What are 5 Examples of PPE and When Should They be Used?

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is equipment or safety gear worn by those working in hazardous, contaminated areas to protect themselves from accidents or injuries. 

PPE ranges from head and eye gear to full-body gear. PPE protects the user from all sorts of dangerous hazards, including burns, chemical spills, electric shocks, etc. 

Some of the most commonly used Personal Protective Equipment includes: 

KN95 Face Masks:

KN95 Face Masks are an increasingly popular variant of Face Masks. They are made up of sturdy filters that help filter out about 95% of the total aerosols present in the environment. 

Uses: Several people use the KN95 Face Masks to avoid getting infected with the CVOID-19 virus. This mask helps keep the spread of infection through respiratory droplets at bay. 

Safety Goggles: 

Safety Goggles are tightly packed eyewear that surrounds and encapsulates the eyes completely to separate and protect them from the surrounding environment. 

Uses: These safety goggles prevent objects such as sharp fragments, glass pieces, and wood chips from lacerating and injuring the eye. 

Ear Muffs: 

Ear Muffs are comfortable, thermoplastic headbands that are worn so that they seal the external ears of a person. They are worn on the top of the head or around the head, as the user wishes. 

Uses: Ear Muffs are used by industrial workers who work in loud and noisy workplaces. They help prevent noise-induced deafness in such workers and also provide adequate warmth to the ears.  

Disposable Medical-Grade Gowns:

These non-sterile, disposable gowns are adorned mainly through doctors and healthcare workers to prevent contamination from the patients. 

Uses: Disposable Gowns are used in the setting of COVID19 Isolation Wards to help prevent the spread of the disease to the healthcare workers who are tending those patients. 

They are also used in settings where there is a risk of contamination with the patient’s infectious fluids. 

Safety Shoes: 

Safety Shoes are thick and rigid shoes used by industrial workers to protect themselves from heavy or sharp objects. 

Uses: These shoes help prevent unfortunate incidents where any sharp object pierces the foot or a heavy object falls on the foot, causing injuries as severe as a fracture.