Construction Safety Week 2021: Trending Safety Solutions In Construction

Written by Ben Julian, Marketing Channel Specialist | May 5, 2021 11:00:00 PM

According to OSHA, the continuously evolving construction industry accounts for one in five worker fatalities across all private industries. It is crucial to stay vigilant and take the best safety precautions available when facing the multiple hazards present on a construction job site. In honor of Construction Safety Week and PIP's continuous commitment to keep the hard-working men and women of construction safe, let's highlight some current construction safety solutions trending in the market today that keep workers present, focused and safe on the job.

SAFETY SOLUTIONS TRENDING IN CONSTRUCTION

WOMEN'S PPE

Women make key contributions on job sites and workplaces in every industry. As such, it is essential that women are equipped with PPE that is designed specifically to fit and protect them against environmental and application-specific risks. Traditionally, women have had to settle for oversized PPE which can result in reduced productivity. It can also lead to the risk of injury that, otherwise, would not have been present. When it comes to women's PPE, fit matters! PIP® offers multiple categories of PPE designed to properly fit and protect women across various industries and applications.

Hi-Vis garments play a pivotal role in keeping workers seen and safe on job sites and in workplaces. When selecting a hi-vis garment, especially for women, it is important to choose a garment that does not create a loose fit to reduce the risk of snagging when operating heavy machinery. PIP® offers ANSI class 2 and class 3 Hi-Vis contoured safety vests designed specifically to fit and protect women from hazards related to loose-fitting garments.

Safety eyewear is best known for protecting workers against impactful debris and harmful UV rays. Safety eyewear also prevents airborne particulates from obscuring a worker's vision. Throughout the workday, workers will exercise various movements to properly perform the application at hand, making secure-fitting safety glasses vital to achieving proper protection. It is important for workers with narrow facial features to explore eye protection options specifically designed to fit them and stay secure throughout the workday. PIP® offers protective eyewear designed to be up to 10% smaller than traditional one size fits all safety glasses to provide proper fit and protection for workers with smaller heads and narrow facial features.

Ear canals are like fingerprints- unique to everyone! It is important when selecting hearing protection, specifically ear plugs, to identify a style and fit suitable for each worker. Aside from having a narrower set of facial features, women's ear canals tend to be thinner and shallower than the average males, calling for a smaller ear plug size in order to deliver optimal fit, comfort and noise-blocking performance. PIP's Nano Bullet™ ear plugs, featuring PowerSoft™ foam technology, are designed specifically to fit narrow/shallow ear canals and deliver excellent attenuation with all-day comfort.

Click HERE to explore PIP's Women's Safety Product Catalog featuring key PPE categories including:

- Hi-Vis Safety Vests

- Above-The-Neck Safety Solutions

- Protective Footwear

- Hand Protection

HEAD PROTECTION AT HEIGHTS

In 2020, falls accounted for one of OSHA's "fatal four" causes of worker fatalities in the construction industry. Because of this, OSHA's 1926.501 regulation requires the proper protection from falls be provided at elevations of 4 feet in general industry workplaces, 5 feet in shipyards and 6 feet in the construction industry. It is important that construction workers not only implement preventive safety measures such as fall protection while working at heights but also implement protective measures of safety in the event that a fall does occur.

While traditional hard hats do help properly protect workers from things like falling tools and impactful debris -- assuming the correct type of protection is being worn based on the application and environment at hand -- workers still run the risk of traditional hard hats falling off of their heads in the event of a fall from an elevated working surface.

Today, many construction companies are beginning to make the switch from traditional cap style and full brim hard hats to safety helmets while working at heights. Safety helmets help provide a more complete level of protection by staying secure to a worker's head in the event of a fall due to their anchored 4-point chin strap safety feature. Don't let gravity determine the level of head protection present, explore PIP's complete line of ANSI Z89.1 and EN 12492 certified safety helmets to better reduce the risk of severe head trauma in the event of a fall.

Click HERE to explore PIP's Safety Helmet Quick Reference Guide

FOGLESS EYEWEAR

It is no secret that the use of facemasks on job sites has increased tremendously due to COVID-19 mandates put into place by local, state and federal authorities. As a result, construction workers, as well as workers in many other industries, have experienced increased levels of glass lens fogging due to condensation build-up from heavy breathing and sweating on the job. Maintaining clear vision while working on a job site or in a workplace is critical when considering the vigilance and focus needed to stay safe throughout a workday. Traditional anti-fog coatings are mostly hydrophobic, which means that the lenses repel water and fog by causing moisture to bead up on the lens and runoff. While the hydrophobic coating does shed the water and fog, the continuous beading can still cause impaired vision, forcing the wearer to take the glasses off to wipe them down.

PIP's Bouton® FogLess® 3Sixty™ technology uses a special heat-curing process that adheres the FogLess® 3Sixty™ coating onto the lens at two times the thickness of conventional anti-fog treatments. The result? Safety eyewear that always works with you rather than against you. Don't let foggy lenses increase the chances for injury.

Click HERE to explore PIP's complete line of safety glasses featuring FogLess® 3Sixty™ technology

Have any questions on anything discussed in this blog post or interested in learning more about the products discussed?

Click HERE to contact your local PIP® rep today or comment below!

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