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CIVIL ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION

AND GRAPHICS

ASSIGNMENT#02

TOPIC:

Safety Equipment for Construction

Laborers

SUBMITTED BY: Tayyab Tahir

REGISTRATION NUMBER: FA18-CVE-016

SUBMITTED TO: Sir Shad Muhammad

Date: 29/04/2021

COMSATS UNIVERSITY
ISLAMABAD
SAHIWAL CAMPUS
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Table of Content:
1.Safety Equipment……………………………………………………………………... 3
1.1 Equipment for Construction Laborers……………………………………….………. 3
1.2 Safety Risks………………………………………….………………………….…………. 3

2. Construction Safety Equipment …………………….……………………………………... 4

3. Personal Protective Equipment …………………………………………….………...6

3.1 Eyes, Face and Mouth Safety Equipment ……………………………………………. 6

3.2 Head Protection………………………………………………………………………. 6

3.3 Hand Protection……………………………………………………………………….7

3.4 Protective Footwear…………………………………………………………………...7

3.5 Health and Safety Signs……………………………………………………………….7

4 Keywords …………………………………………………………….…………….… 8

4 References:.……………………………………………………………………………9

4.1 Theory References:.………………………………………………………….………9

4.2 Figure References: ………………………………………………………………… 9

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1 What Does Safety Equipment Mean?

Safety Equipment, as implied by its name, includes the gadgets that are used (worn, used,
suspended etc.) for the protection of life and to avoid injuries or casualties.

1.1 Safety Equipment for Construction Laborers?

These are equipment that used by laborers during construction for the protection purpose
from injuries or casualties.

In the construction industry, having the essential safety equipment is a health and safety
expectation. No matter the task expected to be completed, there are hazards which will
require unique safety measures to be put in place to protect staff. Without proper precautions
in place, these risk factors can be life threatening.

1.2 Safety Risks:

There are various common dangers on a construction site with hazards being huge or small.
The construction industry may have advanced their processes as technology has developed,
but there still remains a risk to human life on sites. This is why it is vital that employees
follow strict safety precautions, including wearing the correct personal protective equipment
(PPE).

At a minimum, each employee is required to wear a hard hat and safety glasses. High
visibility safety vests with reflective striping are required when employees are exposed to
vehicular traffic. In the absences of vehicular traffic, high visibility shirts should be worn at
all times. All workers must wear shirts with sleeves, long work pants, and sturdy work shoes
or boots when working on a construction or renovation site. Sleeveless or tank top shirts,
short pants, sweatpants, sneakers, sandals, and high-heeled or open-toed shoes are not
permitted.
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Figure 1: Man Holding Safety Helmet

2. Construction Safety Equipment

When it comes to protecting workers on job sites, construction safety gear is the best option,
and often time, economical. Construction safety products guard workers against accidents
and prevent injuries. In the construction industry, there are some common construction safety
supplies that workers must have:

 Helmets or hard hats—Due to the risk of falling objects, head injuries are very
common in construction. Hard hats protect workers from striking head injuries as well
as protect workers from rain, direct sun rays, and electric shock. 
 Hi-vis clothing—The use of high visibility clothing reduces the chances of a “struck-
by” accident on construction sites.
 Safety footwear—Slips, trips, and falls are common accidents at job sites. Falls from
heights are of particular concern in the construction industry. Every worker on a
construction site should wear anti-skid or gripping boots and steel or composite toe
boots to prevent foot injury from falling objects. 
 Ear protection—Prolong exposure to noise from machinery and equipment can
damage hearing capability.  The use of earplugs or other hearing protection reduces
the effect of noise pollution.
 Eye and face protection—Face injuries occur due to exposure to hazardous particles
while working with concrete, grinding, cutting, welding, and nailing. The use of eye
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safety goggles along with safety glasses, wear face masks, welding shields, chemical
splash goggles, and dust goggles will protect workers from facial injuries. 
 Gloves—Using heavy-duty gloves while working helps workers avoid hand injuries
like cuts and burns. The type of glove will vary depending on the tasks. 
 Wheel chocks—Chocking all vehicle wheels when not in use or parked on an incline
can prevent unintentional movement.
 Warning whips—Warning whips on smaller equipment can increase visibility.
 Cable protectors—Cable protection systems provide a safer method of passing
traffic while protecting valuable electrical cables, cords, and hose lines from damage.

Keeping employees safe in the construction industry takes planning and continuous training.
With the help of dependable and durable safety equipment, keeping workers safe is simple
and affordable.

Figure 2: Safety Equipment for Laborers

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3. What is Personal Protective Equipment?

Personal Protective Equipment protects users against potential health and safety risks at
work. The equipment protects the wearer’s body from injuries or infection. The hazards that
PPE protects site workers from include electrical, chemical, physical, heat, biohazards and
airborne particles.

