FAQs Hersey's Safety, Perth

What does ‘PPE’ mean?

‘PPE’ stands for “personal protective equipment”. It is specialised clothing or personal protective equipment worn by employees for protection against health and safety hazards. Personal protective equipment is designed to protect many parts of the body – hard hats protect the head, safety equipment gloves protect the hands, safety glasses protect the eyes and face, and so on.

Why is hearing protection necessary when working on a building site?

A one-time exposure to a sudden powerful noise such as an explosion may damage your hearing instantly. Prolonged exposure to loud noise, such as on a building or construction site, can also lead to a gradual but permanent loss of hearing.

Damage can occur within the ear at noise levels similar to that of using a lawn mower for eight hours. This may only case temporary loss of hearing at first, lasting as long as 14 to 16 hours. However with repeated exposure to high noise levels, as is common at most construction sites, hearing may not fully recover. The loss of hearing that occurs slowly over time from exposure to moderate levels of noise is more often permanent. As it is a painless and gradual process, workplace noise has been referred to as a stealth long-term hazard and is the main reason why you need to take special care to wear your personal protective equipment at all times.

Who is responsible for ensuring that workers have the correct safety equipment?

Workplace PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is clothing and equipment worn by employees, students, contractors or visitors to protect or shield their bodies from workplace hazards.

Under Section 19 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 (WA), it is the obligation of the employer to provide for “the employees to have such adequate personal protective clothing and equipment as is practicable to protect them against hazards, without any cost to the employees”.