PPE Overprotection - What You Need to Know

Why overprotection is bad news: Getting PPE right

We all know that wearing personal protective equipment is incredibly important. How many near misses have you or your workmates had that have been caught by PPE?

Wearing your gloves saves you from minor cuts, glasses stop small particles from damaging your eyes, and your high vis shirt keeps you visible so you don’t get run over on site!

However, there’s a myth that the more PPE you wear, the better protected you are.

In some cases, it’s important to suit up and ensure you’re protected from head to toe, for example, if you are working on an asbestos remediation project.

However, for other tasks, too much PPE (or ‘over-protection’) can do more harm than good.

It’s a common misconception that the higher the protection level, the better that product is. But let’s take a look at a few reasons that statement isn’t always true.

How much PPE is too much? 

Read more: How to choose the best hearing protection for industrial noise

Hearing Overprotection: Earmuffs that block too much sound

One example of this is wearing earmuffs or hearing protection that is over-engineered for the task at hand.

Although protecting your hearing is vital, so is being aware of your surroundings and being able to hear machinery, forklifts and your colleagues calling out a warning.

If the task you’re working on requires hearing protection, make sure you’ve had a noise assessment done at your workplace. Professional industrial noise specialists can help with this, providing you with a sound level report across different areas of your site. This will help you choose earmuffs that are adequate for the task, but not overprotective.

The safest choice will be earmuffs or earplugs that are rated for the task without blocking all environmental noise.

Hand Overprotection: Gloves that are too thick for fine tasks

Another example of overprotection is wearing gloves that are too large, bulky or thick, or simply the wrong material for the task at hand.

If dexterity is important – being able to feel what’s under your hands – then this should be taken into account when choosing gloves for the job.

If your team is wearing gloves that are made of unsuitable material for that task, it can actually hamper safety rather than preventing people from getting injured. For example, if thick textured glass gripper gloves are used for a fine task, the loss of dexterity or ‘feel’ can be a hazard in itself. Even if one type of glove suits most tasks across your workplace, you may need to look at specific gloves for tasks that fall outside the parameters of what that glove was designed for.

This is especially true for things like chemical handling, managing vibration from machinery like jackhammers, and fine tasks like assembly and maintenance on machines.

Don’t try and go for a one-glove-fits-all approach; make sure different work areas or tasks have different PPE available that is specific to the job.

And the size itself is important! Having a range of sizes available for employees with small and large hands will ensure a good fit and reduced likelihood of oversized gloves being potentially caught in machinery or slipping during work tasks. Comfort is important too and having the right size gear available will help workers feel more positive about wearing their PPE correctly.

Read more: Hand Protection, Australian Standards, and How to Choose the Right Gloves

What other over-protection risks could be present at your workplace?

If you need advice and guidance on getting the RIGHT protection for your project, job or task, give the safety team at Jaybro a call.

Mac Fuertes and our team of safety experts can assist with product selection, specifications and choosing PPE that is comfortable, approved, affordable AND appropriate for the task.

Get in touch with our expert Macgyver Fuertes today for more information.

Mac Fuertes, Safety Category Manager   |   macgyver.fuertes@jaybro.com.au

Disclaimer: This information is provided as an introductory guide only and does not constitute professional advice. Ensure you make your own independent enquiries before deciding if a particular product is right for you. Consult the regulations and standards applicable to your area and check with your workplace health and safety representative for further information. Jaybro does not warrant the accuracy, content, completeness or suitability of the information on this site (or any site owned by the Jaybro Group) for your individual purposes.