Choosing the Best PPE for Skin Protection

When choosing the best PPE for your workplace, we tend to focus on the protection it can offer the wearer. However, with more businesses than ever before wearing PPE for long working days, it’s also important to consider the comfort of the user. A lot of PPE can cause skin irritation when worn for an extended period of time. Today we’re going to share with you some of our top tips for purchasing PPE for skin protection. Check out this page for more information about your PPE options today.

Protecting Facial Skin While Wearing a Mask 

Your facial skin is some of the most sensitive on your body. Many professionals today use PPE masks to protect them from germs and dust, which is very important to do in construction and medical settings. However, wearing a face mask all day long can cause skin irritation and result in friction on the skin’s surface. Skin irritation on your face can be extremely unpleasant and make it uncomfortable to have to return to work the following day and wear the mask all over again.

When wearing your new Portwest face mask, ensure you have purchased the correct size for your face. The easiest way to minimise the chance of skin irritation is to find a mask that fits tightly to your skin without rubbing at your jaw and chin all day long. You may find that you want to use a skin protective wipe or skin sealant on your face before putting your mask on for the day. This can help to reduce the chance of injuries due to friction while also not impacting the fit of your mask. Ensure your skin is clean and free from dirt or debris when you first put on your mask, as this may increase the chance of infection or irritation when your skin warms up during the day.

Find the Right Size of Clothing for Skin Protection PPE 

The right size of clothing and the quality of your Portwest coveralls will help to offer PPE skin protection. If you need your employees to wear protective coveralls, you must keep yourself informed about various standards. Each business’s needs may vary as far as skin protection on PPE, depending on which areas of the body are most exposed to risks daily. Many of the standards for protective clothing will take into account the weight of the Portwest workwear, the materials used, and labelling. If you need protection for different weather conditions, heat protection, or potential mechanical risks, Portwest clothing offers a full range of options to protect your skin in every scenario.

When it comes to choosing the right material for PPE skin protection, ensure your new PPE is abrasion-resistant and puncture-resistant. When the coveralls and clothing are tested for these uses, you’ll find they offer you better protection. This will help you feel confident offering this PPE option to everyone in your organisation. If chemical substances are a big concern in your workplace, find materials that provide you with a high level of protection against these substances. These materials should be tested for penetration and permeation.

Training Your Team About PPE for Skin Protection 

While you can provide your team with PPE for skin protection, it’s important to train them properly about when and where to use this PPE. Too many people today wear PPE in an improper manner, which can sometimes create a greater risk than not wearing it at all. Ill-fitting face masks and clothing can present more building site hazards and health risks than working without them. Ensure your team understand the function of each piece of PPE you require them to wear before using it for the first time.

On top of that, you should encourage them to only wear PPE that is designed for their shape and size. Don’t force your employees to wear PPE that’s too big or small, or this may cause more damage to their skin in the long run. While it can be tempting to cut corners in certain aspects of your business, PPE is one area that you shouldn’t do this.

PPE for skin protection is something that every business using PPE today should be aware of. PPE can be used to protect your skin from chemicals, heat, and other risks but should also be worn in a way that it doesn’t cause extra irritation in the first place from wearing it. By choosing Portwest clothing for your team this year, you’ll offer them high-quality products that are tested for use in a wide variety of situations. They’ll enjoy clothing and workwear that’s designed specifically with their comfort and safety in mind, reducing the risk of skin irritation and damage while working. Take the time to train your staff on proper PPE used to minimise the risks for your company this year.