In certain jobs, it is mandatory to wear protective equipment. In every case, it is the competence and responsibility of the employer to determine the type and category of protective equipment that is required for the concerned job within the concerned organization. But what are the aspects to consider when categorizing protective equipment? We will provide an answer to this in our following blog entry.
Personal protective equipment comprises clothing accessories, devices, gear, equipment, and tool that are used or worn by a person as a protection against one or more risks threatening their health and/or safety.
The level of protection
The most important property of the personal protective equipment is its level of protection, which depends on three factors. In order to determine the level of protection, we need to know the protective capabilities, the protection class of the tool, as well as the degree of protection ensured by the protective equipment.
The phrase “protective capability” indicates the potential danger or harmful agents from which the concerned gear or tool protects the person. This can be quite diverse and different depending on the areas of use. It can protect from falling, from excessive heat or from cold, from noise pollution, from permanent vibration or from the injury of the concerned body part (for example cutting).
The protection class means the level of protection the personal protective equipment can provide against determined risks.
The degree of protection defines the extent of protection the concerned protective equipment can provide against a specified hazard or harmful agent.
Of course, the so-called complex protective equipment is also common, which provides protection against multiple potential hazards at the same time, although mostly to varying degrees.
Categories of the level of protection
Regarding the level of protection, we have three different categories.
Category No. 1
The first category comprises protective equipment providing protection against the following:
- mechanical hazards causing surface injuries
- handling of objects with a surface temperature not exceeding 50°C
- handling of objects not associated with dangerous impact (it requires wearing gloves and apron)
- not extreme or exceptional weather conditions (waterproof raincoat)
- light impacts and vibrations that do not cause permanent injuries
- sunshine (sunglasses).
Category No. 2
This category contains all the protective equipment that do not belong either to the first or to the third category.
Category No. 3
Here you can find complex protective equipment that protect from fatal accidents and from effects causing severe, irreversible health damage:
- respiratory protective equipment
- protection against chemical effects, ionizing radiation
- protection against a heat effect of or above 100°C
- protective equipment against a temperature below – 50°C
- equipment to prevent falling
- risk of electric shock
The light of our eyes
With the adjustable super bright LED, and with the Led Light Vision protective eyewear with long-lasting batteries of more than 50 hours, you can definitely illuminate what you are looking at. And even your hands will remain free.
Music to our ears?
Noisy environments are proved to be harmful to health. In addition to protection against noise pollution, the prevention of possible infections and the protection against electric shock, which is more and more important today, are just as important. The 3M One-Touch Pro earplug dispenser allows for the hygienic and contactless storage and easy availability of earplugs stored in it. And if it is out, you can economically reorder our 3M 1120 earplugs.
There are cases when earplugs are not enough. There is a solution. The 3M PELTOR Bull's Eye ear muffs provide maximum protection even in extremely noisy environments. They are not only lightweight but ergonomic as well, so it is comfortable to continuously wear them. This type of product is extremely ideal also for sport shooters. Due to their oblique design, they do not come into contact with the butt of the gun, therefore they do not prevent optimal posture. They are available in red, black, and green colors.
Tailored protection
The 3M™ 4510 protective overall provides an economical protection against infectious substances, certain types of hazardous dusts, and some types of splashing liquids. It is made from a breathable material. Due to its adequate level of breathing, heat and vapor freely evaporate from your skin and leaves the clothes. It is a lightweight, comfortable but still a safe protective equipment for everyday use.
