How do full-service contractors keep their countless employees safe on the job? If you’re anything like Commonwealth Electric, you employ highly skilled individuals who do a stellar job while practicing good work habits on the site. You also foster a culture of safety that holds everyone accountable for the protection of others.
Keeping workers safe can be as simple as having an organized, structured work environment and requiring site employees to wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
There are different types of equipment with many suppliers making them readily available.
Basic PPE includes:
- Safety glasses that meet American National Safety Institute standards, including being impact resistant and providing full eye coverage
- Sturdy gloves that can hold their own in the toughest jobs while keeping your men’s hands safe
- Hard hats to protect from your crew from falling objects and accidental material contact
For electricians, protective equipment can be anything from everyday work clothes made out of cotton, to special arc rated and shock protective wearables that can withstand accident contact with live energy. Nylon and plastic are a big no-no, as they are non-melting fabrics that will burn to a victim’s body.
Experienced electricians will approach each project with the proper gear. For instance, if a job requires working with 208v panels, you’ll only need safety glasses and rated protective gloves. The higher the voltage and incident energy rating, the tougher the protective equipment. At the very least, every electrician should have at a cotton shirt, good boots, tough gloves and eyewear.
There are also specialized PPE, like rated rubber gloves with leather proactive cover, rated face shield, hard hats, hearing pro and rated body protection that protect while working on energized equipment.
Today, supplying workers with protective equipment is, quite frankly, a no-brainer. But this wasn’t the case in the early days. Electricians would often (too often) get hurt while on the job, with some injuries resulting in fatalities.
Luckily times have changed and smart contractors, like Commonwealth Electric, understand the importance of requiring electricians to wear safety gear. Education is also playing a major role on jobs, allowing electricians and other crew members to make better choices for safety’s sake.