For some of us, getting down to business means doing the dirty—and a lot of times, dangerous—work. Think of firefighters, who risk life and limb in order to tame hazardous conflagrations that threaten both life and property. There are also those on the forefront of the medical care continuum—nurses, doctors, and technicians who risk exposure to dangerous diseases just to give patients a second lease on life. Or how about those who work in the construction industry—people for whom compression and falling debris accidents are a daily reality.

Such individuals, and others like them who work in many other risky professions need all the protection they can get to safeguard their health and wellbeing in the workplace. To achieve this desired protection, workers must have all the necessary safety workwear clothing and other personal protective equipment or PPE.

Working in risky industries may pay well, but one’s safety is paramount, and no amount of money can ever equal that risk. That is why it’s critical that the clothing you wear while working is Safe Work Australia compliant. Workwear that adheres to safety requirements ensures that the user is protected while performing the risky nature of their jobs. This way, you will also be protected by the system that governs this regulation. To look for quality PPEs, you may check out the quality workwear by Workwearhub and other similar shops.

In this short guide, we’ll fill you in on some of the occupations for which using protective clothing and equipment is an absolute must.

Vehicle and equipment cleaners

Being a vehicle and equipment cleaner may not seem like a pretty dangerous job, but because these individuals often work with hazardous caustic substances, they are consistently at risk of incurring chemical burns. According to a study by researchers from the Louisiana State University, being a vehicle and equipment cleaner is one of the most high-risk professions when it comes to occupation-related burn injuries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also notes that the products that vehicle cleaners use—car and truck cleaning products, rust removers, and aluminum brighteners—often contain corrosive hydrofluoric acid because of its effectiveness in removing roadway matter.

As such, it is important for vehicle and equipment cleaners to protect their hands and body with gloves and workwear that have high permeation resistance against dangerous chemicals. They should also wear protective glasses and respirator for eye and lung protection if the situation requires them.

Foodservice personnel

Look into any restaurant and you’ likely find their kitchen to be always busy, hot, and full of items that can cause injury to the people working inside. This makes being a foodservice personnel another dangerous occupation, behooving those who work in commercial kitchens to use appropriate protective gear.

Wearing fire-resistant kitchen or chef’s jacket and apron is necessary to create a barrier between the body and objects that can cause scald and burn injuries, including open flames, hot tools and appliances, and hot liquids and food products. Conversely, wearing cut-resistant gloves can protect one from cut injuries arising from the use of sharp knives and cleavers, while oven gloves can protect a worker from scald and burn injuries caused by handling hot grills, baking trays, and other hot objects. Finally, non-slip shoes are also necessary in preventing slip and fall injuries usually caused by wet floors inside kitchens.

A kitchen staff’s protective clothing not only prevents cross-contamination of food to protect the diners and guests, but it also protects their bodies from harm that could occur inside the kitchen once the frenzy of the peak period begins.

Electrical workers

Electricians and others who work on electrical equipment and components are at risk of electric shock, arc flash burns, arc blast impacts, puncture wounds, and other injuries. Although wearing the proper PPE can be cumbersome for an electrician who is doing dexterous work in often uncomfortable positions, it is important if the person is to avoid harm. Standard PEE for electricians include nonconductive hard hats, arc rated suits, rubber insulating gloves, nonconductive shoes, and safety glasses.

Foresters and loggers

Harvesting trees is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, thanks in no small part to the hazards posed by powerful logging machines and the incredible weight of the trees being felled. Couple this with difficult environmental working conditions and you can understand how frail a forester or a logger can be in everyday situations. As such, it is absolutely important for these individuals to wear protective gear when working in the field. These include chainsaw chaps for leg protection, chainsaw gloves for the hands, heavy-duty logging fxd boots, a safety helmet, a pair of safety goggles (or a full-face shield), and a pair of earplugs or earmuffs to protect one’s hearing with.

It would also help those foresters and loggers to wear high visibility clothing because there will be times the thick foliage of the trees covers the sunlight and makes everything dark in the forest in the middle of the day. The neon marks on the protective clothing keep them visible to other members of their group and give them sufficient warning should they need them.

Laboratory Personnel

Laboratories can be hotbed of hazards, depending on the specimens and agents being kept and studied within their premises. Biological labs for instance, can be home to samples of minimal potential hazard, or they can be facilities dedicated to the research of highly infectious pathogens. On the other hand, chemical laboratories typically involve processing chemicals and other matter to engender reactions, synthesis, distillations, purifications, or some other result.

Depending on what is being handled, chemical labs—like biological labs—can pose a risk of exposure to workers. As such, lab personnel are required to wear PPE like splash-proof and flame-retardant laboratory coat and pants, enclosed shoes, permeation resistant gloves, and safety glasses or goggles. Technicians and scientists may also use respirators to protect themselves from fumes, vapours, dust, particulate matter, and airborne microorganisms.

Even though the use of personal protective equipment does not eliminate the presence of hazards within the working environment, they are instrumental in reducing workers’ exposure to these hazards, as well as in lessening the seriousness of any injury that these individuals may incur. In a lot of cases, safety workwear and accessories are all that stand between workers and a fatal turn of events.