Every worker on a construction site needs the correct equipment to protect themselves at
work. Here is our guide to the essential safety equipment for construction workers.

3.1 Eyes, Face and Mouth Safety Equipment

The most sensitive parts of the body that require the most protection on construction sites are
the eyes and face. Most eye injuries that take place on a site are due to exposure to hazardous
particles, gasses or objects during certain tasks. Cutting, grinding, nailing, welding and
working with concrete increase the risk of facial and eye injuries. High precautions and safety
equipment are also required on sites dealing with extreme winds, sparks, smoke and/or
dangerous chemicals.

Eye protection equipment such as safety glasses, visors and goggles should be worn on site
for particular jobs. However, depending on the task at hand you might also need respiratory
equipment so you don’t also breathe in anything potentially dangerous to your health.

3.2 Head Protection

Whether you are a construction worker or not, every person on site must wear a hard hat. It is
a fundamental requirement of any construction site to adhere to this health and safety
precaution. On site, there are always risks of objects falling from heights, which could cause
serious injury to your head. As well as falling objects, it can also protect from harmful
materials that workers are exposed to. Safety helmets are also useful in protection from rain,
direct sun rays and electric shock.

Safety helmets are usually made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or other advanced
resins. These resins help protect a person’s head from major injuries. Hard hats can also come
with accessories such as a face shield, hearing protection, and ventilation which keeps a user
comfortable. You could also attach advanced accessories to support staff even further. These
include a radio, mirrors, cameras, lights or walkie-talkie.
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No matter what hard hat you have on site, they must be kept in good condition and replace it
if it’s damaged.

3.3 Hand Protection

The vast majority of construction work includes the use of hands. This means proper
precautions must be taken to avoid injuries such as cuts and puncture wounds. Hand
protection such as gloves is required for staff, which are also best suited to the task they have
been set.

Gloves available for the construction industry include rubber gloves, welding gloves and
insulated gloves. The material and design of each pair will differ based on the job they cater
for. Employers are required to make sure that workers wear gloves that are appropriate while
their hands are exposed to:

 Harmful substances
 Sharp objects
 Work that could cause abrasions or punctures to the skin
 Heat or chemicals

3.4 Protective Footwear

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), slips, trips and falls counted for 24% of
all non-fatal injuries on construction sites. This is why it is imperative that protective safety
footwear is supplied by an employer – it is also a health and safety requirement. Depending
on the site you are based and the tasks an employee is expected to take, will decide what
footwear is needed. Rigger boots and wellington boots are very resistant to materials if a
person has to work in wet conditions – also perfect for washing and disinfecting. Safety
boots are generally worn by most on site and mix comfort and durability to help the wearer
through the working day. There are also safety shoes, which are lighter but still have steel
toe-caps to protect the worker.

3.5 Health and Safety Signs

The use of health and safety signs keeps every person on site alert to the dangers that the site
possesses. They can also act as reminders for visitors to wear high visibility jackets and
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safety helmets on the site. Signs will also be erected when an emergency situation is in
place. Construction health and safety signs will inform site staff and visitors where they can
go on site and of potential dangers to health such as the presence of asbestos.

Figure 3: Personal safety Equipment

4. Keywords:

1. Personal protective equipment is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other

garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection.
2. High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer made from
petroleum. As one of the most versatile plastic materials around, HDPE plastic is used
in a wide variety of applications, including plastic bottles, milk jugs, shampoo bottles,
bleach bottles, cutting boards, and piping.
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3. Visor is a surface that protects the eyes, such as shading them from the sun or other
bright light or protecting them from objects
4. Splash Goggles are designed to protect the wearer from liquid and chemical splash by
using non-vented or indirect vented models. If you're working with any hazardous
chemicals or caustic liquids, Splash Goggles are a must-have item.
5. Wheel chocks, also called wheel immobilizers or chock blocks, are wedges made out
of a sturdy material that you place against a vehicle's wheels to stop any accidental
movement or rolling. ... Wheel chocks are a good idea for additional safety and should
be used with the parking brakes

5 References:

5.1 Theory References:

https://www.safeopedia.com/definition/818/safety-equipment

http://www.safetyservicesdirect.com/blog/2018/10/30/essential-safety-equipment-for-
construction-workers/

https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0016.pdf

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200330005548/en/

https://www.statista.com/topics/974/construction/

https://www.osha.gov/data/commonstats

5.2 Figure References

Figure 1:http://www.safetyservicesdirect.com/blog/2018/10/30/essential-safety-equipment-
for-construction-workers/

Figure 2:https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/work-safety-construction-worker-
uniform-hard-1429807472

Figure 3:https://lrrb.org/personal-protection-equipment-poster-website/