You may spend 15 minutes deciding what you’re going to wear for a night on the town. But for a day on the job, safety dictates your wardrobe.

Wearing the proper clothing and personal protective equipment in the working environment is critical. Appropriate clothing is your first and often only line of defense against many safety and health hazards.

Proper clothing is key
Simple as it may sound, you must dress for the occasion. Wearing stylish clothing can create a bigger hazard and may not provide protection from hazards while you work.

It is not uncommon to hear about a tragedy involving a worker wearing loose clothing and being drawn into a machine. Machines are powerful and unforgiving. Loose clothing is never appropriate in an industrial workplace.

Protect your feet
For most industries, standard footwear should be sturdy leather footwear, preferably boots equipped with safety toes. Steel toes with a rating of (C75) are recommended.

Hand protection
Gloves are inexpensive protection that guard against many hazards. They can protect hands from exposures ranging from chemical spills and cuts to heat and cold. Hand protection comes in a huge assortment of styles, materials and sizes. It is important to select the proper kind and style of glove to effectively protect hands from the hazards that may be encountered. How often has a worker cleaned parts or washed the grease from his hands with gasoline or a solvent? Don’t take the unnecessary risk; select and use proper hand protection.

Jewelry in the workplace can also be a hazard. Rings, bracelets and chains can be the cause of severe hand injuries. Use common sense and keep your jewelry at home.

Head and eye protection
Hardhats and safety glasses must be worn at the worksite. A hardhat can save your life, and safety glasses are a sure way to help protect your eyesight.

Proper hearing protection
When it comes to protecting your hearing, there are no ifs, ands or buts. Earplugs or earmuffs may not appeal to your fashionable tastes, but you’ll thank yourself later when you can actually hear a conversation at the dinner table.

Again, wearing the right kind of clothing is your first line of defense against workplace hazards. Carefully choose the personal protective equipment that will best protect you on the job. Remember, improper clothing or PPE is an invitation for an accident to occur.