The selection point of view of PPE for your industry or work sector will be the awareness of protection standards, hazard identification, safety with the comfort of the worker. Source: https://garmentprinting.com.au/blog/personal-protective-equipment-how-to-choose-the-quality-ppe-in-2021/

1. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT:
HOW TO CHOOSE THE QUALITY PPE
IN 2021
WORKWEAR

2.  The phenomenon of human resource evolution is an ever-developing
concern of professional employers towards the employee. The social
and physical security of your workforce in every sector provides the
guarantee that you care for your employee and hence you are
interested in the collective development of your business and
organization. Having PPE, personal protective equipment has
become an essential standard to follow in every sector of work.
Whether it is an industry business, construction or mining site, safety
and security service provider or medical sector, each has a
specialized need and solutions to cover the matter. We are
deciphering the process for you to know about PPE and what you
must consider before ordering your staff Kit.
 First of all, you need to understand when we say PPE what exactly
are we referring to in terms of a complete package.

3. WHAT IS PPE?
 PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment which provides safety
and protection against any possible foreseeable hazard that can
occur during the fulfillment of duty or job. It is a very specialized and
particular combination of tools and clothing type which provides
protection to the worker and addresses various challenges that a
work scenario can bring forth.
 Every field and work process define their need for PPE in a very
peculiar way. For an overview let’s take a look at what type of
hazards any sector inherits which shows you the way to identify your
own need to design and procure the PPE.
 The design of PPE is directly connected with the type of hazard we
will face. When we ask the experts who evaluate the risk
management and hazards for companies and corporations they
define it as follows.

4. THE SIX MAIN CATEGORIES OF HAZARDS ARE:
 Biological. These types of hazards are created by biological infiltration, imbalance or accidental exposure.
Covid-19 is a prime example of such a hazard. The contamination of any bacteria, insect or animal
encounter which can harm someone, the infections caused by blood or body fluids are the various
situations that explain the biological hazards.
 Chemical. Chemical hazards refer to the interaction with a harmful substance that can cause irritation,
corrosion or even explosion. These hazards can show impact immediately or in some cases after a period
of time. For example, acid splash instantly can be seen on the skin but if people work in an ammonia
product factory for a longer period, it can damage their eyesight, respiratory tract or lungs in a long run.
 Physical. The physical hazard ranges from the natural disaster, unfavorable environmental conditions,
accidental situations which include but not limited to fire, radiation or pressure exposure etc.
 Safety. The safety hazard is the outcome of unsafe workplace conditions or overlooking the probable
danger attached to it. It ranges from stumbling on the road to get an electric shock on a rainy day.
 Ergonomic. This hazard is a consequence of repetitive body postures and actions which give rise to
muscular/physical pain or deformation or injury. Bad sitting posture, long-standing job practice respectively
show slouch in a body and knee aches as a result.
 Psychosocial. This is an invisible type of hazard which is an implication of social oppression effect on the
worker’s psychology negatively. Bullying, sexual harassment, non-physical violence and victimization.

5. HAZARD ASSESSMENT CHART FOR PPE:
Hazard Type Threat Aspect Example
Biological Virus/pandemic COVID-19
Chemical
Chemical spill, heat exposure,
Acid splash etc.
Acid burn/ heat exposure/eye
injury/ life lose
Physical
Body injury, Noise, radiation,
height, physical contact
Electric shock/ falling from height/
Safety
Ranges from stumbling on the
road to accident and nature
disasters
All the safety services which
manage the safety hazards
Ergonomic
Unfriendly space and items to
execute a job. I.e. Long working
hours in a singular position, bad
posture etc.
COVID-19, makes Nurses feet
hurt
Psychosocial
Sexual harassment, victimization,
stress and workplace violence
Bullying/child labour/ noise
pollution/ human rights violations
Once you understand the relationship between possible hazards you will be able to know
which toolkit of PPE is your workforce requirement.
The PPE consists of a number of items and that is why we can call it a PPE kit. Let’s explore
what is included in that kit generally.

6. PPE TOOL KIT ITEMS
 PPE can be divided into two sets of item
categories.
 Gear Items

7.  Boots
 Safety Boots and shoes provide protection from electric shocks, avoid punctures,
slipping and crash on slopes etc. Safety toes are also combined with the footwear
and the materials used are mostly steel, metal, latex or composite to fulfill the
particular functionality and safety.
 Ear plugs
 The earplugs came in various types and design which serves a particular purpose.
A few of the types are mentioned here are most commonly used and are as
follows, expandable foam plugs, reusable plugs, canal caps and earmuffs.
 Face masks or respirators
 By usage, the face masks can fall into two categories of disposable and reusable
masks. The later classification can be done on the material use quality, colour and
cut options and protection from hazard.
 Gloves
 The safety gloves come in four sections of material type as per their utility and
quality to reduce the risk of hazard. Canvas, leather, rubber and metal mesh are
the most common and effective materials that become the raw material for gloves.

8.  Goggles
 Safety spectacles, photo-chromic, warden, forensic, medical and general safety
glasses as a part of PPE tool kit.
 Hard hats
 There are mainly two types of hard hats which are known by type and class. Type
1 refers to the coverage area of the head which have a risk of something falling on,
type two is to cover persons from all angles. Then there are A, B and C categories
rated on the electrical insulation they provide.
 Safety harnesses
 Safety harness system is a mechanism is to prevent a user from falling from a
height. The workers attached the kit to their body and create an anchor point on a
stationary place, this ensures that even when one free-fall they won’t hit the
ground.
 Garment Items
 Garment suits material, quality and design depend on work conditions,
environmental aspects and contact challenges of possible hazards. The PPE
garment item mostly comes as a bodysuit, two pieces and three-piece articles as
per the work requirement, safety and security of a worker, comfort and visibility.

9.  The garment item can be further classified into the following sub-category as follows;
 Protective clothing
 The protective clothing are essential suits and uniforms designed to protect the worker from
harm associated with the type of job they are doing. It is a mandatory uniform which is worn by
the people on regular basis. For examples, the ballistic Vests worn by security officials, lab
coats and visors worn by chemical laboratory staff.
 Reflective Clothing or High Visibility Clothing
 Hi-vis is a short form of High Visibility Clothing, which refers to the quality of color and visibility
in a dark or low visible environment. The common use of fluorescent colors for the base cloth
and the light reflective luminescent stripes are printed around arms or torso. The function of the
uniform is to enhance visibility at night or cloudy environment from a distance. The regulatory
bodies recommend it to the security service rescuers, traffic wardens, miners, construction staff
and several other sectors to ensure the safety of people.
 Read More: Hi-Vis Clothing & its Benefits at Work
 Safety and quality assurance
 The safety of human life is the prime concern behind the development of PPE. It is so important
for employers to not only make sure that PPE is an essential part of the procurement projection
of your company but also following the standards of quality given by the following guide.
 You can find the detailed codes, set of standards and guidelines to follow in Australia. View

10. PPE SELECTION CRITERIA BRIEF
 As a conclusive takeaway from the selection point of view of PPE for
your industry or work sector will be the awareness of protection
standards, hazard identification, safety with the comfort of the
worker. This need to be understood that without the compliance of
the set standards of PPE the regulatory bodies can seize your
workflow on the basis of unsatisfied quality measures.
 So the most important aspect is the quality assurance of PPE in
terms of material, signage, color vibrancy, durability and visibility for
the garment item and for gears go for the authentic retailers which
offers warranty of the gear. As much as it sounds intricate, it is
equally crucial not only for the safety of human life but also for the
reputation of your business.