Proceed safely. Wear appropriate personal protection equipment for each job. Think work gloves, ear and eye protection, dust masks and shoes with steel toe.
Understanding Personal Protection Equipment
Gloves
Category 1 Safety Gloves
Category 1 gloves offer little protection. Wear them in situations with little or no risk of injury. Garden Work Gloves for light work fall into this category.
Category 2 Safety Gloves
These gloves you wear in situations with moderate risk. They have special features such as an extra layer of protection. Wear gloves for example during cleaning with caustic substances.
Category 3 Safety Gloves
Wear these gloves in extreme danger. They are designed for protection against eg fire, corrosive and extreme cold. They also protect against injuries from knives and chainsaws.
In addition, there is a numerical code that indicates which specific protection the glove provides:
- Abrasion resistance (0-4)
- Cut resistance (0-5)
- Tear resistance (0-4)
- Puncture resistance (0-4)
Sound is annoying and leads some permanent hearing loss. Protect your ears with earmuffs in jobs that make a lot of noise, such as sawing machine and sanding. failure to wear appropriate hearing protection can result in Tinnitus, sort of a constant ringing in your ears that can drown out other sounds in your life.
In many jobs splinters, (dust) particles and debris are released which can get into your eyes. This leads to irritation or permanent damage to the retina. Always wear safety glasses. Do you wear glasses? Buy goggles that fit over your regular glasses.
Dust Mask
A dust mask to protect against dust particles. Dust particles are released during sanding, cutting, sawing and working with insulation. The dust particles you breathe in and come into your lungs, where they cause damage. Always wear a dust mask. There are several dust protection classes are indicated by the FFP coding:
FFP1 you use at work where dust is created, such as sweeping, grinding and cutting masonry and concrete and the use of cement.
FFP2 you use at work such as sanding, scraping old paint, sawing and drilling of wood, masonry, concrete, stone and plaster. In demolition and work in stables and other animal housing.
Steel Toe Boots & Shoes
A good steel toe boot or shoe can protect your toes when using lawn care equipment like a lawn mower or weed whacker. Also whenever using heavy brush removal equipment, like a chainsaw, you should wear steel toe boots in case the blade comes in contact with your foot.
Always wear the appropriate personal protection equipment when working with lawn and garden equipment.