Every day we expose ourselves to different environments and situations that come with many unique hazards. We use personal protective equipment (PPE) to mitigate these aspects that are unavoidable in our job sites. During the course of utility locating we use many methods to obtain and record utility data. Some of our work takes us to operating construction sites where we may be unfamiliar with the extent of the work being performed. On these occasions PPE is very important for protecting us from unexpected hazards. Flying debris and moving machinery not associated with our direct task may come into our work area and present unforeseen danger. Hard hats, safety glasses, and high visibility clothing are essential for protecting us from construction vehicles and equipment. We also use vacuum excavation to obtain utility data. This involves the use of heavy pneumatic equipment such as jackhammers and tampers. Protecting our feet and hands with gloves, steel toe shoes and metatarsal guards during the use of these tools is paramount. While operating the vacuum truck a high pressure air compressor is used to aerate the soil for removal. Flying dirt particles and stones are normal occurrences and our eyes and faces must be protected with safety glasses, safety goggles, and face shields. PPE must be worn appropriately in order to ensure its effectiveness. Wearing a hard hat backwards, for example, allows for a greater gap between the edge of the hart hat rim and the top of your safety glasses. Falling debris can filter through and cause eye and face injury. What other kinds of injuries could be sustained from not wearing PPE properly? How would these injuries effect you in your home life? Always remember to protect yourself!
