Types of PPE
Head Protection
There are two primary situations in which employees must wear protective helmets: protection from falling objects and exposure to electrical hazards.
1. Falling Objects
When there is a potential for a workplace head injury from falling objects, the employer must ensure that each affected employee wears a protective helmet.
Some examples of work that might require helmets to protect from falling objects include:
- working below other workers who are using tools and materials that could fall;
- working around or under conveyor belts carrying parts or materials; and
- working below machinery or processes where material or objects might fall.
2. Electrical Hazards
The second situation requiring a helmet is for protection against electrical hazards. Whenever an employee works near exposed electrical conductors that could contact the head, the employer must ensure that the employee wears a protective helmet designed to reduce the electrical shock hazard.
The employer should also provide proper head protection and ensure that all employees and contractors engaged in construction and other miscellaneous work use it. Engineers, inspectors, and visitors at construction sites must also wear protective helmets when hazards from falling or fixed objects or electrical shock are present.
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2-1. When is a protective helmet required to be worn in the workplace?
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