PPE essentials: a beginners guide for workplace safety

Guide to personal protective equipment NZ

Investing in workplace safety is not only good practice – it’s a standard requirement. In New Zealand, businesses are legally responsible for providing effective protection for their workers, according to the Worksafe guidelines.

In this article, we outline the importance of championing health and safety in the workplace and how to ensure your employees are well-protected from risk. We also share the five key types of PPE you may need to invest in.

PPE guidelines

According to Worksafe NZ, PPE refers to anything a person uses or wears to minimise health and safety risks. The term is most commonly used in workplaces where risks are higher and more common. When selecting PPE you must make sure it meets the following criteria:

Is suitable for the type of work and any associated risks.
Is a suitable size and fit for your worker.
Is compatible with any other protective gear your worker is required to wear or use.
Is compliant with industry-specific requirements or standards.

In addition, any new risks resulting from wearing PPE must be identified and managed. For example, if wearing hearing protection inhibits workers from vehicles approaching, you must take necessary precautions to reduce accidents.

As an employer, you are responsible for maintaining your worker’s PPE and ensuring they are adequately trained to use it. When making decisions about PPE and health and safety, you must engage your workers in the discussion.

Top 5 PPE essentials for workplace safety

1. Hearing protection

The most effective control measure for protecting hearing is to eliminate or minimise the noise. In cases where this is not possible, employers must provide adequate hearing protection and train their workers on how to use it correctly. Hearing protection is designed to reduce exposure to loud noise and it comes in two forms – earplugs and earmuffs. The allowable noise exposure is time-weighted and 85dB is the average for an eight hour period.

Browse our range of hearing protection.

2. Safety glasses

Eye protection must be reasonably comfortable, fit properly, and be practical for the relevant work. The main reason for safety glasses is for impact protection and in most cases provide protection against UV. You must also train your workers on how to correctly wear, store, and maintain their eye protection.

In most cases, ordinary eyewear is not sufficient, meaning workers still have to wear appropriate eye protection over prescription glasses and/or contact lenses.

Browse our range of safety glasses.

3. Hand protection

A pair of quality work gloves is an essential line of defence for your workers and promotes safety, comfort, and productivity. Key types of work gloves include the following:

Safety Gloves protect against abrasions, cuts, punctures and tearing.
Chemical Gloves specifically can protect the wearer against chemicals and/or micro-organisms.
Thermal Gloves are designed to protect the wearer against contact heat and/or temperatures down to -50 degrees.
Disposable gloves are designed to protect wearers against cross-contamination.

Browse our full range of gloves.

4. Respiratory protection

Respirators are vital for protecting workers’ respiratory health. In workplace environments where dust, particles and even chemicals are easy to inhale, respirators will go a long way to protecting your worker’s well-being.

Respiratory protection can come in many types including disposable, half-face, full-face, powered air, supplied air and even self-contained breathing apparatus,

Browse our full range of masks.

5. High-Vis clothing

High-visibility clothing is crucial for preventing accidents and minimising potential injuries. If all workers are wearing high-vis gear, they are far less likely to be hit by moving vehicles or other workers. Mostly commonly hi-vis clothing can be with taped (class D/N) or without tape (class D) depending on your working environment.

Browse our range of High-Vis gear.

PPE products NZ

Here at Primepac, we have a wide range of protective gear and PPE for all manner of workplaces. Our Health and Safety range is designed to make your life easier so you can order all the equipment you need in one online order. Our range includes:

Order everything you need to protect yourself and your workers by browsing the range now. Click below to find what you need or click here to download our Workplace Health and Safety Brochure.