleeve and pad. The knee sleeve would compress against and support your joint while the knee pad goes over the knee sleeve to provide an extra layer of protection.

9.    Cycling Safety Wear

Cycling is economical for short distance movements. For example, in case you need to get your tool order from the nearest pick-up station, a bicycle would come in handy. However, without proper cycling safety wear, you increase the risk of injuries in case of an accident like during mountain biking.

To ensure you cycle to and get back safely, you should purchase cycling safety wear including a cycling helmet, reflective clothing, clear glasses, cycling gloves, and cycling shoes.

You do not have to purchase all the cycling safety wear at a single go. The most critical include the cycling helmet and reflective clothing. Cycling helmets are built to cover your head from damage in case of an accident or crash. Reflective clothing improve visibility especially when you are riding at night, securing you and other road users.

 

10.                       Back Support Wear

When handling heavy duty tasks such as carrying heavy loads, you are likely to exert more pressure to your lower back or spine. With time, if not monitored, you might damage your lower back or have a sore spine and lower back. That is why you must have a back support wear to protect your lower back and spine, and help reserve your back posture.

Back support wear is designed to stretch and comfortably wrap your lower back to support specific muscles and joints. Some back support wears are in the form of vests while others resemble shirts and belts.

Ensure your selected back support wear fits properly to distribute the pressure and weight of what you might be carrying evenly across the spine and lower back.

Let Us Help You Select the Best Safety Wear Items

If you're looking for safety wear near me, then by now you must be equipped with high level knowledge on what safety wear to have. However, the selection process might be daunting especially if you are a beginner. That is why the MTN shop has put together a team to guide you through the process.

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