The beginning of the season is a good time to update any personal protective equipment (PPE) that has become worn or damaged during the past year. Old, tattered or dirty PPE loses its effectiveness and can put a person at risk of injury.
High-Visibility Safety Apparel
- If you’ve worn hi-vis clothing for more than six months, inspect it for effectiveness.
- Replace hi-vis apparel when it’s torn, cracked or the background material has become faded or dirty.
- Ensure your high-visibility apparel meets ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 Type R (Roadway) Class 2 or 3 standards.
Hard Hat
- Hard hat manufacturers recommend replacement every five years.
- Ensure your hard hat meets the ANSI Z89.1 requirement.
- At a minimum, your hard hat should be a Type I, Class G (General) Hard Hat.
- Inspect your hard hat for cracks or other damage.
- If your hard hat has accumulated an abundance of stickers from projects or training, these stickers can hide cracks or other damage. Replace your hard hat and start a new sticker collection.
- Monitor your hard hat for deterioration from exposure to UV rays (sun) and chemicals (asphalt or concrete).
Eye Protection
- If your safety glasses are past their useful life, it’s time to replace them. Like your hard hat, your safety glasses can break down due to exposure and reduce the protection they provide.
- Scratched or damaged eye protection is difficult to see through and can put a person at risk.
- Make sure your eye protection fits properly and provides good visibility. Poorly fitted eye protection is potentially ineffective against hazards and makes it difficult to see correctly.
- Ensure your safety glasses meet the ANSI Z87.1-2015 requirement. Typically, this information is located on the temple of the eye wear.
