PPE is not for me…Think again!

By Calissa Reid

Confession time: I am a shopaholic. My weakness… clothes. Fashion is one of my main interests; I’ve spent countless hours searching sale racks to build my dream wardrobe. Of course, people have varied interests, and I know that not everybody is interested in clothes and shoes. But there is some clothing that you should be interested in—Personal Protective Equipment (PPE for short).

So what exactly is PPE? PPE is any clothing or equipment that protects you from injury. PPE provides a barrier between you and any hazards you may face on the job. It includes things like safety glasses and hard hats.  You might be thinking, “I work safe, I don’t need PPE.”

But think about it: imagine a goalie in net without pads, or a beekeeper interacting with bees without a protective suit. Sounds insane, doesn’t it? While you’re probably not facing hockey pucks or swarms of bees, PPE is still important and yes, you do need it.

PPE is designed by safety experts who have identified common hazards in a variety of professions. Even if you are being cautious, accidents can happen. You can work smart by taking preemptive measures and wearing PPE to protect yourself and minimize the damage in an accident.

Not only can PPE save your life, it can also save you some money. New legislation in Alberta allows for Occupational Health and Safety agency officers to issue tickets to both workers and employers for not following worksite safety rules and regulations. Workers disobeying safety rules can be fined up to $500—money that could have been used for new shoes or a trip with friends!

If saving your life and some money isn’t enough, I’ve scoured the Internet for some fabulous and female-friendly PPE. Did you know that hard hats come in hot pink? Happy shopping!

Staying safe is always in style.

Check out safetygirl.com for more pink PPE and make sure to check that your PPE meets your employer’s and provincial safety regulations.