Writing a PPE safety toolbox talk is an important topic to cover when working in an environment where PPE is required. PPE stands for Personal Protective equipment and it is primarily a set of clothing or equipment specially designed for workers to reduce the exposure. Their function is to reduce exposure to hazardous materials such as chemicals and other physical hazards while working.

PPE keeps a worker safe and away from the danger they can’t avoid because of the nature of their work.

While writing a PPE safety toolbox talk, you should keep in mind that you basically have to make people understand its importance and how this equipment can save them from any possible danger. You might have to deal with the workers who believe in traditional styles of working without any proper safety gear, but you should not lose motivation and know that people might oppose the idea of wearing PPE, but they all love their lives and don’t want to put themselves into unnecessary danger.

Here are a few things you should include in your PPE safety toolbox talk to make it more effective and efficient.

Explain What PPE is

You cannot move ahead with the safety talk without informing people about what exactly PPE is and how it works. Start from the basics and build your way up to the more crucial stuff.

You can tell the workers about the types of PPE and how different types can be used for different type of work.

Explain the Importance of Using PPE

If you want workers to use PPE, you have to explain what is the importance of doing so. Tell them that PPE is used to prevent any illnesses caused by working with bio-hazardous materials or chemicals, occupational injuries and unfortunate fatalities. Nobody wants to deliberately put their lives in danger and if you successfully manage to explain the importance of using PPE, you will have a bunch of workers who will never work without it.

Tell them how PPE can keep them safe from injuries in the workplace, help keep the employees working with chemicals from inhaling toxic materials, avoid chemical exposures, and prevent the spread of any and all infectious diseases or viruses.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, PPE kits kept the doctors and other front-line workers from contracting the disease, and similar to this, PPE gear will help you stay safe in other work environments as well.

Explain the Types of PPE in the PPE Safety Toolbox Talk

Usage of PPE depends upon the work conditions and so it is necessary to use the correct type of PPE for it to have the desired effect.

Face and Eye Protection

These include safety goggles and face shields for jobs that might cause loss of vision, eye damage, etc. Any task that uses toxic chemicals or excessive lights should use PPE for the face and eye.

Respiratory Protection

These include respirators, heavy-duty masks, breathing apparatus, N95 respirators, gas masks, and surgical masks. This type of equipment is used to prevent inhalation of harmful substances that might affect the body and risk of viruses spreading.

Body Protection

These include head protective gears such as hard helmets and headgears. Hand protective gear such as gloves to keep the workers safe from burns or cuts, etc. Foot protection gears such as high-quality safety boots. Fall protective gears such as lanyards and safety harnesses.

Hearing Protection

Some working environments such as construction includes excessive loud sounds, so keeping the ears safe in such environments is key. Earplugs and ear muffs are used to lower the density of volume.

Allow the Participants to Ask Questions

The worst thing you could do is leave any questions in the minds of the people you are talking to. Allow them to ask any questions that they have and answer them accordingly. Your job is to not only tell them about what PPE is and how it will help keep them safe, but your job is also to make sure that they understand each and every aspect of the PPE safety toolbox talk.

If you need a provide a toolbox talk related to PPE, then our PPE Toolbox Talk might be of interest to you.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a range of ready to deliver toolbox talks, then you might be interested in our toolbox talk packages. These include a range of toolbox talks at a cost-effective price.